Gifford Village Design Statement

Draft for consultation

GIFFORD Village Design Statement

Octob2011

Draft for Consultaton November 2011

GIFFORD: VILLAGE DESIGN STATEMENT CONTENTS Introduction Gifford Conservation Area and Planning Context Location and Landscape Historic Development (The Birth) Anatomy of the Village The Heart The Limbs The Lungs Circulation Life Blood Conclusions Guidelines Specific Proposals

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Appendices 24 1 Origins and History 2 Commentary on the growth of Gifford since 1850 (including land ownership map 2011) 3 Local Plan Policies 4 Listed Buildings, Key Buildings and Designed Landscape 5 Feuars of Gifford 6 Circulation 7 Activities o Organisations, clubs and societies o Recreational facilities and access Figures Figure 1 Gifford Conservation Area Map Figure 2 Gifford Proposals Map East Lothian Local Plan 2008 Figure 3 Map Showing Gifford before 1700 Figure 4 The Growth of Gifford since 1850

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Photos 1-20 various References and Further Reading Comments- Do you agree with the next steps? Please feedback your comments

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Introduction This Village Design Statement describes Gifford and its environs, within the boundary of its Conservation Area and highlights the special characteristics that make the village distinctive.

Although this Statement attempts to define and record these special characteristics following Scottish Government guidelines set out in PAN 71: Conservation Area Management it is not a conventional Conservation Area Appraisal for it seeks to reflect the views of the community and its concern for the special qualities of its village.

The Village Design Statement is addressed to: • The local planning authority and organisations such as Historic Scotland—who make decisions concerning changes to the character of the village; • Developers and their designers—to explain what residents would prefer to see in their village; and • Residents and local businesses—in order that new development, alterations and extensions remain in sympathy with their surroundings.

It is hoped that the Village Design Statement will be accepted as a supporting document to the Local Plan and provide a basis for the work of the Community Council. Its recommendations are not exhaustive, nor are they permanent; it is important that they are subject to a continuous process of review.

Gifford Conservation Area and Planning Context The majority of Gifford is designated a Conservation Area. The East Lothian Local Plan 2008 contains the following Gifford Conservation Area Statement.

1.1 Gifford was planned as a replacement village in the early 18th century to complement Yester House begun in 1699. Its wide Main Street is dominated at its north end by the whitewashed church built in 1710, which is a distinctive landmark building in the village and the focal point of Main Street. The original form of the village is preserved and consists of two main streets at right angles to each other that converge at the mercat cross and The Square. The built form of the village consists mainly of regular terraced rows of 18th century predominantly two storey houses in the centre. The old walled greens between High Street and The Avenue give the village an open and spacious feel.

1.2 The line of mature trees along The Avenue which leads to the main gates of Yester House are an historically important feature of the village emphasizing the importance of Yester. Most of the 18th century buildings in Gifford are listed for their consistent architectural form including consistency of construction that reflects the nature of a planned village. Many buildings are built of rubble often harled and whitewashed particularly in Main Street. Roof coverings are predominantly slate or pantile and the houses have timber sash and case windows. The architectural integrity of the village has been extremely well maintained and it is important that future development is well detailed to complement this architectural character.

1.3 Several later housing developments in the village have their own more modern architectural character but fit well into the pattern of generally low-density buildings. In each of these areas any new development should be similar in form to its neighbours.

1.4 Gifford’s landscape setting is an important part of its character as one of the hillfoot villages of the Lammermuir Hills. Accordingly, its Conservation Area boundary includes areas of both open fields and woodland lying to the village’s north and north-east and west and south-west. The woodland provides a sense of containment while the more open fields emphasise the village’s rural character and frame views

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against which its buildings are set. The village’s immediate setting contains large areas of woodland, enhanced by the trees that extend into the village alongside the Gifford Water.

1.5 The formal parklands of Yester are designated as an historic designed landscape and any proposals that may affect this landscape will also be assessed against Policy ENV8. Many of the trees forming Gifford’s setting are further protected by Tree Preservation Orders and all trees within the Conservation Area require permission before work on them can be undertaken. The lime trees lining The Avenue are a prominent feature of the Conservation Area and are protected in their own right by a Tree Preservation Order.

