A PEEBLES housing development is being recommended for approval, despite strong public opposition.

York-based Persimmon Homes has applied to Scottish Borders Council’s planning department to build a 71-home housing estate beside South Parks industrial estate.  

However, the plans have been met with harsh criticism from local residents, with objections received from 112 different households and the local community council.

In particular, Peebles residents have raised concerns regarding the capacity of the site, pressure on local amenities, and road safety on the nearby Caledonian Road.

One objector, Terry Dakin, of Edderston Ridge View, Peebles, writes: “Access to this development is only via Caledonian road, this road is full to capacity already and putting over 100 extra vehicles on this road is a recipe for disaster.

“The local community cannot support the extra burden upon resources, i.e. doctors, schools, dentists, water and sewage without substantial increase in provision of these services.

“Your latest consultation reports on these issues appear to ride roughshod over the many objections you have received and no consideration given to substantial concerns on these issues.

“The committee appear to be on another planet it seems when it comes to investigating the many objections to this development.

“Maybe if you lived here you would see that all points raised are very valid points and must be considered and of course try and get an appointment at the doctors which you say is not overstretched. Good luck with that.”

Peebles Community Council says that Persimmon’s plans go over and above the council’s local development plan: “As Persimmon points out in its design and access statement, Scottish Borders Council has stated that for this particular site the indicative value of units is 50.

“Indicative means something that exists, is true or will probably happen. Therefore taking the word as it is meant means that any development would contain this number, i.e. 50 houses.

“Persimmon have therefore made an application that is outside of the scope of the local development plan.

“There is little doubt that if this application is allowed to succeed the residential amenity of this part of Peebles will be damaged severely and contrary to planning policy which seeks to protect residential amenity.

“Specifically, the scale and form of the proposed development is unacceptable and, inevitably, any such development will lead to increased traffic and noise.

“This application contravenes and is in breach of a number of planning policies. The traffic assessment and road safety report are flawed. The developers, for reasons of their own, have taken this application beyond and outside the scope of the current local development plan. It is the view off the community council that this application should be rejected.”

But despite the concerns, SBC's principal planning officer is recommending that councillors give the application the thumbs up, subject to conditions, when it goes to the committee on Monday.

In a written submission to the committee, he writes: “The proposals are considered to be an acceptable development of an allocated housing site within the local development plan, providing additional private and affordable houses to meet demand and local need.

“The density, design and layout of the development comply with policies and guidance and the impacts on visual amenity, road safety and infrastructure are considered acceptable, mitigated by conditions and contributions where required.

“In, conclusion and subject to compliance with the proposed schedule of conditions, informatives, and a section 75 agreement securing affordable housing and other development contributions, the development is considered acceptable when assessed against the local development plan and other material factors.”