Councillors have voted to agree in principle to the construction of a new house in Blacklee Brae, near Bonchester Bridge. 

Planning permission for a new home was initially rejected by council planning officers on the basis that the building would not be sympathetic to the local landscape and buildings nearby. 

Officers also raised concerns over local ecology, stating that the application did not take into account any potential threats to tree and bat populations. 

However the applicant, John Huck, of Blacklee Brae, requested councillors sitting at the local review body overturn the officer’s refusal. 

Councillors felt that the main premise of the rejection, that the building was not in keeping with the local building group, was inaccurate as the proposed home would be built in the garden of Mr Huck’s current bungalow. 

Kelso councillor Simon Mountford said: “The thing is that it’s already been accepted that the bungalow is part of the building group. 

“This is part of the curtilage of the bungalow. While you can argue that the bungalow is somewhat of an outlier, the fact is that the whole of that garden ground is as well, so you’re not actually creating anything. 

“The site is well contained within the boundaries of the woodlands and hedge. It’s not breaking into a new green field or anything like that.

“The woodland itself is hardly quality woodland. It’s silver birch, which although lovely to look at, is regarded as a weed by foresters. 

“I think too that there is an argument that we should have a tree survey, but that could wait until we have a detailed planning application.”

Councillors voted to grant planning permission in principle on the condition that ecology surveys are carried out on the site to determine any potential effects on tree, bat and red squirrel populations.