1.6 There are few inappropriate buildings in the village. Nevertheless the redevelopment of the garage would offer a chance to reinstate the building line on Main Street and an opportunity for new housing at the rear. All infill development must not detract from the character and appearance of the historic core of the village and from the important open greens at High Street and The Avenue.

Figure 1 Gifford Conservation Area

So what does Conservation Area status mean? The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 states that Conservation Areas “are areas of special architectural or historical interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance.”

Conservation Area status affects the following operations: • Demolition of unlisted buildings • Removal of, or work to trees 4

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•

Development involving house extensions, stone cleaning or painting of the exterior

The Gifford Conservation Area is further protected by an Article 4 Direction which plays an important role in preserving unifying features such as doors and windows and preventing the creeping erosion of the historic character of the village by inappropriate replacements.

To remain alive, however, settlements must accept change in the future as they have in the past. The Statement recognises that requirement and attempts to provide a reference within which proposals for future change may be tested and assessed against the constraints appropriate to a Conservation Village.

Sustainable Development Sustainable Development is central to planning and local plan policy. The East Lothian Local Plan 2008 states: ‘The Planning System, advises that it is the purpose of the planning system to guide the future development and use of land in cities, towns and rural areas in the long term public interest. The aim is to ensure that development and changes in land use occur in suitable locations and are sustainable, while providing protection from inappropriate development. Its primary objectives are: to set the land use framework for promoting sustainable economic development; to encourage and support regeneration; and to maintain and enhance the quality of the natural heritage and built environment’.

In setting the local context, the plan states: 1.21 The quality of the urban and rural environment is one of East Lothian's greatest assets. East Lothian's towns and villages, and its coastal, hill and agricultural landscapes, combine to create an environment of considerable interest and quality. Its countryside contains a number of valuable wildlife habitats and high quality, productive farmland. Many of the towns and villages are renowned for their historic and architectural interest, and are attractive places to live in or to visit. The integration of new development continues to present challenges.

Embracing sustainable technologies may present challenges for Gifford. Siting and integrating solar panels and turbines, for example, will have to respect the village character and its environment.

East Lothian Local Plan 2008: Policies relevant to Gifford The rules for planning are very complicated. Most minor proposals are classed as permitted developments and don't need planning permission—except in Conservation Areas; the Council’s planning directorate has the final say as to whether or not planning permission is needed. The Council will make its decision on planning applications subject to the Development Plan, unless "material considerations" suggest otherwise. A "material consideration" is usually relevant to national policy, and the Council will decide how important these material considerations are. However, Councils will normally approve planning applications for development in line with the Development Plan policies, which reflect national policy.

Thus, objections to planning applications should always be based on material considerations. Examples of ‘material considerations’, taken from advice prepared by Richmond Council, are set out in Appendix 3.

A new scheme, which came into effect in August 2009, allows most applications to be determined by the Director of Environment without reference to Council Members or the Council’s Planning Committee, but there are important safeguards. Certain classes of application are excluded, for example, development in Conservation Areas, or involving Listed Buildings. In the past, the Director of Environment had this authority if applications conformed to Development Plans (essentially the Local Plan), or to which there was no public objection. The new scheme removed the latter exemptions but where an application raises important planning issues or attracts any public objection a report will be circulated to Members of the Planning Committee, who then have 7 days to decide if they wish to refer the application to the Committee; otherwise the Director of Environment will issue his recommended decision. ELC councillors who are not on the Planning Committee will also have the right to ask for an application to be 5

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referred. The implication of all this is that we must be alert to any contentious applications, and ensure that local residents express their objections within specified time limits.

Development Plans consist of two separate parts. First the Structure Plan, and second the Local Plan.

Within these two parts it is decided how much development will take place, where the development will be positioned and where development will not be allowed. The Development Plan sets out policies and regulates the use of land in an area. Development Plans cover a whole range of issues such as transport, shopping, recreation, employment and also conservation issues. A detailed summary of all current Local Plan policies that affect Gifford is contained in Appendix 3.

Currently protection from further expansion is afforded to Gifford through the Local Plan.

Those policies that most commonly arise in connection with planning applications in Gifford are (these policies are shown in the plan in Figure 2- the Gifford Proposals Map from the East Lothian Local Plan 2008): NH5: Protected Trees: this covers all trees with Tree Preservation Orders, or within a Conservation Area.

