'Eyesore' Burnmouth church to become a holiday home after committee approves application

The former Burnmouth Parish Church is located between Upper and Lower Burnmouth, midway down the steep ‘The Brae’ public road which connects the two.

The building is now de-consecrated and vacant and members of Scottish Borders Council’s Planning and Building Standards Committee gave their blessing for its conversion to a holiday let when they met on Monday (January 8).

The application was opposed by Burnmouth Community Council over increased traffic, inadequate infrastructure and over-development concerns.

Mid-Berwickshire’s councillor, Donald Moffat, said: “This is very good use of an old building and I’d rather see this used as is being proposed rather than it being left to rack and ruin and being a sort of eyesore.

“When it has all been done it will be an improvement on what’s there by quite a long shot and will smarten the area up.”

Members expressed the hope that stained glass windows at the church should be removed sensitively and retained for the local community, if possible.

A community council spokesperson said: “The congregation being small and with the services of a minister shared with a number of other parishes, the church was used once a month at most and ordinarily would only muster a small congregation.

“The scheme proposed for the building is a significant change of use and one which would, if executed, lead to a substantial intensification of use with excessive pedestrian and vehicular traffic to the site.

“The plans indicate that consent has been sought for the creation of a four-bedroom, three-bathroom holiday home within the same building footprint.

“Whilst it is encouraging to see a new on-going use for the property, the CC feels that the proposed development – in effect a home for eight adults – is an over-development of the site.”

A council report recommending approval of the application said: “There is no conservation area at Burnmouth. Nevertheless, owing to its setting, the former church does hold a certain degree of charm.

“The principle of retaining the building is therefore to be welcomed and supported in place-making and heritage terms.”