A COUPLE hoping to reunite their family by relocating from Cornwall and converting a barn on a Borders farm into a home, have launched an appeal after their hopes were dashed.

Scottish Borders Council received a planning bid from Mr and Mrs C&J Stephens seeking the change of use of an agricultural barn at Carterhouse Farm, located on the southern side of the A6088, nine miles south of Jedburgh.

The application was to enable the applicants, who currently live almost 500 miles away in Cornwall, to move their young family to be closer to Mrs Stephens’ parents, who are the owner-occupiers of the existing dwelling at Carterhouse.

But the bid was refused on the grounds that it would be a “sporadic residential development in the countryside” and therefore conflict with the council’s Local Development Plan.

Now the refusal of the application back in April this year is to reconsidered on appeal by members of the council’s Local Review Body on Thursday, September 22.

READ MORE: Borders timber firm worker fitted tracking device inside ex-partner’s vehicle

In support of the application, Galashiels-based Ferguson Planning, agents for the applicants, said: “The applicants intend to permanently relocate to the Borders from Cornwall, where Mr Stephens runs his own joinery business and Mrs Stephens is a registered nurse, closing the mammoth distance between grandparents and the rest of the family.

“The barn remains in active use, although at a very low level. Carterhouse Farm has substantial over-capacity in existing shed space and all materials and equipment displaced from the barn on-site would be consolidated in other existing sheds.”

A review statement from Ferguson Planning, to be considered by members of next week’s meeting, said: “It is the appellants’ position that the appeal site comprises an existing building which is suitable for conversion to a new building.

“The barn represents a timber building appropriate to the rural character to the area and does not require significant demolition to enable conversion.”