ENV1: Residential Character and Amenity: safeguards against uses other than housing.

ENV3: Listed Buildings: concerns alterations and demolition of listed buildings, but also covers new development which harms the setting of a listed building. (the listed buildings in Gifford are set out in Appendix 4. This list is managed by the Local Authority and can be altered and updated with changing circumstances. A request to list a building can be made to the local authority or Historic Scotland).

ENV4: Development within Conservation Areas: seeks to protect their character, and refers to several other policies.

ENV5: Conservation Areas:- Proposed Restriction of Permitted Development Rights: withdraws Permitted Development Rights in Conservation Areas, by means of an Article 4 Direction; see Appendix 3.

DP2: Design: concerns the positioning, size, form, massing, proportion and scale, materials and colours of new development, privacy and amenity, etc.

DP6: Extensions and Alterations to Existing Buildings: must be in keeping.

DP7: Infill, Backland and Garden Ground Development: concerns all aspects of infill.

DP8: Replacement Windows: should not harm the character of buildings; more stringent conditions apply in Conservation Areas.

DP14: Trees on or adjacent to development sites: incorporates BS5837: 2005.

It should also be noted that the Yester House Estate is scheduled as a Designed Landscape. This designation affords additional protection. Details are set out in Appendix 4.

Planning documents are subject to regular review and updating. A review of the Development Plan that will provide the planning framework for Gifford is underway in 2011 and new plans will eventually replace those referred to above.

The Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006 introduced a number of reforms to the Scottish planning system.

With respect to development planning, it replaced Structure Plans by new Strategic Development Plans.

This means there will be one Strategic Development Plan covering Edinburgh City Region that will include East Lothian.

All planning authorities must prepare Local Development Plans for their individual areas. These will replace Local Plans in Scotland.

Together the Strategic Development Plan and Local Development Plan will constitute the Development Plan.

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An extract from East Lothian Council’s web site outlines the process for the review of the Development Plan and is included at the end of Appendix 3. A link to the Development Plan pages is shown below. http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=204&documentID=231&pageNumber=8

Figure 2 Gifford Proposals Map from East Lothian Local Plan 2008

Location and Landscape Gifford lies in the north of the Parish of Yester, some six kilometres south of Haddington, on an old eastwest route from Duns and Cranshaws along the foothills of the Lammermuirs to Edinburgh. At around 120 metres above sea level, the village is surrounded by farmland and woodland, giving way further south to moorland; Gifford Water drains the Lammermuir Hills to the south and east and meanders through the village from south-east to north-west on its way to join the Tyne near Haddington.

Geologically Gifford sits on Brown Forest soils derived from Upper Old Sandstone and Lower Carboniferous sediments which tend to be clayey and slightly acidic. Average annual rainfall is 580mm (23in).

The important woodlands in and around Gifford lead out to rolling and productive farmland which is diverse in habitat and rich in wildlife. Mixed farming is the main agricultural activity with a priority on cropping to the north and east of the village and a tendency to stock keeping to the south towards the slopes of the Lammermuirs. Gifford is an important cultural amenity and transport hub in support of the farming and rural community.

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Photo 1 Aerial view of Gifford

Photo 2- Gifford from the north

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Historic Development (The Birth) Gifford is sometimes regarded as a “planned� village replacing the peasant settlement of Bothans in the early 18th century when the second Marquess of Tweeddale embarked on the construction of Yester House. But, encouraged by the establishment of three mills, the makings of a village already existed along what is now the High Street. It was from those beginnings that the Marquess, aided by his architect, James Smith, developed the axial plan that transformed Gifford.

Figure 3 Map showing Gifford before 1700

So, by 1710, the formal layout of the settlement was established, with the High Street and Main Street joining at the village square; as the original thoroughfare, Main Street linked all routes in and out of Gifford, north to Haddington, east across the Lammermuirs to Berwickshire, north-west and south-west to Pencaitland, Humbie and Edinburgh. But the railway brought new importance to the old Edinburgh Road. Now metalled and named Station Road, it also served a timber yard at the station, and the corn mill on the bank of Gifford Water. The Bowling Club was established near the corn mill in 1901, and the first council houses were completed on the west side of Station Road by 1928, to be faced, seventy years later, by a development of private houses. Earlier, private houses grew up along Tweeddale Avenue, a cul-de-sac in the 1930s, extending only as far as Holmcroft.

