Plans for a huge holiday park and golf course have been scaled back.
The revised proposals for the historic former estate include a pitch and putt offering instead of an 18-hole golf course and reduce the number of holiday lodges.
The plans have been submitted to the Scottish Borders Council for Rutherford Park, located between Carlops and West Linton, and situated on the former Rutherford Castle Estate, by landowner Sandy Lane Resort Rutherford Ltd.
The fresh planning application for Rutherford Park greatly reduces the scale of development to 79 lodges, from the over 250 originally proposed, with the lodges only occupying 10 hectares of the 80-hectare site.
It is claimed the development "will be in the vanguard of new era of luxury lodge destinations" and will amount to an investment of around £11.6 million in the Scottish Borders.
The revised application comprises the 79 luxury lodges, with 10 per cent adapted for mobility use, as well as supplies shop and reception and office, an 18-hole golf course reduced to a pitch and putt offering, plus two tennis and a padel court, the demolition of two redundant outbuildings and reuse of golf clubhouse to include limited catering and gym facilities.
Around half the site, 40-hectares, will be rewilded, including the planting of a minimum of 80,000 trees, with woodland walks and cycle paths. In addition to this will be "large areas of parkland, with open spaces and lake areas".
It said earlier concerns relating to flooding have also been removed “due to this being a significantly smaller scheme”.
It has been estimated that around 27 jobs will be created.
A spokesperson for Sandy Lane Resort Rutherford Ltd said: "A development such as Rutherford Park will serve to take advantage of the growing short break staycation market, as well as increased visitor demand generally, boosting bed nights and spend in the region.
"What is being proposed is a greatly reduced scheme from the one originally envisaged, taking account of community concerns, and will not only deliver an economic boost to the Borders, but also provide major ecological enhancements for the site, including the delivery of a minimum of 80,000 trees.
"We look forward to continuing to engage with the council and local community as our application progresses through the planning process."
The development is at the former Rutherford Castle golf club site, which closed in 2015.
Plans unveiled to transform Leith Custom House into Scotland's first digital museum
Plans have been unveiled for Scotland’s first fully digital museum today.
The Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) has released plans and concept pictures for the regeneration of the historic Leith Custom House in Edinburgh which is aiming to be a ‘town square for the 21st century’.
Video walls, listening booths, screens, and projectors will all be used to display the digital content in the museum, with the building showcasing the plans to the public from today until Friday 6 September.
Drone captures scale of 460 new homes at former John Lewis site
New drone footage has captured the "fantastic perspective on the scale" of over 460 new homes.
The development on the site of a former department store depot is spread over three blocks and has an ecological woodland area and pocket park.
The build-to-rent housing at Bonnington Road in Edinburgh is "progressing well", said Graham, with the company on schedule to deliver 464 homes in the weeks ahead on behalf of PLATFORM_ and Heimstaden, including 114 affordable homes.
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