Council starts to melt over cone king's campaign

David O'Leary • Published 26 Feb 2010 13:12 0 Comments

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INNERLEITHEN ice-cream shop owner Andrew Caldwell admitted he was relieved after council chiefs agreed to review their controversial planning policy which outlaws the installation of new illuminated signs in conservation areas.

At a meeting of Scottish Borders Council in Newtown St Boswells yesterday (Thursday), members unanimously supported the motion from Liberal Democrat Councillor Graham Garvie, Tweeddale East.

It called on the local authority's Director of Planning and Economic Development to report on the appropriateness of supplementary planning guidance on signage and whether a review was necessary in light of changed societal and economic circumstances since the guidance was introduced.

Last year, Mr Caldwell was rejected retrospective planning consent by the council to install a £7000 illuminated sign above his shop in the High Street, Innerleithen.

But, before the meeting this week, he handed over a 1400 signature petition to Scottish Borders Council convener, Councillor Alasdair Hutton, demanding that the sign remain in place.

He revealed he hopes to reapply for planning permission under the new guidelines.

Speaking to the Border Telegraph after the meeting on Thursday, Mr Caldwell - who is the President of the Ice Cream Alliance of Great Britain - said: "I am relieved that councillors have taken into account the public's views and agreed to revise their policy because it has been a big worry.

"We have been told that we can keep the sign up as long as we don't turn it on but I've said I will illuminate it when it's dark and turn it off when it's light."

But he added: "It's crazy. There's not one person that I know of that has a bad word to say about it. There are illuminated signs all over the Borders and if I'm not allowed to keep mine the rest will probably have to go off too."

Councillors agreed they must do everything in their power to support local businesses already suffering from the recession. It followed the loss of more than 100 jobs at JJ & HB 1788 Cashmere Mills Ltd, in Innerleithen last month.

Accepting the petition, Councillor Hutton said: "We need to keep our policies dynamic, up-to-date and contemporary.

"It (our planning guidance) was devised so that our towns don't end up looking like some of these ridiculous kind of towns that we have seen in America where there is a clutter of signs and nothing is coordinated - they are hideous and ugly.

"But, while the original premise of the policy was probably dead right and, I think, has served us very well, maybe every so often we need to look at it again to make sure it's fit for purpose today."

And he added: "Given the recession maybe this is a very good time to be looking at our policies to make sure they are not slowing down a businesses ability to trade well."

Fellow Lib Dem Councillor Catriona Bhatia, Tweeddale West, agreed the present planning policy was out of date.

But, despite supporting the review, Conservative Councillor Carolyn Riddell-Carre, Selkirkshire, said the council was right to follow its planning guidelines and reject Mr Caldwell's planning application.

And she said the guidelines should continue to be adhered to until they are changed.

But the meeting heard that while Innerleithen High Street was in a conservation area, the adjoining Peebles Road, where the Co-op store has two large illuminated signs, was not

SNP Councillor Kennenth Gunn, Selkirkshire, said: "It's nonsense. These planning regulations are like something out of the dark ages - there is no reason for everything in the Borders to be battle ship grey."

The council agreed to review its controversial planning policy and report back to councillors on May 20.

Council leader David Parker said: "It is important that we carry out this review quickly."

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 26 Feb 10

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