From the 1960s individual houses have infiltrated the old station yard; Tweeddale Avenue, and Tweeddale Crescent, have been built up with private housing, mostly single-storey, and now link through to the Edinburgh Road. This closed loop, with a short cul-de-sac (Tweeddale Grove) on its western side, effectively forms the western boundary of the built up area.

In the early 1930s plans were prepared to infill the area behind the High Street, and over the next three decades the land up to Walden Terrace was developed with a regular grid of streets serving around 50 council houses, a mixture of single- and two-storey, all semi-detached, some of which replaced ten 1947 prefabs between Park Crescent and Park Road. Walden Terrace was extended to serve the new Primary School, completed in 1968, which together with its playing field occupies the area up to the southern boundary of the village. In the 1990s, 26 two-storey houses and flats were built between the earlier houses and the school. The final section of this area, comprising 36 dwellings altogether, is now 9

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complete. This recent development, together with three private houses served by Walden Drive, forms a tidy and well-defined edge to the village on its eastern side.

It is this understanding of how Gifford has evolved that will be critical in defining if further change should take place in the future.

Figure 4 The Growth of Gifford since 1850

This evolution is illustrated by the four maps in Figure 4, which are discussed briefly below, and which form the basis of a more thorough commentary in Appendix 2.

1855 Map This map, based on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey, shows the initial L-shaped layout of the village very clearly, with the High Street and Main Street meeting opposite The Square, fronted by the Village Hall. The Parish Church, built in 1710, dominates Main Street at the junction of the roads to Haddington and Duns. The hinterland within the L has only a few small buildings. The form of the village had been established by around 1710, by which time the Hay family had surrounded Yester Estate with a stone wall; this bounds the woods to the south of Gifford, and, together with a sweep of Gifford Water, these elements form the southern boundary to the village.

Gifford is surrounded on the west side mainly by long-established woodland, while behind the Church there are open fields sloping up to the east, including The Common, 55 acres of land managed on behalf of the village by the Feuars of Gifford. For its size, Gifford is surrounded by a significant number of small Georgian mansions, which stand out on this map—Gifford Vale (1786), Holynbank (now Forbes Lodge, late C18), Gifford Bank (c.1820), and the Manse (c.1830), which later became Tweeddale House.

1906 Map By 1906 only quite minor changes had occurred in the centre of the village, and the most significant development was the completion of the Gifford & Garvald Light Railway line as far as Gifford, which opened for business in October 1901. The arrival (and later departure) of the railway also had a predictable effect on local industry. At this time there were not many children at Gifford School on the Duns Road, mainly because Longyester, Bolton and other surrounding villages still had their own schools; the village dominie lived in School House next door.

This part of the Duns Road was known as School Brae; further uphill can be seen the United Free Church and its manse.

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1966 Map The most obvious change in the centre of the village by 1966 is the garage on the site of the old Police Station on Main Street. After the union of the churches in 1929, the United Free Church, St Andrew’s, on the Duns Road, became redundant and now forms two houses. Most significantly, however, the land behind the High Street was being developed with council housing on Park Road, Park Crescent and Walden Terrace. Cottages on the upper part of The Wynd were cleared away to create a small green at the entrance to Park Road. After WW2, pre-fabs were built on Park Road and Park Crescent. Earlier, the improved roadway leading to the Station had allowed more council housing to be built on its west side, completed by 1928. Then a series of individual houses were built further along this road and the newly constructed Tweeddale Avenue, which by 1966 had been extended to Blythehill and Lomond, with plans for more houses to follow. Castle Wynd Potteries were established alongside the dismantled railway; the sawmill closed down at the end of WW2. The mill lade, which served the old Corn Mill on Gifford Water, was completely destroyed by the floods of 1947, and the opportunity was taken to “square” the bowling green.

