CREATING A SENSE OF PLACEArdent bloggees will remember a wee bit of local controversy over Farmer C's plans to turn some of his less productive farming land into bricks and mortar-a potential development aimed, it seemed, at horsey people-folks who kept them, not necessarily looked like them, not of course mutually exclusive. The fruits of his enterprise are now becoming evident as the house agent's blurb puts it in relation to one two acre plot:

The location at Fishwick Mains Farm is attractively
situated one mile off the B6461 Berwick to Paxton
road, at the end of a single track country road
(with passing places). The six houses to be built
are positioned off a central tree lined drive. Each
house will benefit from a southerly aspect, with
some of the houses having spectacular views
from the first floor across rolling border
countryside to the Cheviot Hills.
Within a couple of hundred yards, further
spectacular views of the River Tweed and its
valley can be gained and for those who like to
stretch their legs a little, the pretty villages of
Paxton on the Scottish side of the border and
Horncliffe and Norham, with their village pubs, are
not too far away on the English side.

All this can be yours for a sum in the region of £800,000. This is not just for the plot (spell checker suggested blot)c but includes a house which you, lucky buyer, can build to your own specifications-and at that price it could be quite a place

And what a lot there will be to do when you get there and have assembled your pad;

Recreational facilities in the area are superb. Golf
courses can be found close by in Berwick,
Eyemouth, Duns, Coldstream and Kelso, with the
East Lothian courses, including Muirfield, within a
half hour’s drive. With the River Tweed just a
short walk away from your own front door, salmon
and trout fishing can be taken here or on the
nearby Whiteadder, Blackadder and Teviot
Rivers, or sea fishing from Eyemouth. For
walkers there are many coastal and varied inland
walks to be enjoyed. Fishwick Mains can also
cater for those who enjoy equestrian pursuits with
a number of horses currently stabled there.
Berwick has a number of primary and secondary
schools including the excellent Longridge Towers
private school.

Mind you I don't recommend you driving to Muirfield in 30 minutes-East Lothian's finest might put a stop to that. But perhaps a helicopter pad can be added for the convenience of those who fear the traffic through Fishwick and don't want to over exercise their horses.

Oh by the way Savills of Embra: Fishwick Mains, for the moment at any rate, remains in Scotland and not in Northumberland as stated in your glossy brochure. So when you stretch your legs a little dodging the fishermen and their incessant streams of 4x4s on the proposed Fishwick By-pass en route to Paxton and the Cross Inn you don't actually have a border to cross. That convenience should add a quid or two to the £.8 Million you will have to pay to enjoy 'a sense of place' as the Scottish Borders Council insists is the criteria for successful planning application for housing in the countryside. The one building up on the plot already would not look out of place in Sunningdale or Wentworth. But in the Borders with its lush green field, the Cheviots as backdrop and Farmer Cs beef cattle providing noises off........?

We await the plans of the new country house with interest.

And some apprehension  ¶ 9:20 AM