Darnick's 'Right to Buy' detrimental to village - claim
Ally McGilvray • Published 30 Aug 2011 09:30
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A NEW village green or sports field could be created in Darnick - if residents support plans to build a house on the green field site.
Melrose and District Community Council heard of the proposal surrounding the Bessie Reid field at their meeting in the Ormiston Institute last week. And now residents are to be asked for their views on the plans.
However, fears have been voiced that the development of the six acre land, between Fisher Lane and Tower Road, could lead to the destruction of the green belt between Darnick and Melrose.
Provost William Windram, chairman of Melrose and District Community Council, said: "I think there are great difficulties with the proposal." He added: "We have fought to protect the green space between Melrose and Darnick and the worry is this would be the thin end of the wedge."
The community council heard the owners of the field, The Brown Family, from Forfar, have sent letters to residents in Darnick to ask for their support. Darnick Village Trust, which has a right to buy the field and is understood to be against the plans, is planning its own leaflet drop.
However, the Brown Family warn that if the community do not support their plans the field and Tower Road wall will be allowed to deteriorate beyond repair. And they have urged local residents to write to village trust chairman Anthony Watson and secretary Stuart Allan to urge them to rethink their ideas.
In their letter the Brown Family, former residents of the village, state: "Rather than the field remaining as it is at present, we are offering the village an alternative option." And they added: "We hope that the Darnick community will support this mutually beneficial option."
The Brown Family revealed that if they get enough support for their plans to build a one-storey home on the site they will gift half the field to the village to use as a green or sports field.
In return, they said they will investigate repairs to the boundary wall, as well as the creation of a path from Fisher's Lane alongside Darnick Burn to Tower Road.
"At present Darnick Village Trust has a right to buy the field, however this right to buy only applies it it ever comes up for sale," the letter goes on. "This right to buy has to be renewed every five years and is due for renewal in May 2012.
"We view this right to buy as deterimental to both our own and the village's best interests. Whilst it is in place we remain unwilling sellers and the field and wall along Tower Road are likely to remain in a poor condition."
But they add: "Some of the older residents of Darnick will remember that around 35 years ago we rescued the then derelict Darnick Tower Cottage and its 1.5 acre garden from the bulldozers and we very much hope that you will help us to benefit the village again."
This article appeared in Border Telegraph 30 Aug 11
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