Galashiels goes green

David Knox • Published 7 May 2010 15:04 0 Comments

GALASHIELS is to be given conservation area status.

The move follows a review across the Borders region where parts of 40 towns and villages are already classed as Conservation Areas.

Galashiels is amongst the last major settlements in the area to be given the added planning protection. The villages of Clintmains and Nisbet are also being given the status.

A consultation process on the proposals will run for the next 12 weeks.

Mark Douglas, Principal Heritage and Design officer at Scottish Borders Council, told this week's planning meeting: "Letters will go out to community councils and notices will also be posted in the local press highlighting the Conservation Area proposals."

Some of Scotland's earliest Conservation Areas such as Bowden, Carlops and Eyemouth are located in the Borders.

Meanwhile, plans have been approved for amenity land in the Mossilee area of Galashiels to be turned into garden ground.

The planning application for Mossilee Road attracted five objections from neighbours who were concerned about the height of a proposed fence.

But this week's planning meeting at Scottish Borders Council was told that a compromise had been found.

Planning boss John Hayward said: "The concerns that have been raised are all about the boundary treatment when it was suggested that a two metre fence would be erected but it will now only be one metre high."

Since Scottish Borders Housing Association took over large parts of former council-run housing schemes they have happily sold off small amenity sites to be included as gardens.

Galashiels councillor John Mitchell welcomes the deals. He said: "A lot of small patches of land can be unsightly and this is a good way of dealing with them."

Special protection was given to a tree that grows on the site.

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