2010 Map This map very clearly demonstrates how the ‘envelope’ of the village has been filled out, with tidy boundaries formed to the east and the west. One most important feature of this plan is, of course, the Primary School (1968) at the southern end of Walden Terrace, with its playing field bordering Lady Wood. Over several years, the council completed the development behind the High Street, to the west of Walden Terrace, more recently extending Walden Terrace, adding Walden Place, two long culs-de-sac, to form a strong edge of social housing on the eastern side of the village. The land around The Wards was divided to allow four more private houses to be built here also.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Gifford Water, Tweeddale Avenue had been extended to emerge onto the Edinburgh Road, and with a loop, Tweeddale Crescent, serving more houses, all with flat roofs. Gradually other houses were built, first on Tweeddale Grove, and then on the north-east side of Tweeddale Crescent, backing onto Station Road. Together with Gifford Bank, this development forms a clear western edge to the village; to the northwest, there is a small colony of nine houses clustered around the dismantled railway terminus. More recently, the houses in Old Mill Lane have been built on the low land alongside Gifford Water.

Anatomy of the Village

Photo 3 -elevated view of Main Street from Yester Church

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Photo 4- View to Yester Church along Main Street

Photo 5- View to Village Hall along High Street

THE HEART The village centre is, effectively, that laid out in the 1710 plan, i.e. two streets meeting at right angles with significant buildings terminating each axis. The single-sided High Street, developed from the 17th century cluster of houses, runs north-east to meet Main Street at The Square, where the Village Hall closes the vista. Main Street is terminated at its north-east end by the symmetry of Yester Church with its dominant tower.

The High Street faces on to three important natural components of the village centre. These are the open spaces of The Fair Green and The Bleachfield and the parallel Avenue of lime trees leading to the gates of Yester House. These are discussed more fully under the section on THE LUNGS. The character of the two main streets is formed by the fluctuating heights of their continuous two-storey terraces of houses (embracing the two hotels); the exceptions are the slightly taller building turning the corner, and the gap at the garage in Main Street. Most are roofed in Scotch slate, but a few have red pantiles and one recent roof on the High Street has red Roman tiles; there are very few dormers. External walls are almost entirely either natural sandstone or rendering painted white or cream; most windows have stone rybats or, where walls are rendered, painted bands. The age of the houses ranges widely, as gaps have been filled since the earliest were built in the eighteenth century, and the older houses generally are marked by their profusion of chimneys.

Photo 6- High Street

Photo 7- Main Street

It is this limited palette of form and materials which has given Gifford its cohesive character, acknowledged in the 2008 East Lothian Local Plan in these terms: 12

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“The architectural integrity of the village has been extremely well maintained and it is important that future development is well detailed to complement this architectural character.”

Photos 8-10- examples of Gifford character

This policy is especially relevant to the proposal in the Local Plan 2008 to develop the site presently occupied by the commercial garage on Main Street with 7-10 houses; the site is first described as 0.5 hectares (10.52), and then, in Proposal H17, as “approximately 0.3 hectares of land to the rear of Gifford Garage”. While the suggested change of use, in itself, would be an improvement, any proposal for such a significant site will have to meet the highest design standards if it is to enhance the character of the village. The Gifford Conservation Area Character Statement says: There are few inappropriate buildings in the village. Nevertheless the redevelopment of the garage would offer a chance to reinstate the building line in Main Street and an opportunity for new housing to the rear”. There are problems with this statement. First, there never was a building line because the police station which was there before the garage was set back around 10 feet, behind the two large oaks at the side of the street, but second, there are several windows in the gables of the houses on either side of the garage. Access to the land at the rear will also present difficulties, since achieving delivery and refuse collection for 7-10 houses are only possible from Main Street.

A further consideration is the popularity of the services provided by the garage amongst local residents; an acceptable alternative site may be difficult to find.

In spite of the existence of the Article 4 Direction there is cause for concern in matters of detail.

Inappropriate signage and street furniture, or the wrong sort of replacement doors and windows can very quickly erode the quality of a Conservation Area.

Of the buildings in the village centre the most dominant is Yester Kirk, completed in 1710 as the!focal point of the “new” village and restored between 2006 and 2009 at a cost of some £700,000. !!Standing at the head of Main Street at the Y-junction of the northern and eastern approaches to the village, the Kirk!and its elegant spire identify the village from all directions. The A-listed T-plan church means,!therefore, more to the village than just a fine example of a post-Reformation Kirk and the!community's regard and affection for its iconic status was reflected in the generous response!to the fund-raising efforts of the Restoration Committee. This, in turn, released funds from Grant-giving bodies which allowed the old Kirk not merely to be restored but to be equipped for wider!community use by the provision of a multi-purpose room and other improvements.

