THE owners of a Borders planning firm have won their battle with council planners to build a home on land to the south of Linthill Country House.

Tim and Toni-Jane Ferguson, the owners of Galashiels-based Ferguson Planning, previously submitted ambitious plans for a large house and standalone stables on land that used to form part of the Linthill estate, near Lilliesleaf, but were denied permission by council planners, who felt the location did not sit well with the former Linthill estate buildings.

The Fergusons subsequently appealed the decision and councillors sitting on the local review body met on Monday to deliberate on the proposals.

In a written submission to the committee, planning officer Stuart Wilkes recommended that councillors refuse the appeal.

He wrote: “Firstly, Linthill is a group of buildings based at and around the walled garden and existing converted estate buildings. The proposed site has no direct or immediate relationship or connection to these structures.

“Secondly, and contrary to the existing sense of a relatively compact group of structures being encountered sequentially at and around the perimeter of the walled garden and within the stables buildings, the development of the site would promote a ‘ribbon’ character of development.

“Thirdly, the site has no existing, logical or natural eastern limit, such that the development of this land would be liable to promote a greater expansion eastwards into the remainder of the field.

“To take it to its logical conclusion, this spread would result in an easter annexe that may be larger than the original building group.”

However, the majority of councillors disagreed with the opinions of the council’s planning officers, and spoke in favour of overturning their previous decision to refuse permission.

Galashiels and District councillor Andy Anderson said: “The question is, is this a ribbon development? I notice the landscape artist has said that the integrity of the building group will be maintained.

“I appreciate the officer’s recommendation but looking at the way the development is going it seems to me to make sense.

“I would have concerns over further development of the field this proposal is situated in, however.”

Kelso and District councillor Simon Mountford was also broadly supportive of the development: “I’m very sympathetic towards this application. One of the things we try to do is create good quality developments, and this is going to be a high quality extension to an existing building group.

“In terms of design and location I have no problems with this whatsoever.

“They’re trying to build a hard border of the site and I think that will enhance the building group.”

Jedburgh and District councillor Scott Hamilton expressed some reservations over the siting of the development, but came down in favour of it: “I was quite sympathetic to this, it’s certainly in keeping with the buildings which are there, but looking at the site plan now there is the potential for ribbon development.

“On balance, I’m cautiously leaning towards overturning the officers’ recommendation.”

Councillors voted by a majority of six to one to overturn the decision of council planners and granted planning permission in principle for the development.

Scottish Borders Council will get another look at the development, however, when the applicants submit more detailed plans around the location and design of the buildings.