Village Centre & Auction Mart Development Proposals
"Planning approval in principle" was given on Monday 29 March 2021
When finally approved the H&H proposals will form an important part of the overall village development plans to provide a regenerated village centre and road link direct to the by-pass etc. as explained at the public consultation session given by H&H at Auction Mart 21st March 2018 - use link :-
The walk-in consultation session which took place on the 21st March 2018 was very well attended, and a planning application (PA) was granted 'planning approval in principle' on the 29/03/2021. The next stage is for a ' final detailed PA' to be submitted by H&H. Before that occurs, the village is advised that full consultation on the regeneration details will be discussed and more information on the project plan given. However unfortunately since the walk-in consultation no further information/discussions have taken place but it is known that the landowner and Agent are actively progressing various studies needed to gain final approval. It is recommended that the recently elected Community Council pursue discussions with SBC to get update.
What's next - 16 October 2023
The latest situation is that H&H sent the below flyer/poster to the village which is very encouraging giving an update and we await full approval of their planning application by SBC shortly. So far the village has only been consulted on the high level plans and artists impressions however once full approval is given the village looks forward to being closely involved in discussion about design details.
At the same time the Community Council is carrying out a 'Placemaking study' collecting villagers wants and wishes which will then be fed into the H&H infrastructure plans. For sure there will be cost constraints but the village Community Council will do all it can to achieve as many wishes as possible.
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Update new Community Council asks SBC questions: -
The below questions were provided to SBC representatives prior to an on-line 'Teams' meeting taking place but unfortunately most of the discussion time was taken up with the first question regarding the project program and the importance of getting agreements with the village centre existing property/land owners. Only when this is achieved can the project progress.
Village Regeneration –
Community Council questions for SBC meeting
5th December 2022
1/ Program
Question - Where is Planning Application in the approval process ?
Is the East business development over by-pass included in current Mart PA ?
What is legal and full approval target date for completion when construction work can start ?
Is there an agreed implementation plan ?
Will village centre, roads & housing be completed first ?
Answer - In summary we were advised that whilst the layout/design of the H&H part of the village centre was progressing well agreements on the remaining village centre land, belonging to six different land/property owners, were still to be concluded. H&H have agreed to pursue getting agreements as quickly as possible since they were very keen to get details of layout and design completed.
2/ Village Centre
“A village centre is required with character and landscaped with a sense of place including flower beds, trees, bushes, seating, lighting and a central feature perhaps a pillar clock with flower bed and/or a statue depicting village history of Railway, Cattle Mart and Farming”
Ian Lindley, SBC past Director Planning.
No answers to the following questions were available until agreements with existing property/landowners are concluded and a detailed design/layout completed.
Q - When will the CC/village have opportunity to discuss village centre (VC) character design, layout, landscaping, underfoot surfaces, lighting, seating etc. to create a unique ‘sense of place’ ?
Q - What is happening to Council utility buildings behind the Co op ?
Q - What is happening to SBC unused car park behind utility buildings ?
Q - What is happening to corrugated tin Co op building ?
Can pedestrians walk between shops etc. without crossing traffic ?
Q - What type of retail outlets/shops/small businesses planned and who will decide ?
Q - Delivery access to rear of retail outlets, small businesses etc. ?
Q - Over 90% of existing residents live to the west of village centre so will pedestrian/cycle access to VC be improved with bridge over main road ?
Q - Is a bridge being provided to give good pedestrian, cycle and car access from 900 house approved development ?
Q - What assumptions are being made regarding provision of car parking taking into account 900 house development, Health Centre, railway etc.
Q - How much space allocated for uninterrupted market area ?
Q - Central feature clock shown at public consultation can this be discussed ?
Q - A security CCTV has been requested for village centre ?
Q - What level of restoration will be carried out on Mart Octagonal Building (Bull Ring) ?
Q - What new community and children facilities are to be provided ?
New Health Centre
Q - H&H has agreed to make land available in VC for a new Health Centre are NHS committed to provide and what type of medical facilities ?