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Photo 11- Yester Church

Photo 12- Village Hall

The other building of significance in the axial central plan is the Village Hall. Terminating the vista along the High Street/Fair Green, the building consists of two 18th century 2-storey houses flanking the 1884 clock tower with steps giving access to the hall behind. Since its refurbishment and re-opening in 1981 the Hall has been in constant use as the base for many community groups and for a variety of social activities.

In the Square in front of the Village Hall stands the B-listed Mercat Cross and the old well, with the C(S) listed Goblin Ha’ hotel forming the corner with Main Street. Established in the 1920s, the hotel is a combination of one mid-18th century two-storey house on the corner and two mid-19th century two-storey houses on Main Street.

The other hotel in the village, B-listed, is the Tweeddale Arms in High Street. Formed, like The Goblin, from three two-storey houses, this time all 18th century, both buildings remain consistent with the predominantly domestic character and scale of the village core.

THE LIMBS From the historic village centre, main roads go north to Haddington (B6369), east to Duns (B6355) and, following the completion in the 18th century of the second bridge over the Gifford Water, west to Edinburgh (B6355). In the late 18th and early 19th century, a number of fine detached houses, many now listed, were built on all these roads.

Other than these there are two substantial pockets of development outwith the village centre.

These are the Station Road/Tweeddale Avenue area and the Park Road/Walden Terrace locality. In both there is a mixture of private and local authority houses, detached and semi-detached, laid out in a much more suburban arrangement quite unlike the cohesive historic core. The bungalow developments in the Tweeddale Avenue area, including the maverick flat roofed houses of the 60s, have, however, matured successfully in their own way. Indeed, it can be argued that the latter controversial designs, although alien in form, have justified their place in Gifford through their simplicity and use of natural materials in a way which the two-storey pitched roof houses of Mill Lane, with their synthetic stone “features� and plastic windows have failed to do.

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THE LUNGS

Photo 13- The approach from Duns

Photo 14- The approach from Haddington

The undulating farmland and woods surrounding Gifford, together with the open fields of the Common form a verdant backdrop to the prominent white tower of the church which announces the presence of the village on the approaches from the north and east.

To the west, the old North Port on the Edinburgh Road is open to fields on all sides, exposing the edges of three woods which enclose the village on the west; Craises Roundall, Speedy Wood and Fawn Wood.

This approach from the west is now compromised by the insensitive and intrusive house at the crossroads.

The final approach to the village zig-zags through the bridge over Gifford Water before rising fairly abruptly into the Square and Main Street with the church dominating its far end. In the past, this approach was wonderfully punctuated by the strong ochre colour of the corner shop, now a douce cream.

Photo 15- The North Port, the approach from Edinburgh

Craises Roundall is actually a triangular-shaped mainly conifer woodland with an attractive overgrown beech hedge on the side nearest to the Edinburgh road.

Speedy Wood is a largely broadleaved woodland with mainly oak on the visible western and southern sides. There are some large conifers towards the northern end near to Station Road. This woodland also forms a backcloth to the houses on the west side of Tweeddale Avenue. Species include birch, ash, alder, sycamore and various conifers.

Fawn Wood is outwith the Conservation Area. Much of the woodland comprises broadleaves of various ages and sizes but there are some mature Scots pine and larch in the northern part and some attractive, over mature Scots pine on the western side.

The part of Broad Wood visible from the North Port and northwards to the Gifford Water is inside the Conservation Area and is also protected by a Tree Preservation Order. This should ensure that this area of 15

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mixed conifer and broadleaved woodland is maintained as woodland for the future. There is a row of maturing sycamores immediately inside the roadside wall which should be retained when the conifers behind eventually have to be felled.

The roadside trees comprise a mixture of species including oak, horse chestnut, sycamore, and various conifers but the larger roadside trees particularly near the centre of the village are lime, some of which are of considerable age and size.

The trees in the old estate tree nursery are a mixture of conifers and broadleaves with some large old trees adjacent to the Gifford Water and the Edinburgh Road. It also forms part of the important backcloth of the Bleachfield.

