The Local Review Body of Scottish Borders Council met on Monday 15 June 2026 to consider several requests for reviews of planning application refusals. The meeting was scheduled to discuss five separate planning application reviews, all of which had previously been refused by the Council.

Continuation of Review: Erection of dwellinghouse and detached garage on Land East of Roundel, Station Road, Gordon

The Body was scheduled to continue its review of the refusal for the erection of a dwellinghouse and detached garage on land east of Roundel, Station Road, Gordon¹. This application, reference 24/01361/FUL, had been refused by the Council. The report pack included submissions from the officer on new information and the applicant's response, the notice of review, the decision notice, the officer's report, papers referred to in the officer's report, additional information, consultation replies, and a list of relevant policies. The applicant, Ms A Ramsay, had submitted extensive evidence, including LiDAR mapping and topographic cross-sections, to contest the planning officer's assessment of landscape and visual impact, soil quality, and relationship to existing building groups. The applicant argued that the site was a topographic hollow and visually subservient to the landscape, that the land was not prime agricultural land, and that the site was a contained void within an established development corridor.

Review of Refusal: Erection of dwellinghouse with access and associated work on Land West of Nenthorn House, Nenthorn

The meeting was also set to consider a request to review the refusal of an application for the erection of a dwellinghouse with access and associated work on land west of Nenthorn House, Nenthorn². This application, reference 26/00162/PPP, was refused by the Council. The documents provided for this item included the notice of review, the decision notice, the officer's report, papers referred to in the officer's report, consultation replies, and objection comments. The applicant, Mr Ian Hebdon, cited health conditions necessitating an accessible home and highlighted the existing building group at Nenthorn House, as well as recent developments in the area, to support their case. Objectors raised concerns about the proposal's impact on the environment, land affected, legal issues regarding access, and the felling of trees.

Review of Refusal: Change of Use, Alterations and Extension to form dwellinghouse from barn at Barn, West of Oakwood House, Allanton

The Body was scheduled to consider a request for a review of the refusal of an application for the change of use, alterations, and extension to form a dwellinghouse from a barn at Barn, West of Oakwood House, Allanton³. This application, reference 24/00970/FUL, was refused by the Council. The report pack included the notice of review, decision notice, officer's report, papers referred to in the officer's report, consultation replies, and a policy list. The applicants, Mr L Parsons and Ms A Goldsmith, argued that the proposal represented a sustainable reuse of an existing building, supported an active agricultural enterprise, and that concerns about scale and structure could be addressed by conditions.

Review of Refusal: Alterations and extension to dwellinghouse and installation of car port at Elmsfield, Broughton

The meeting agenda included a review of the refusal for alterations and an extension to a dwellinghouse and the installation of a car port at Elmsfield, Broughton⁴. This application, reference 25/01909/FUL, was refused by the Council. The documents provided included the notice of review, decision notice, officer's report, papers referred to in the officer's report, additional information, and consultation replies. The applicants, Mr Nick and Mrs Jean Shapowal, argued that their proposal was designed to meet their changing needs due to health conditions, that it would improve sustainability by replacing an oil boiler with an air source heat pump, and that the design was sympathetic to the existing building and its rural setting. They also highlighted a previous, approved application at The Manse, Broughton, as a precedent for design flexibility.

Review of Refusal: Erection of replacement dwellinghouse at Slitrig Cottage, Langburnshiels, Hawick

Finally, the Body was scheduled to consider a request for a review of the refusal of an application for the erection of a replacement dwellinghouse at Slitrig Cottage, Langburnshiels, Hawick⁵. This application, reference 25/01791/FUL, was refused by the Council. The report pack contained the notice of review, decision notice, officer's report, papers referred to in the officer's report, consultation replies, and a policy list. The applicants, Mr Rupert Norton, argued that the proposed design was a high-quality, sustainable response that integrated well with the landscape and that ecological concerns could be addressed by conditions.