Q - Planning Officer advises not possible to contact NHS so no information.
Who did they attempt to contact and since this is an important facility can SBC please make contact at senior level ?
A - Communication has taken place with David Parker who is a board member of NHS Borders and also the IJB. He has provided contact details for person in NHS estates department and Community Council will be contacting to get estimate of building footprint size and approximate cost ?
Also David Parker advised that with 'private GP practices' responsibility for Health Centre building was not straight forward and suggested we discuss initially with members of the local practice. The Community Council intend to do this and explain the village aspirations and the primary care services to accommodate recent approval over 1,000 additional houses.
3/ Housing
Again no answers to the following questions were available until agreements with existing property/landowners are concluded.
Q - How many houses and house types are proposed and what is the planned house density ratio ?
Q - Is it a mixed house development private, affordable and renting ?
Q - Who will decide on housing development character design ?
Q - Who will build and have ownership of house development ?
Q - Will there be any Sheltered housing, Elderly Care Home facilities ?
4/ Paths
Again no answers to the following questions were available until agreements with existing property/landowners are concluded.
Q - Will the existing footpath/staircase to river be renovated ?
Q - Will the existing footpath to the river be screened from new business development ?
Q - Will there be a path around development with link to St Cuthbert’s Way ?
Q - What facilities in village centre and surrounding area will be provided for cyclists/walking?
5/ Other Items
Again no answers to the following questions were available until agreements with existing property/landowners are concluded.
Q - Does the Mart & 900 house developer contribution cover modification to existing road through centre of village, as mentioned in Development Framework document, including a bridge?
Q - What financial contribution is Council making towards regeneration as mentioned in the Council’s Development Frame study/document ?
Q - What and when will the £400k in capital budget for village regeneration be allocated/used?
The below questions were provided to SBC representatives prior to an on-line 'Teams' meeting taking place but unfortunately most of the discussion time was taken up with the first question regarding the project program and the importance of getting agreements with the village centre existing property/land owners. Only when this is achieved can the project progress.
Village Regeneration –
Community Council questions for SBC meeting
5th December 2022
1/ Program
Question - Where is Planning Application in the approval process ?
Is the East business development over by-pass included in current Mart PA ?
What is legal and full approval target date for completion when construction work can start ?
Is there an agreed implementation plan ?
Will village centre, roads & housing be completed first ?
Answer - In summary we were advised that whilst the layout/design of the H&H part of the village centre was progressing well agreements on the remaining village centre land, belonging to six different land/property owners, were still to be concluded. H&H have agreed to pursue getting agreements as quickly as possible since they were very keen to get details of layout and design completed.
2/ Village Centre
“A village centre is required with character and landscaped with a sense of place including flower beds, trees, bushes, seating, lighting and a central feature perhaps a pillar clock with flower bed and/or a statue depicting village history of Railway, Cattle Mart and Farming”
Ian Lindley, SBC past Director Planning.
No answers to the following questions were available until agreements with existing property/landowners are concluded and a detailed design/layout completed.
Q - When will the CC/village have opportunity to discuss village centre (VC) character design, layout, landscaping, underfoot surfaces, lighting, seating etc. to create a unique ‘sense of place’ ?
Q - What is happening to Council utility buildings behind the Co op ?
Q - What is happening to SBC unused car park behind utility buildings ?
Q - What is happening to corrugated tin Co op building ?
Can pedestrians walk between shops etc. without crossing traffic ?
Q - What type of retail outlets/shops/small businesses planned and who will decide ?
Q - Delivery access to rear of retail outlets, small businesses etc. ?
Q - Over 90% of existing residents live to the west of village centre so will pedestrian/cycle access to VC be improved with bridge over main road ?
Q - Is a bridge being provided to give good pedestrian, cycle and car access from 900 house approved development ?
Q - What assumptions are being made regarding provision of car parking taking into account 900 house development, Health Centre, railway etc.
Q - How much space allocated for uninterrupted market area ?
Q - Central feature clock shown at public consultation can this be discussed ?
