PLANNERS have been given a month to solve the mystery of an unexplained upstairs room at a controversial bunkhouse development.

Furious neighbours in the Tweed Valley believe the tourism project at Kirkburn, near Cardrona, is a smoke screen for a residential property being built. And they claim that the holiday lodge proposals will turn into a similar scenario where enforcement officers and police were regularly called to a neighbouring site during 2009 and 2010 to evict Andrew Cleghorn from a caravan.

The 50-year-old’s companies, which included Cleek Poultry, had erected various structures without permission. And he disobeyed rules over occupancy of the site - at one point barricading himself into his mobile home.

Cleek Lodges Ltd submitted plans in July, 2012, for 3.5 hectare of neighbouring land, which uses the same entrance road to the controversial compound. Amongst its listed directors is Mr Cleghorn.

The initial proposals are for the erection of a large bunkhouse at the entrance to the development site.

In a submitted business case they state that income from the ten-bed timber building will fund the construction of a further eight smaller chalets on the rural site.

But the plans for the 7.4-metre-high bunkhouse show a mysterious upper-floor with dormer windows.

One objector told this week’s planning meeting: “The plans show that the guest bedrooms are all located on the ground floor - what is upstairs and where are the stairs?

“Given the past history, if this was allowed to go ahead it would create a lot of council work and a lot of angst.” Nobody from Cleek Lodges Ltd was present at this week’s local authority planning meeting to defend the project or shed light on the mysterious upper floor.

Planning committee chairman Ron Smith commented: “We have windows and an obvious second floor when you look at the drawings - but there is no staircase going up to it. The question arises - what is the upper floor to be used for. We have a condition about residency and our enforcement officers would make sure it was adhered to.” Planning bosses had recommended the plans for approval and reminded the nine-strong committee not to allow previous problems on the neighbouring site to cloud their judgement.

Councillor Iain Gillespie stated: “This doesn’t sit well with me. They say they want to build wildlife hides, a petting zoo, a sauna - this all seems like pie in the sky. I have serious concerns about this development.” Galashiels and District member Bill White added: “I think if this was allowed to go ahead we would be coming back to this site in the future. Is there anything we can do to prevent this becoming a residential house if the business doesn’t work?” But the development still found support in the chamber with Tweeddale East councillor Stuart Bell proposing approval.

He said: “I think this is an appropriate type of development for this site. There are a lot of recreational facilities in the area. It makes sense to me that this will be a viable business.” A total of four councillors backed the officers’ recommendation of approval but five voted to delay a decision for further investigation of the hub house upper floor and to scrutinise the business case.