Old Borders church in line for new lease of life

An old church in the Borders is in line to be turned into a holiday home for rent.

The site in Burnmouth dates back to 1888 but has been vacant for some time.

The planning committee of Scottish Borders Council (SBC) unanimously approved the plans despite local concerns about the traffic impact and parking.

However, the developers will be asked if the stained glass windows they intend to remove can be salvaged for community use.

The church is situated on the steep road between Upper and Lower Burnmouth and overlooks the village's category B-listed harbour.

Developers want to turn the deconsecrated church into a "stunning holiday home in a fantastic location".

The local community council objected to the scheme claiming that it was an overdevelopment of the site and would generate "excessive" pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the area.

Planning committee councillors approved the scheme but asked that talks be held with developers over stained glass windows in the building.

Simon Mountford, who chairs the committee, said more churches would be converted in the future and the fate of artefacts - such as windows and war memorials - should be kept in mind.

"We're going to see a lot of churches in the Borders being made redundant," he said.

"A lot of these are not necessarily listed but they will have artefacts or items which are of local importance.

"I think it is essential when we are looking at these proposals we try and protect and, where possible, preserve those items."

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