Wednesday May 20th 2026
Thistle Garden, Howpark, Grantshouse Duns
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Councillors have refused an appeal bid for a “very large garden shed” on agricultural land in Berwickshire.
An agricultural storage with games room building on land to the south of Thistle Garden at Howpark in Grantshouse was built without prior planning approval from Scottish Borders Council.
A retrospective bid was subsequently refused by council planners for being out of keeping with the agricultural area and this week an appeal against refusal was rejected by members of the authority’s Local Review Body.
The structure, which is used for storing vehicles and equipment, maintaining the grounds, and providing a family space, will now need to be removed.
Councillor Marshall Douglas said: “We are talking about a domestic situation, it’s a private house with a paddock, it’s not a farm.
“The building across the road is quite clearly on a farm stead, so that is agricultural farm buildings.
“We are actually talking about somebody erecting a building which is a massive size compared to the house within the grounds of the garden and paddock. The whole sizing is inappropriate.”
Councillor Viv Thomson agreed, adding: “We are looking at a building which is a more residential, domestic use, in which case it is a very large garden shed.
“I think the scale of it is too much for that purpose.”
Councillor Eric Small said: “This building is more like something you would find on an industrial estate.
“For anybody that thinks they can put up a building of that size without asking for permission is not on and I think the officers have called this right.”
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