Farm business units near Pathhead approved by Midlothian Council

A rural farm will convert disused steading buildings into nine business units after a similar project in a neighbouring county revealed high demand in communities.

Midlothian Council Debating chamber at Midlothian House, Buccleuch St in Dalkeith. Photo by Scott Louden.

Agents for Rosemains Farm, Pathhead, told Midlothian Council planners that they wanted to go-ahead with the project after seeing the success of their previous efforts in East Lothian on a similar scheme, converting farm buildings into industrial units.

And they said the plans for the Pathhead farm would allow them to upgrade and preserve the buildings rather than “let them decay and become derelict”.

Ford Design Ltd, based in North Berwick, told planners they had recently completed the conversion of farm buildings in East Lothian into light industrial units similar to the ones proposed for Rosemains.

They said: “The (East Lothian) developer has been surprised by the demand and was able to occupy all the units within a month of completion.

“He is now working on a second phase of conversion to create an additional five units.

“The occupied units have proved successful and have had no negative impact on either the operation of the farm or the owners of adjacent farm cottages.

“The use of the building is varied, with a woodworker’s workshop, manufacturer of motorcycle sidecars and an alternative therapist leasing the units.

“This has created a small workshop community that has enhanced the local area.

“There is clearly a demand for this type of development and there is no reason why the development at Rosemains Steading can’t repeat the success of the workshop community in East Lothian.”

Included in the proposals for the conversion at Rosemains Farm is an octagonal building, known as the weighbridge office, which is likely to become the central hub and include the kitchen and WC facilities. There is also the potential for a communal meeting room to be created in this area.

The building proposed for development comprises 608m² of traditional stone built farm steading buildings which were used until last year to store farm machinery, fertiliser and grain.

A new purpose-built grain store has been constructed on the farm land and these buildings put forward for conversion are no longer required for farming-related purposes.

Approving the plans, officers said that it would allow disused farm buildings to be brought back into use and was a “largely sympathetic” design.

No objections were lodged.