Q - A security CCTV has been requested for village centre ?
Q - What level of restoration will be carried out on Mart Octagonal Building (Bull Ring) ?
Q - What new community and children facilities are to be provided ?
New Health Centre
Q - H&H has agreed to make land available in VC for a new Health Centre are NHS committed to provide and what type of medical facilities ?
Q - Planning Officer advises not possible to contact NHS so no information.
Who did they attempt to contact and since this is an important facility can SBC please make contact at senior level ?
A - Communication has taken place with David Parker who is a board member of NHS Borders and also the IJB. He has provided contact details for person in NHS estates department and Community Council will be contacting to get estimate of building footprint size and approximate cost ?
Also David Parker advised that with 'private GP practices' responsibility for Health Centre building was not straight forward and suggested we discuss initially with members of the local practice. The Community Council intend to do this and explain the village aspirations and the primary care services to accommodate recent approval over 1,000 additional houses.
3/ Housing
Again no answers to the following questions were available until agreements with existing property/landowners are concluded.
Q - How many houses and house types are proposed and what is the planned house density ratio ?
Q - Is it a mixed house development private, affordable and renting ?
Q - Who will decide on housing development character design ?
Q - Who will build and have ownership of house development ?
Q - Will there be any Sheltered housing, Elderly Care Home facilities ?
4/ Paths
Again no answers to the following questions were available until agreements with existing property/landowners are concluded.
Q - Will the existing footpath/staircase to river be renovated ?
Q - Will the existing footpath to the river be screened from new business development ?
Q - Will there be a path around development with link to St Cuthbert’s Way ?
Q - What facilities in village centre and surrounding area will be provided for cyclists/walking?
5/ Other Items
Again no answers to the following questions were available until agreements with existing property/landowners are concluded.
Q - Does the Mart & 900 house developer contribution cover modification to existing road through centre of village, as mentioned in Development Framework document, including a bridge?
Q - What financial contribution is Council making towards regeneration as mentioned in the Council’s Development Frame study/document ?
Q - What and when will the £400k in capital budget for village regeneration be allocated/used?
Proposal summary
In summary the current planning application is to keep the Mart roughly in same position but a smaller area nearer to the by-pass. It will contain items requested by the villagers for many years including a new pedestrianised village centre, a market place area, retail and small business outlets, a new roundabout giving direct access to the by-pass for use by the general public and Mart traffic resulting in no need for large Mart vehicles to travel through village centre. Also the planning application includes the Bull Ring, a listed building, which will remain as a feature in the new market square for use by the community for activities yet to be decided.
The proposals also include building some 125 new houses on the Mart site but no details are yet known.
SBC has specified that a corridor for the possible return of the railway extension to be left clear but of course the go ahead would be made at government level followed by decisions on funding and preferred route for the railway extension to take. A recent survey confirm that 95% of villagers would 'in principle' like to see the railway return to Newtown and further views will be collected when more information becomes available. Use link at bottom of page to see results of fist survey.
It is hoped that the new village centre will stimulate/grow local economy, create jobs, stop the decline of local shops and provide a community hub where villagers, including the less able, can have a village centre to shop, relax, blether and generally revitalise the village centre.
Unfortunately the community, the developer or the Local Council have been unable to contact NHS about the site for the new Health Centre but your village community council and our local councilor Elaine Thornton- Nicol are pursuing this with urgency. However much uncertainty and concern exists since it is understood that the local doctors have sold the existing Health Centre building and are now renting tenants with the future arrangements unknow.
Also see below copies of community council comments submitted to SBC on behalf of village.
Any views, comments on the proposals would be welcome, send to :- [email protected]
Community Council Comments submitted June 2020
The Community Council is pleased to hear that this project is progressing and we confirm that our previous comments to the SBC planning authority supporting this proposal, dated April 2019, are still relevant, with a few additions and amendments as documented in todays comments.
