Item No. 9(c) SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL PLANNING AND BUILIDNG STANDARDS COMMITTEE 8 DECEMBER 2008 APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMISSION ITEM: (c) REFERENCE NUMBER: 08/01397/FUL OFFICER: Mr B Fotheringham WARD: Tweeddale West PROPOSAL: Erection of hotel with leisure and conference facilities and associated infrastructure, internal access road, parking and landscaping SITE: Land North, East and South of Rutherford House, West Linton APPLICANT: Manor Kingdom Estates Ltd and De Vere AGENT: Knight Frank SITE DESCRIPTION Rutherford Castle Golf Club sits to the north of West Linton, to the South of Carlops and to the East of the A702. The site is located approximately 24.5 km to the south of Edinburgh city centre and lies approximately 2.6km to the north of West Linton. The application site measures 7.3 hectares and is situated on agricultural grazing land adjacent to the existing Rutherford Castle Golf Club. The site is relatively flat but it does slope from the public road towards the golf course. A mature shelter belt defines the north boundary of the site and separates the site from Rutherford House and the adjoining development site. The remaining site boundaries are defined by stone boundary walls and stock proof fencing. PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT It is proposed to erect a 150 bedroom 5 star hotel, conference and leisure facility towards the north of the application site. The site would be extensively landscaped and would include car parking in the south west corner of the site. The proposed hotel would be accessed via the existing junction on the A702 which currently serves the golf club and a new vehicular access along an improved track to the south of the application site. The proposed hotel, according to the applicants supporting statement, takes a contemporary slant on early 20th century Scottish rendered country houses. It would be primarily white painted wet-dash render with dressed sandstone features under a slate roof. The elevations would include white painted projecting balconies and summer rooms reminiscent of Scottish hotel conservatory architecture. The hotel would have an elongated t-shape and would be arranged over 3 floors with a basement level towards the north east corner. A stone port cochere would form the entrance to the hotel on the south east facing elevation. A flat roof section would project from the rear elevation of the hotel. This would be the grand ball room and conferencing facilities. It would be finished using cedar timber cladding. The proposal would represent a £50 million pound investment in the Scottish Borders Planning and Building Standards Committee 1 PLANNING HISTORY An outline application for 6 dwelling houses (00/01 033/0UT) and a detailed planning application for the erection of a clubhouse with 36 bedrooms and conference facilities (01/00046/FUL) were both approved at the Tweeddale Area Committee on 10 September 2001. The approvals were subject to the conclusion of a Section 75 Agreement that related to phasing of development and precluding further housing development. Planning consent was never formally issued because the Section 75 Agreements was never signed. In 1999 two further applications were submitted, one was a detailed planning application for the erection of a golf clubhouse, accommodation and seminar/conference facilities (99/00557/FUL). The other was an outline application for residential development. Both planning applications were withdrawn in April 2000 prior to their consideration at the Tweeddale area committee. A detailed application was also submitted for the reconstruction and upgrading of the golf course, the erection of clubhouse, 28 dwellings and the relocation of a maintenance shed (03/00776/FUL). This application was refused at committee on 5 July 2004. On 23 April 2007, the Tweeddale Area Committee granted planning consent for a new clubhouse and the erection of 6 dwellings. This approval was subject to 6 planning conditions and the conclusion of a Section 75 Agreement (05/02117/FUL). This planning consent has been implemented. Detailed planning consent (07/02147/FUL) was granted for a change of house type on the nearby housing development at Rutherford Castle. This was approved on 22 January 2008. REPRESENTATION SUMMARY Seven representations were made against this application. The principal grounds of objections can be summarised as follows: x The building would be out of place for the area x Adverse impact on the landscape x Lack of local workforce x Possible future development of staff accommodation in the grounds x Agenda for future housing development x Light pollution x Increase in traffic x Adverse impact on the amenity of neighbouring properties x Loss of a view x No benefit to the local community or economy x Noise pollution Grounds of support can also be summarised as follows: x Inward investment during these troubled economic times needs to be embraced x Economic benefits would outweigh any adverse impacts The letters of objection and support