THE Scottish Government has appointed Chris Norman to oversee an appeal by the firm wanting to develop the March Street Mill site in Peebles.

Moorbrook Textiles lodged an appeal with the government after Scottish Borders Council postponed making a decision last November to allow for a site visit.

The company wants to demolish some of the mill buildings to make way for 69 houses.

And part of the proposals is to move the current allotments to a new part of the site.

The application which was due to go back before the local authority in December had attracted around 50 objections as well as a 1300-signature petition calling for protection of the allotments.

And, in a legal letter submitted by Scottish Borders Council to the government's Planning and Environmental Appeal Division, solicitor Emma Moir stated: "The planning authority do not disagree with the principle of a mixed use development on this site, but it considers that such a development would only be acceptable were the current allotment site protected as key greenspace.

"The proposed alternative allotments are not comparable in terms of size, quality or location.

"In addition, Policy EP9 of the Local Development Plan relating to Conservation Areas has not been satisfied as the current proposal for redevelopment is not deemed to be appropriate therefore demolition cannot proceed."

Mr Norman has been set a target date of reaching a conclusion on the appeal by Friday, February 15.

It is expected he will make a site visit to March Street Mill in the coming weeks.