A NEW farm shop and public picnic area are on the agenda as part of expansion plans in Hawick.

Stouslie Farm is a mixed sheep and cattle unit which has taken significant steps towards achieving sustainability in the last decade, while retaining food production as its fundamental purpose.

An application has been submitted to Scottish Borders Council from the farm owners, Mr & Mrs S & C Ferguson, to convert an existing agricultural shed for produce retailing and to create a 13-table picnic area.

The intention of the applicants is to establish premises on the farm for direct retailing of their own produce to members of the public.

A  report in support of the application, from Galashiels-based Ferguson Planning, states: “Agri-tourism is an increasingly prominent and important concept.

“Public interest in the source of their food is higher than it has been in living memory, motivated largely by increasing environmental awareness.

“The applicants are members of Scottish Agritourism, which helps farms and other stakeholders maximise the quality of their offer and raises awareness among government and the general public of improvements (substantial and presentational) being made across the sector.

“It is the intention of the applicants that the farm produce retailing offer will complement the holiday accommodation already established on the farm.

“Existing farm produce available for people staying in the holiday accommodation is very limited and requests are frequently received.

“It is considered that adding farm produce to the offer would improve the experience and add value by bringing customers closer to the source of their food in the Borders.

“The farm produce retailing proposed would allow the applicants’ farms to retail directly to their customers locally in the Borders, rationalising the risk of exposure to national and international market trends – directly increasing resilience.”