Quarry firm wins appeal against West Linton plan rejection

A quarry firm has won an appeal against a council rejection of its plans at a site in the Borders.

Stonepack was refused planning permission to extract sand and gravel west of Slipperfield Loch near West Linton.

It took the case to the Scottish government to seek to overturn that decision.

A reporter ruled its impact on the landscape would be "localised" and it would bring economic benefits.

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) turned down the plans due to their adverse visual impact on the area.

It was also concerned about the effect on the Pentland Hills special landscape area and said the company had failed to show this would be outweighed by a "clearly demonstrated need for the quarry and public benefit".

An action group was set up in the area to campaign against the proposals and objections were lodged by community councils and the archaeologist and landscape architect at SBC.

Stonepack appealed against the rejection and that has now been successful.

A reporter said the plans would create five new jobs and there would be further benefits from investment in the site.

He found that securing a steady supply of sand and gravel for the construction industry was a "positive socio-economic consequence of the proposal".

In addition he said there could be "wider spin-off effects" through the financial benefits to the farm business operated by the site owner.

"I have concluded that that the proposal would provide an important source of materials for the construction industry and that the site is appropriately located with regard to likely centres of high future demand for its products," he added.

He said there would be "significantly adverse landscape and visual effects" but these would be "localised" and "avoid any significant harm to communities or the environment".

The company said the development would serve an "established market" in the Borders and nearby regions.

It added that the scheme had been designed to ensure "adequate separation distances" from nearby homes and to avoid significant environmental impact.

Tweeddale councillor Viv Thomson said: "It is really disappointing, the community had put forward a good case as to why it shouldn't be developed.

"It has obviously gone through council and we felt it wasn't the right site."

She added that there were mothballed quarries in the area which showed demand was not as great as was being suggested.