A CONTROVERSIAL bid to build a house on the “overgrown” garden ground of a Peebles property looks set to be given the green light.

The application relating to the land north of The Croft, on Chambers Terrace, was originally filed with Scottish Borders Council (SBC) back in July.

But it attracted opposition on a number of potential issues including privacy, impact on trees, increased traffic and pedestrian safety.

The bid is set to go in front of the council’s planning and building standards committee on Monday morning (November 7).

And SBC’s planning chiefs have given their backing to the plans, although councillors on the committee could vote to go against the recommendation.

In a report outlining the council’s support, planning officer Ranald Dods said: “In this case, the site is within the settlement envelope of Peebles and the established land use in the surrounding area is residential. The development of a house, subject to an appropriate design being achieved, is unlikely to detract from the character and amenity of the surrounding area.

“A single house is unlikely to lead, either singularly or cumulatively, to over-development although it is acknowledged that the site has constraints imposed on it due to mature trees and access arrangements.

“The application aims to establish the principle of development and, although a drawing has been supplied in support of the proposed development, that is indicative. It does, however, demonstrate that it would be entirely possible to introduce a house which could respect the prevailing context of the site.”

Mr Dods added that the road access to the proposed house would only serve two properties, with the number of vehicle movements “likely to be very low”.

Both the town’s community council and Peebles Civic Society objected to the application.

The community council considered the site to be in a “sensitive location”, with the development potentially impacting “adversely on adjoining properties”, according to SBC’s report.

The group also said that there was “insufficient information” in terms of position, size and height of any buildings and on the impact on the adjacent trees.

As the application was made to establish the principle of development, no detailed plans of the proposed house were submitted, according to the local authority. The final design would have to be the subject of further applications, the report added.

Five ‘high value’ mature lime trees in and around the site would be retained but ‘lower category’ trees would be removed, according to the council.

The committee is due to meet at 10am on Monday.