Lady’s Wood and Carters Haugh are outwith the Conservation Area but they are both important to the setting of the village. These comprise of mixtures of broadleaves and conifers of various ages.

On the approach roads from Haddington and Duns, particularly, there are individual roadside trees at intervals in the hedgerows. Many of the trees are old and some are not in good condition. Efforts have been made to replant some of the gaps but not all have been successful. Ideally a replacement should be planted for any trees which have to be felled.

Within the village, there are medium-sized broadleaves within the perimeter wall of the church grounds.

The trees adjacent to the Gifford Water on each side of the Station Road bridge, and northwards to the site of the old station all help to maintain a pleasant environment for villagers and visitors alike.

Gifford Water itself forms a natural boundary to the newer parts of the village along Station Road, below the amenity open spaces flanking the west side of Haddington Road, interspersed with the stately Gifford Vale and the old Manse. More woodland, and the large gardens of other grand houses (Forbes Lodge, Gifford Bank and Broadwood) flank the Edinburgh Road, which is dominated by handsome mature trees on both sides; the strong sense of enclosure they create contributes to the dramatic entry to the village from the west as Main Street, the Square and the church appear; this gives rise to concern over the management of this part of Broad Wood and the Nursery adjoining the Bleachfield.

Gifford Water is a relatively fast flowing river which runs from south to north through the centre of the village, draining water from the Lammermuir foothills to the river Tyne. Although the river is a key feature of the village it is for the most part inconspicuous as it flows through a deep gulley and is well screened by trees. It is best viewed from the two bridges.

In normal weather conditions the river is approximately 20 feet wide and 1 foot deep but can rise rapidly to a depth of 4 feet or more during periods of heavy or prolonged rain or melting snow from the Lammermuir Hills. During such periods the water flows with great force.

Being in a gulley, any rise in water level is contained and unlikely to cause flooding of any dwellings.

The SEPA flood map indicates a 0.5% (1 in 200) or greater probability of some minor flooding of land mainly in the area of the Bleachfield.

A main sewage pipe crosses the river in two places: one crossing is just upstream of the Station Road bridge and the other behind the Bowling Club. The downstream pipe is approximately 3.5 feet above normal water level and could be vulnerable to damage or rupture in exceptional weather conditions. This crossing has a flood chamber on the upsteam side with overflow into the river. Discharge into the river from this chamber is common during heavy or continuous precipitation. Both Scottish Water and SEPA have been made aware of both of these problems and are seeking funding to resolve them. In the meantime, cleaning of the pipe has reduced the frequency and volume of discharge.

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To the east, recent housing development has completed a tidy boundary to the farmland of Duncanlaw and that section of the Common (Cowfauld) which lies south of the Duns road. The southern boundary of the village is marked by the mature woodland of the Yester estate (Lady’s Wood, Carter’s Haugh and Broad Wood).

Within these clear boundaries, and against the strong form of the main two streets, the Fair Green, the Avenue and the old Bleach Field have provided a central focus since the earliest days of the village, both as open space and as a setting for the life of the community. The Bleachfield is now a popular spot for recreation and visiting picnics in the summer. The Fair Green’s main role seems to be an exercise yard for pets, and it deserves to be more than that.

The Avenue of lime trees leading to the gates to Yester House is as important to the character of the historic village core as any of its buildings. The Avenue is believed to be almost 300 years old and consists of some 60 lime trees, 53 on Yester land and 7 belonging to East Lothian Council. Many of the trees are now in a poor state, not helped by the continued parking of cars over their roots. Almost all the trees belong to the owners of Yester House but all past attempts to address the various problems have been unsuccessful, resulting in a situation where appropriate measures are required urgently. Meantime a Community Company has been set up under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act to ensure that the community will have the right to buy should the trees and land come on the market.

Photo 16 The Avenue with the Bleachfield on the left

Photo 17- The Avenue, and the High Street

The historic relationship between the Marquesses of Tweeddale and “their” village ended when Yester House was sold in 1968. Subsequent owners have failed to maintain Yester House, its outbuildings and bridges, gardens and woodlands in the condition they enjoyed in the estate’s heyday leading to considerable deterioration; the present situation is uncertain and quite unsatisfactory.

