Scottish Borders Housing Association gain approval to build Oxton new homes
Scottish Borders Housing Association has now had the plans to build four new homes in Oxton approved despite having received objections from local residents. As part of the project there will be two new semi-detached properties on existing disused garages (where the nine objections were received with concerns that new builds will be too overlooking).
Ben Redman, of Justice Park, Oxton, speaking on behalf of the the local residents with objection was quoted as saying: “The Oxton community does not support this proposal.
The community council has voted unanimously to reject the proposal, and many residents who weren’t consulted by Scottish Borders Council have also told us they object.
The developers are attempting to make space for the development rather than make the development fit the space.
The site itself is at least one metre higher than the properties in Justice Park. The development will tower over the bungalows in Justice Park resulting in considerable overlooking of the properties both Justice Park and Heriotfield, and loss of light to our properties, including several homes with solar panels.
Residents are angry at the proposal which involves both the loss of green space and the loss of amenities from the demolition of the garages.”
The plans were likely accepted despite objections mostly due to the need of affordable housing in the area:
Scottish Borders Housing Association’s CEO Julia Mulloy was quoted as saying: “We own one unit of affordable housing in Oxton, that was last let in 2009, and this application is about creating four more homes.
We currently have over 4,000 people applying for our housing, and in terms of local information, in Lauder, on average we receive around 35 bids per home.”
Full story can be read on the Border Telegraph website.