Tuesday October 27th 2026
West Linton Co-op
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Plans for the relocation of a Co-op store which have divided a Scottish Borders village will be recommended for approval next week.
An application was submitted to Scottish Borders Council for a new larger supermarket on Station Road in West Linton, to replace the existing store on the town’s Main Street.
Relocation will require demolition of three agricultural sheds on land north of Howieson Hall Farmhouse and the creation of 26 parking spaces.
Final plans were lodged in August following three years of discussions and design work.
West Linton Community Council formally objected to the relocation plans, following a public meeting at the Graham Institute.
Members voted six votes to one to oppose the new Co-op plan “as it currently stands”.
Concerns centred on moving the store from the village centre and its impact on footfall and pedestrian access and vehicle safety on Station Road.
The plans divided the village with 51 representations in support against 41 objections.
But when SBC’s Planning and Building Standards Committee meet on Monday, November 2, they will be recommended to give the switch the go-ahead.
In his report recommending approval, SBC planning officer, Ranald Dods, states: “The current location of the Co-Op is within the centre of the village and it is recognised as constrained in terms of accessibility, servicing and vehicular movements and cannot carry the range of goods that larger shops can carry in nearby settlements such as Penicuik, Peebles and Biggar.
“Given the recognised limitations of the current store, the Co-Op wishes to address those and develop a new small scale neighbourhood retail unit which would better serve the needs of the community, not only within West Linton but also of other communities in the surrounding area.
“There is no site within the centre of the village which would be available for a development of this nature and the current property cannot be redeveloped to address deficiencies.”
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