REJECTED plans to open up a Crossfit gym and children’s soft-play area in Tweedbank may be revived following an appeal.

The owners of the former Barbour factory at Tweedside Park, Melrose-based JSC Properties, have lodged an appeal after their plans were scuppered by council planning officers.

The plans would create eight jobs, but in August planning officials threw out the plans because the site is set aside for employment use in the authority’s local development plan.

Now, councillors sitting on Scottish Borders Council’s local review body are set to hear an appeal against the rejection.

In a written statement set to go before the local review body, a spokesperson for Galashiels-based Ferguson Planning, which is representing JSC Properties, said: “There are a number of material considerations which indicate that the application can be supported despite the proposal being contrary to the normally permitted uses in Tweedside Park.

“These include: the proposals will lead to job creation; the vacant space has been actively and continually marketed since 2014 with no success for uses which comply with the employment land allocation; existing unit occupiers would be unaffected; and there is significant demand for the proposals.

“Also, the proposals would be allocated in vacant or sterilised space which does not contribute to the employment land allocation; there is a significant over-supply of business and industrial space in the central Borders and vacancy rate of units within Tweedbank is considerable; and there are no alternative sites locally to site the proposed soft-play facility and no land, at all, is allocated for such facilities in the Borders.

“The proposals will create approximately two full time jobs and six part time jobs, and provide much needed indoor play facilities within the Borders, responding to current under-provision.”

As evidence of the demand for a Crossfit gym and children’s soft-play area at the site, the developers have submitted a survey which sought views on the proposals from 330 Borders residents.

When asked ‘do you feel that a soft play area with cafe and crossfit training facility would be a worthwhile addition to the Tweedbank industrial estate?’, 95% of respondents answered affirmatively.

The survey also shows that 90% of respondent said they would visit the soft play area, and 71% said they would visit the Crossfit gym.

However, Scottish Borders Council planning officers remain unconvinced. Carlos Clarke, lead planning officer, is recommending that councillors refuse the application.

In a written submission to councillors, he said: “This application proposes the provision of a soft play centre with associated cafe, with a gym, within a building located within a strategic business park safeguarded for business uses.

“The proposed uses do not fall within the permitted classes, and though there are material considerations which count in favour of the development to some extent, these are not sufficient to override the conflict with council policy.

“The proposal would also undermine the council’s aspirations to develop a high quality business park at this location.”

The council’s forward planning department, which helps formulate the authority’s strategic plan, is also recommending the appeal is rejected. A spokesperson for the department said: “This proposal is contrary to the policy of the Scottish Border local development plan 2016, which seeks to this strategic, high amenity, safeguarded business and industrial site for class four uses only.

“The council recently adopted supplementary guidance and a simplified planning zone for the Central Borders Business Park at Tweedbank in view of the Borders Railway Blueprint, which states that the area will be developed to respond to, and capitalise on, opportunities brought by the Borders railway with the provision of new high quality office accommodation, suites and facilities.

“To support this proposal at an early age of the aforesaid simplified planning zone would set an undesirable amount precedent and would undermine the council’s strong position on business development at this location.

“Overall, it is recommended that this application is refused.”

Councillors sitting on Scottish Borders Council’s local review body are set to meet on Monday 19 November to deliberate on the appeal.