CONDITIONS imposed by Scottish Borders Council on a new wedding venue in Peeblesshire have been described as “unnecessary and unreasonable” by its owners.

And Mike and Stephanie Goddard, who bought Hartree House at Kilbucho near Biggar in 2008, have been successful in having one of the constraints removed.

Back in January the couple was granted consent by SBC’s planning committee to host weddings at the 18th century mansion and its 25-acre estate.

But after considering objections from eight neighbours, who claimed their residential amenity would be adversely affected, the committee imposed binding conditions on the consent, restricting the Goddards to a maximum of 15 weddings a year and demanding that no more than two events should take place in any calendar month.

In addition, councillor ruled that the consent at the former hotel should be for a limited period of just two years.

The Goddards lodged an appeal, alleging the decision breached Scottish Government policy which stated that any condition which modifies a proposal “in a material way” cannot be imposed.

The couple also contended the conditions were “unnecessary and unreasonable having regard to the logistics of wedding planning and council decisions on similar proposals”.

And they claimed the planning committee had been “unduly influenced by local opposition”.

On Monday, the committee was told that Stephen Hall, a reporter from the Scottish Government’s planning and environmental appeals division (DPEA) had, after visiting the site, sustained the Goddards’ appeal against restricting the consent to just two years.

However, he upheld the conditions on the number of wedding events which can be hosted at Hartree House.