"Plush" West Linton raises fears over future development

David O'Leary - David O'Leary • Published 24 Apr 2009 12:30 0 Comments

WEST Linton has been named as one of the plushest areas in the entire country.

The Tweeddale village was named sixth amongst Scotland"s most expensive

postcodes in a recent annual property survey.

The study by house prices website Zoopla suggested West Linton, which has the postcode EH46, had an average house price of £300,052.

Milltimber in Aberdeen, which has the postcode AB13, was named as

Scotland"s most expensive postcode with an average house price of £422,760.

However the survey wasn"t all great news for the residents of West Linton as it found that property in the area had fallen by an average of £49,575 or -14.18%.

Alex Chesterman, chief executive of Zoopla, said: 'Despite the current economic climate much of Scotland"s wealth remains tied up in the property market and while average house prices are down across the board on last year, there still remain some pretty impressive figures in this year"s Scottish Property Rich List.'

Local councillor Willie Archibald said: 'This survey once more reflects the fact that West Linton is an excellent environment to raise a family with fantastic schools close at hand.

'It"s close proximity to Edinburgh via car or bus make it an even more desirable place to live. The news of a drop in house prices will not come as too great a shock though given the current economic climate and will mostly only affect those wishing to move.

'And as the survey shows why would anyone want to move.'

MSP for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale, Jeremy Purvis echoed this.

He said: ' I wasn"t surprised to see West Linton"s position on the list given that it"s an attractive and popular area.

However the survey also went some ways to realising Mr Purvis" fears regarding future development in West Linton and North Tweeddale.

Last July Scottish Borders Council submitted its Draft Development Strategy highlighting strict restraints on the amount of future developments to be undertaken in Peeblesshire over the next decade.

However the Scottish Government then submitted amendments to this strategy which Mr Puvis claims undermine the sustainable economic

development of the region.

He said: 'The Government have shown their intentions recently to lift

development restraints in the area which will add considerable pressure

on services and the local area in general.

'As shown in this survey West Linton is viewed nationally as a desirable area to live in, due to these amendments it is now also in a position to be targeted and over-run by national developers in the future.

'That is why I have written to the Government seeking an explanation,

and then a reversal of their damaging proposals.'

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This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 24 Apr 09

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