are available for Members to view in PublicAccess. APPLICANTS’ SUPPORTING INFORMATION Planning and Building Standards Committee 2 The applicant submitted a supporting statement along with the application. The following text is taken from the executive summary but a full version is available for members to view through Public Access. Our vision is to deliver the first truly world class hotel and conference facility in the Scottish Borders, at Rutherford Castle. The established Parkland Golf Course provides a quality setting for this major investment in the Scottish Borders. To this we bring an established 5* quality hotel operator De Vere and a quality team to deliver this development and its benefits. Importantly we are not proposing any new housing to make this hotel development viable. The combination of Hotel, leisure, conference and business facilities provides the right business model for this location with no requirement for housing to enable the development. This hotel development stands alone. Initially we will submit the hotel application and once a decision has been made on the course design we will advance the upgrading of the course. It is very well maintained and provides an established and already challenging course that would already compliment our 5* proposal. The hotel design and concept has been in development for the last 2 years. The proposal takes account of all the factors that make the 5* resort hotels function well and this has been developed by the team where we have considered the details, size, best siting/views, landscape, and environmental sustainability. As such, the team are proud to bring forward the results of this work and to bring forward the detailed proposals for this luxury hotel. Set in 18 acres, the traditionally designed Rutherford Castle Hotel will comprise of 150 bedrooms, a deluxe spa and leisure club, relaxing cafés to fine dining, outstanding wine cellar, whisky bar, a grand ballroom for those special occasions and spacious conference rooms. Involving an investment of £50 million, this traditionally designed hotel is of a calibre fitting with the surrounding magnificent scenery of the Scottish Borders. The De Vere Group, who, in Scotland, already run nearby Barony Castle and 5* Cameron House by Loch Lomond, will be joint applicants for the proposed Rutherford Castle Hotel. The proposals will represent a significant investment for the local economy, with over 300 new jobs created, helping Scottish Borders move to the forefront of the domestic and international tourism market. With Scotland's capital city so near, this hotel will enable the Scottish Borders to gain widespread profile and showcase the best of what the area offers - Golf; mountain biking; angling; scenery; towns & villages with character. We believe this hotel will build on the Scottish Borders strong track record in attracting domestic short stay visitors whilst also increasing the volume of international visitors. Tourism has continued to be a major function in the Scottish Borders Economy. Tourism employment having risen from 5% to 10% in recent years according to Visit Scotland. Recent policy from the Scottish Borders Council, Scottish Enterprise and Visit Scotland and the Scottish Government seeks to increase the value of tourism by 50%, through a number of measures especially international and long stay visitors, to the Borders and Scotland as a whole. Given West Linton's proximity to Edinburgh it has the potential to act as a key gateway site connecting the Borders to the capital. Given the current market and the existing level of hotel provision we have been asked to consider commercial viability - We believe that the Scottish Borders, if not Scotland as a whole, will benefit from this investment and new employment opportunities: x allowing people to live and work locally, x sourcing local subcontractors and materials during the construction phase. x utilising local food and drink suppliers. x providing facilities that can be used by local people as well as visitors to the hotel. Planning and Building Standards Committee 3 As with the Carrick on Loch Lomond local residents can take up gym membership, use the spa & spa treatments, dine in the restaurants & bars. Businesses can book meeting rooms from small rooms to full conference facilities. It's proximity to Edinburgh enables increased tourist revenue to be drawn towards the Scottish Borders by offering the Edinburgh tourist and business market an alternative resort hotel in a rural setting that is also within easy reach of Edinburgh. De Vere's Cameron House Hotel on the shores of Loch Lomond, successfully attracts business from Glasgow with a similar high quality offer. Rutherford Castle will redirect visitor stays from Edinburgh by providing a rural/countryside setting within easy reach of the capital and the airport. The Scottish Borders benefits from a number of boutique hotels to larger destination hotels. However given the level of facilities within this offer which raises the standard on other 5* hotel in the Scottish Borders.