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.
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:
• 79 luxury lodges (10 per cent adapted for mobility use), as well as supplies shop and reception/office
• 18-hole golf course reduced to a pitch and putt offering, plus two tennis and a padel court
• Demolition of two redundant outbuildings and reuse of golf clubhouse to include limited catering and gym facilities
While a planning application for over 250 lodges plus camping was initially submitted to the Council in 2019, this was revised in 2023 down to 150 units, including 100 lodges, tree houses, pods and camping.
Taking account of both the tourist market, recent tourism research with its emphasis on the highest quality, and community feedback, this has been further reduced to the current 79 luxury lodges.
This new modern style venue reflects a growing short break 'staycation' market in an area that is recognised as currently being poorly served by high-quality outdoor accommodation.
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The expectation Is that the majority of visitors will stay for between two and four days, with occupancy limited to a maximum of three months, controlled by a planning condition.
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.
Delivery of this will greatly enhance the ecological value of the site, with increasing bird and native wildlife populations. Original concerns relating to flooding have also been removed due to this being a significantly smaller scheme. As a highly sustainable development, Rutherford Park will also adopt the latest low-carbon technologies, including solar panels and air source heat pumps.
A frequent minibus service to West Linton will be provided for visitors, as well as electric bikes. In addition, a bus stop and pull-in area will also be delivered, with discussions taking place with the local bus company, Houston's Coaches, regarding enhancing the service. A Transport Assessment has been accepted by the Council and Transport Scotland.
It has been estimated that around 27 jobs will be created once Rutherford Park is built, with spin-off opportunities for local businesses, and a Gross Value Added (GVA) of £1.1 million to the economy based on the jobs created.
There is also the opportunity for apprenticeships and training, and discussions gave taken place with Scottish Borders College on joint working opportunities.
The company has pledged to buy locally at all times where possible, with a community fund on offer to invest in community-led projects.
A spokesperson for Sandy Lane Resort Rutherford Ltd commented: "Our revised application for Rutherford Park seeks to deliver a high-quality luxury lodge development that aims to attract visitors to the Scottish Borders, as well as to Scotland as a whole.
"The Scottish Borders is a region that has a unique history, culture and landscape, but is frequently ignored as a destination, often due to a lack of high-quality outdoor accommodation. 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."
