The Planning and Building Standards Committee of Scottish Borders Council met on Monday 30 March 2026 to discuss several planning applications. The committee approved a significant housing development near Newtown St Boswells, a conversion of an office building into residential apartments in Melrose, and deferred a decision on a change of use application for a building in Eyemouth pending a site visit.

Residential Development at Sprouston Burn and Melrose Road, Eildon

The committee approved plans for 96 new homes on land adjacent to Sprouston Burn and Melrose Road in Eildon. The development, proposed by the Mayfair Group, will include 56 market homes and 40 affordable homes, exceeding the 25% policy requirement. Concerns were raised by objectors and the Roads Planning Service regarding the density of the development, which is higher than the indicative 68 units in the Local Development Plan, and the absence of a pedestrian bridge link across Sprouston Burn to connect to local amenities. However, the committee noted that the indicative figure was not a maximum and that an alternative pedestrian route along Earlston Road had been provided. The applicant also agreed to safeguard land for a potential future pedestrian bridge. The decision was made to approve the application subject to a comprehensive schedule of conditions, including those related to landscaping, boundary treatments, and the safeguarding of land for a future bridge.

Conversion of Annex Units 1 to 7 West Grove, Waverley Road, Melrose

Plans to convert an existing office building into seven private residential apartments were approved. The proposal, put forward by Rural Renaissance (Ireland) Ltd, will see the vacant building on Waverley Road in Melrose transformed into a mix of five houses and two flats. The development will include 15 car parking spaces and renewable energy provisions such as solar panels and air source heat pumps. While objectors raised concerns about overdevelopment, parking, noise, and the impact on residential amenity, particularly given that the adjacent West Grove apartments are designated for over-55s, the committee noted that a similar scale of development had previously been approved for a gym and spa on the site. The committee agreed that the residential conversion would be a quieter and more appropriate use for the site, aligning with the council's aim to reuse vacant buildings and address the housing emergency. The application was approved subject to conditions covering external materials, ecological enhancements, noise management, and parking.

Change of Use at Isaac House, Armatage Street, Eyemouth

The committee deferred a decision on the change of use of Isaac House on Armatage Street in Eyemouth from a storage facility to a place of worship with a community hub. The application, from the Highway Christian Fellowship, involves alterations and a first-floor extension to the building. Objectors raised concerns about potential noise and disruption, traffic impact on the narrow conservation area street, parking, and the effect on residential amenity. They also highlighted the existence of the Eyemouth Place Plan, which identifies existing community spaces, and questioned the consultation process. While officers noted that the proposal would bring a vacant building back into use and that noise could be managed through conditions, a site visit was requested by Councillor Small and seconded by Councillor Moffat to better assess the impact on the local area. The application will be reconsidered at a future meeting following the site visit.

Appeals and Reviews

The committee received a briefing note on appeals and reviews. One appeal was received regarding the erection of a CCTV camera at Sapphire House, Jedburgh, and another regarding the demolition of a former bakery in Hawick. No appeal decisions were received, and no appeals were outstanding. There were also several review requests received and one review decision determined, where the Local Review Body refused planning permission for the erection of a dwellinghouse and garage on land east of Roundel, Station Road, Gordon. Eight reviews remained outstanding.