Crook Inn conversion controversy continues

David O'Leary - David O'Leary • Published 21 Nov 2008 12:30 0 Comments

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The future of one of Scotland"s oldest inns was debated before a public hearing this week.

Local councilors earlier this year refused to grant permission for the 400-year-old Crook Inn to be converted into flats.

Owner James Doonan claims the site ceases to be viable as a business and wishes to covert the eight-bedroom listed building into four large flats and also construct a separate house on the site.

Concerned locals have also formed the 100-strong, Tweedsmuir Community Company, with a view to buy and run the hotel under Right-to-Buy regulations.

Government Reporter, Danny Onn, presided over the meeting in Peebles" Burgh Hall, which saw all sides in the controversial debate face-off against each other.

Solicitor, Nuala McKinlay, local councillor, Catriona Bhatia, and James Millar and Albert Muckley of SBC"s planning department represented Scottish Borders Council.

Planning consultants, Alan Farningham and Joanne Black, of White Young Green, architect Ben Glennon, of Camerons Ltd and chartered surveyor, Alex Pinkerton represented Mr Doonan"s company, Inverwest Ltd.

Tweedmuir Community Company was represented by James Walsh, Anthony Davidson, Gordon Fraser and Andrew Mason.

Also, in attendance was James Doonan and former Crook Inn workers, Christine Parker and Maureen Thornburrow.

The key issues debated centred on the Inns viability as a business, its true market value and the differing interpretations of SBC"s Structural Plan and Local Plan.

Alan Farningham claimed that SBC should never have refused his clients proposal under policy E (21) of their Structural Plan as the policy makes no reference to the protection or retention of a property.

Nuala McKinlay countered this stating that one of SBC"s key principles is sustainability and that it would be illogical to say that SBC would support tourist development without caring for the retention and protection of properties with tourism value.

She added that as sustainability is key to both plans that every policy has to follow that strategy.

Mr Farningham also highlighted SBC"s decision to approve the demolition of the The Green Mantle in Broughton and The Romanno Inn at Romanno Bridge, claiming that there was little difference between those proposals and this.

However, James Walsh highlighted that the difference was that in neither instance was their a community right to buy interest lodged.

Mr Farningham next stated how the Inn"s conversion to residential use would only improve the sustainability of the site due to the non-viability of the business.

He also criticised the desk-based evaluation of the property undertaken by a general civil servant. He views the report as being not robust enough to warrant refusal.

However, Tweedsmuir Community Company refute this fact of the Inn being commercially unviable as they believe the appellant, Mr Doonan, deliberately ran down the business with a view to converting it too flats.

Letters were also produced showing that as early as May 2006, the same month Mr Doonan bought the property, drawings for residential use had been produced.

The also highlighted accounting errors and questioned the true value of the property.

Speaking of the Tweeddale Area Committee, Councillor Bhatia said: 'Councillors were more than fair and reasonable on our initial refusal, We asked for the property to be put on the market at district value and it never was. Therefore, the appellant cannot say that he exhausted every route to determine viability.'

Mr Farningham next declared that he believed there to be no policy basis for viability as a consideration and that it should be given little or no weight.

He further went on to question TCC"s ability to find funding as part of their business model when attempting to buy the premises and also their ability to make it sustainable thereafter.

However TCC countered saying that they would have no problem in generating funding through a variety of means.

Councillor Bhatia highlighted how SBC are the only local authority with a full-time lottery officer, who possesses a significant track record in helping community groups to receive funding.

As the days business wore on a planned site visit was re-arranged for Tuesday November 25 at 10am. The final decision on the project will now be made by the Scottish Government and Government Reporter Danny Onn said that this decision would not come until at least the new year.

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 21 Nov 08

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