Peeblesshire News | News | Delays bring hope to estate tenants

Thursday, 4th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 27th October, 2006 10:14

Delays bring hope to estate tenants

By David Knox

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A GLIMMER of hope has been given to the threatened tenants of Glenormiston

The 700-acre estate near Innerleithen is in the process of changing hands.

And the incoming owners – a business consortium called Glenormiston Ltd – have told residents in rented cottages that they will be given 40 days notice of eviction.

But delays in planning applications to create eight properties from the current steading buildings and six new builds have given them a fresh sense of optimism.

The Peeblesshire News has learned that a 10 per cent deposit was placed on the £3 million deal in the summer with the balance to be paid by December 1.

Residents on the historic estate believe that without lucrative planning permission for the 14 properties the businessmen will not be able to raise the outstanding sum.

One resident told us: “Delays are certainly good. We feared this would be rushed through.

“It is difficult to see exactly what is happening – potential buyers have already turned up at the tenanted properties and there seems to be a push to get everything sorted before December 1.”

The first of the two planning bids for Glenormiston was listed on Monday night’s Tweeddale Area Committee agenda.

But members of the committee want both applications to be heard together – and as the total number of properties exceeds 10 they will be considered at the council’s full planning committee.

The next committee meeting is on Monday, November 6.

But a council spokesman told us: “It is unlikely this will be heard before the December meeting.

“It was considered by Tweeddale Area Committee that with another planning application in the pipeline from Glenormiston Ltd they should be considered together.”

The two applications have so far attracted around 100 objections, as well as letters from MP David Mundell and MSP Jeremy Purvis.

Nobody from Glenormiston Ltd was available for comment.

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