However we take the opportunity to highlight a few important items which are shown below:-
Village Centre
In line with the SBC ‘Development Framework’ document the village sees the proposals as a major part of the long awaited community development project much discussed with the community, SBC and other outside agencies over the past years. With this in mind the focus is the provision of an attractive village centre creating a community hub for shopping, relaxation, housing and local employment. We would like more information on the planned size and layout of the village centre and since it involves both H&H and SBC land ownership we ask if understandings/agreement has been reached about the land and the future of the Co op food store, existing Health Centre, Council utility buildings, Eildon Housing sheltered housing etc.?
To date the consultation has been at high level but the village is very keen to discuss more details together with the villages aspirations for the village centre as soon as possible.
Health Centre
The planning of the village development project has always included a new Health Centre sited in the village centre to both catch up with past population growth and to accommodate the SBC future housing expansion plans for over 1,000 new houses. This facilities will not only provide a vital health service but is essential to attract people to create a vibrant community atmosphere and to increase the footfall in order to sustain shops and retail outlets in the new village centre. The community requests that space be made available in the plans to accommodate the Health Centre building which we are unable to see on the latest H&H diagram.
Water Treatment Plant Access Road
Following recent planning approval of the new access road for Scottish Water road tankers to drive to the water treatment plant from the Auction Mart could this please be shown on the latest H&H development diagram.
Local Paths
It is good to see that the latest diagram shows a new footpath around the perimeter of the development. However past discussions with the community about the Auction Mart development have included an upgrade to the existing path going down to the river along side the development. The path is a very well used path but is in need of urgent attention to improve walking surface and staircases which have deteriorated so it is requested that funds could be made available for this work to be carried out.
Lastly, regarding works scheduling for the project we ask that the new village centre be given priority for first completion possibly together with the new road to the by-pass roundabout. We would appreciate further consultation on this in the future.
Newtown St Boswells Community Council
File Mart PA comments RF11/06/2020
Community Council comments submitted April 2019
Newtown St Boswells & Eildon Community Council fully supports this planning application since it fulfills a large part of the long awaited village regeneration plan outlined in Scotish Borders Council’s Development Framework document which aims to achieve the below :-
‘to develop Newtown St Boswells for the benefit of the community as a whole by regenerating the existing village centre, creating improved community, business and recreation facilities, providing attractive places in which to live and work, and creating a real sense of place’.
The public consultation and information provided so far has been high level and we are very keen to talk in more detail about the following items
Important items which we would like to be included :-
- A village centre with character and landscaped with flower beds, trees, bushes, seating, lighting and a central feature perhaps a pillar clock with flower bed and/or a statue depicting village history of Railway, Cattle Mart and Farming.
- Provision of a Public Square, Market Place, Food Store, Health Centre, Chemist, Gynasisim, indoor Children’s Soft Play facilities, Post office etc. These facilities will not only provide improved facilities but are essential to attract people create a vibrant community atmosphere and to increase the footfall in order to sustain shops and retail outlet
- A housing development in line with the Scottish Borders Council ‘Place Making and Design’ policy including children’s play facilities/equipment plus an indoor Soft Play facility. It is also assumed that increased school and sewage capacity will be adequately provided by SBC and Scottish Water.
- Provision of Extra Care housing for older people in the village.
- Inclusion of the Auction Mart octagonal building for use as a community centre.
- Pedestrian access to retail outlets and food store, Health Centre should be possible with out crossing the road for convenience /safety reasons and to assist those with mobility issues.
- A focus on job creation for local people and provide good access to the business park across by-pass.
- A new roundabout on to the by-pass to take heavy vehicles away from village centre allowing future improvements to the main road as described in the SBC Development Framework document.
- Provision of community green space civic park for sports, recreation and village events.
- Planning of adequate car parking space to accommodate the proposed development, other Local Plan developments and the possible railway extension
- Provision for large sewage tankers to access the road to the water treatment plant through the Mart site.
- Retention and upgrade of existing path to the river and a new cycle /pedestrian path around new Mart development linked to St Cuthbert’s Way at the water treatment plant.
File – CC Comments HH Planning application 29042019v2 RF
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