Developers have come under attack from community representatives for their “minimalist” efforts towards providing essential affordable housing in Peebles.

They were accused of failing to support the special character of the town or contributing towards a balanced and sustainable community.

The criticisms came as the planning committee of Peebles Community Council reported its concerns about the marked segregation between affordable and more expensive housing.

The report, presented at last Thursday’s Community Council meeting, highlighted major misgivings over the developments at Kittlegairy and Violet Bank.

It stated: “There is no mixing of design/value types and a stark contrast in the living spaces provided in relation to the different housing types - for example on Kittlegairy affordable housing/housing for rent is very small and cramped, compared to the mix of physically large private houses which appear to dwarf the affordable section of the development.” Scottish Borders Council had ruled that substantial developments must include 25 per cent of houses that complied with their definition of “affordable”, according to the report.

It added: “Developer response to these requirements has tended to be minimalist – essentially more is made by a developer from the larger private houses, than from affordable houses, and from construction of economic infrastructure, and so plans tend to meet the minimum required to meet planning conditions.

“But such an approach to development hardly retains and supports the special character of the town, or contributes to an achievement of balanced and sustainable communities.” The committee is of the view that the community – and thus the Community Council – should expect and demand better for our town, and should require a more productive mixing of housing types in future developments – including more attention to the settings of such.

Crick Carleton, the committee chairman, added: “There is a marked difference between the affordable housing and the other houses at Kittlegairy and it begs the question, how do we influence developers to do it a different way?” Tweeddale East councillor Stuart Bell revealed that there continues to be a big demand for affordable housing.

He told the meeting: “Demand is quite high for affordable housing in Peebles and the council is looking at a number of sites that it owns.

“If the community council wants to have some influence in these developments it needs to intervene at the planning brief stage or when the planning application is made.”