Monday February 23rd 2026
Kingsmeadows House
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Councillors today unanimously refused of an application related to the building of new homes on a much-loved woodland in Peebles.
It is now more than a decade since Granton Homes bought the 18th century Kingsmeadows House and estate.
The B-listed property was converted into 12 apartments and the company was granted permission for a separate block of 10 flats to be built at the rear of the house.
But further plans for felling ancient trees on the historic 18-acre estate on the banks of the River Tweed were refused, and several appeals have also been turned down.
Granton renewed their outline permission for the apartment block in 2019 but the latest attempt for developing the land has attracted more than one hundred objections from locals, as well as politicians and civic groups.
When members of Scottish Borders Council’s Local Review Body met on Monday, February 23, they were asked to reconsider the application.
They rejected an application to vary a condition protecting the woodland site from development and to reduce the area currently covered by a management plan.
Councillor Eric Small said: “This is a site of natural beauty within Peebles which sits beside the River Tweed.
“I think that the conditions that were originally in place should stand.”
“It seems to me that nothing has changed”, said Councillor Neil Richards, adding: “We don’t need to monkey around with the conditions again”.
The reason for refusal was that it would result in a development “which would not maintain the character and open nature of the land which is within control of the applicant within and surrounding the site.
“This would have an adverse impact on the woodland setting of Kingsmeadows House and would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the conservation area and the setting of the category B listed building.”
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