A FARM steading at a historic country house in the Borders has received a green light to be transformed into business workshops.

Paxton House is one of the finest Palladian houses in Britain with outstanding collections of Chippendale furniture, Georgian costume and paintings from Scotland’s national collection.

Now Scottish Borders Council has granted planning approval to revitalise under-used farm buildings into business units at Paxton South Mains Farm, located close to the historic property but built some time later.

The proposal is that an historic cart shed and grain shed are adapted and re-purposed to host a series of small workshops, associated storage and staff amenity spaces that will serve both the farm and new workshop tenants.

The changes are proposed with the aim of improving the condition of buildings that are currently underused and in poor condition.

The aim is that the small scale makers/creators/craft industries would be suitable future tenants for these spaces.

A report with the application says: “It is likely that this development of parts of the steading will be implemented in phases that assist with viability and mitigate against construction impact on the adjacent working farm steading and residents.

“Phase 1 will involve renovation of the cart shed and this will enable provision of one workshop along with enhanced farm office and shared toilet facilities (plus the first floor level accommodation within that building part).

“Phase 2 would involve conversion of the remainder of the application extents and this would provide both enhanced staff facilities and additional workshop space.”

In his report approving the application, Paul Duncan, SBC’s assistant planning officer, states: “The council’s Local Development Plan 2024 encourages rural diversification initiatives, which this proposal would amount to.

“The aim of the policy is to allow for appropriate employment generating development in the countryside whilst protecting the environment and to ensure that business, tourism, and leisure related developments are appropriate to their location

“Overall, the principle of the proposed development is not considered to be in conflict with the development plan.”

The alterations will repair and refurbish the traditional buildings to suit a range of modern uses.

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