COMMUNITY leaders are scrapping their objection to a housing development with pub and restaurant in Cardrona.

A member of Innerleithen Community Council, who is a Cardrona resident, sent in a complaint on behalf of the council over the proposals.

But at meeting of the council this week it was decided that the objector Brian McCrow was not representing the views of other members.

The proposals for a bar, restaurant, function suite and 10 housing units to be built near the village store were approved five years ago. Amendments were made to the project earlier this year.

Mr McCrow, who was not present at this week’s meeting, said there was concern about fitting the housing units into a smaller space.

He added that parking issues had not been addressed in the revised proposals and increased use of the Tweed Valley Railway Path, which would run close by the development, would have safety implications.

“While a pub would be welcome by many residents has any market research been conducted on the viability of a pub/restaurant,” he said.

But Innerleithen community councillor Neil Cummings told the meeting: “I am a Cardrona resident and live near the village shop and we’ve had just four objections about this. Most people are talking about it bringing in a sense of community.

“There are a lot of people cycling through this residential area, if there happens to be a decent pub/restaurant on the route, then all the better.

“The arguments that Brian is putting forward are very weak.

He was backed by another community councillor George Brown who said: “I’ve spoken to quite a few people and there’s been no objections to this.” Tweeddale East councillor Stuart Bell said it was “quite a challenging situation” that an objection had been lodged on behalf of the community council even though most members had no complaints.

It was agreed that a letter would be written to SBC stressing that it was not the community council’s position to object to the plans.

The original application was made by Tom Renwick, a local businessman and farmer, who created Cardrona in 2000.

He said at the time that he was creating a bar complex to meet villagers’ wishes.