The 870ha (2150 acres) of parkland and gardens forming the setting of Yester House were scheduled as Designed Landscape by Historic Scotland in 1987. Planting was carried out by the 2nd Earl of Tweeddale from the 1660s; by 1676 the park had already been enclosed and by the time the new house was built in 1699 one of the largest parks in Scotland had been laid out together with an ornate formal garden around the house. By the 1760s these had been swept away and by the 1860s, when the house was reoriented, the!surroundings were described as “ ...a park containing some fine old trees and a good kitchen!garden.”

More recently, ornamental flower and shrub beds were maintained until, following the death of the!12th Marquess in 1967, the woodlands and policies were all sold separately and the condition of the!grounds has deteriorated. Glasshouses, stables, and the Gardener’s Cottage are all now derelict and even John Adam’s lodges flanking his entrance gates at the end of the village avenue are in poor!repair.

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CIRCULATION Circulation is discussed briefly below, and forms the basis of a more thorough commentary in Appendix 6.

Vehicular traffic travels into and out of the village, often with no regard to speed limits. During the mornings of the working week there is a discernable ”rush hour”, between about 7 am and 9am, as villagers leave for work in their cars, or arrive for work in the village, and as commercial vehicles arrive to deliver goods to the shops, garage, cafe and the two hotels. The morning tidal flow is reversed in the afternoon as the return from work takes place between about 4.30 and 6pm. At weekends, particularly in the summer the roads are constantly busy with private motor vehicles from about 10.30 in the morning until about 4.30 in the afternoon but there are fewer commercial and agricultural vehicles. The biggest problem at weekends is the constant flow of motorbikes racing into or out of the village. The physical danger of speeding motorcycles is accompanied by the inevitable noise pollution which can be heard from miles away.

Traffic within and through the village is increasing, particularly during holiday periods. On a recent sunny Mother’s Day over a hundred cars were parked, often carelessly, in the centre of Gifford. Car ownership among residents is high, partly due to the limitations of public transport, so on-street parking is widespread, even without visitors. Local congestion in Main Street is generated by the garage, where the street is occasionally regarded as an extension of the workshop although this would be relieved if the garage goes. Parents delivering and collecting children cause congestion around the school.

A survey of the effect of traffic on the village was carried out in 1964 by a group of concerned residents.

Car ownership has more than doubled since then so it would not be unreasonable to update these figures similarly to indicate the levels of current traffic in Gifford.

Traffic is unlikely to decrease over the next several years and so at some point in the future there will be a need to introduce some form of traffic management. Without that calming influence it remains likely that a serious accident will occur as a speeding vehicle loses control, and noise pollution will become ever greater.

The only public transport service is the “Gifford Circle”. This service forms a useful link to Haddington.

Currently this service is provided by the 123 service operated by First Bus. The Haddington approach to Gifford on the B6369 between mature trees offers a striking view of Yester Church on entering the village. The road passes the large village name sign and a 30mph speed limit sign, both uncontroversial. At the main street, first impressions are of a remarkably 'road-sign-free' and 'paintline-free' environment. The only concession to parking restriction by paint lines seems to be by the pillar box. A wholly yellow-line-free village is a remarkable achievement.

Driving westwards down the B6355 from Cross Hill, the 30mph limit comes too late to warn drivers.

The temporary flashing speed warning is too close to it and the signs are becoming obscured by trees.

The warning should come sooner, maybe by moving the 30mph sign further up the hill. By the time vehicles reach the entrance to the village they are driving too fast for the conditions. The Yester Primary School turning at Walden Terrace comes all too soon and is dangerous. Hard braking may be required to avoid a vehicle emerging here, or one coming up the hill to turn right into Walden Terrace. Vehicles exiting Walden Terrace from the school are completely blind to the left because of a wall. Visibility to the right is better, but one risks one’s bonnet sticking too far out into the road at the stop line.

The approach to the village from the south-west creates a fine 'gateway' to the village. It offers a splendid sense of arrival but is also good cause for careful driving. The complex junction layout is awkward but may inspire drivers' caution as it is confusing due to the road lining and signage. The way down into the village from the west is, however, very appealing in appearance with its lovely tunnel of trees. Leaving 18

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the village southwards on the other hand is not so delightful being awkward for drivers with its faded road markings and poorly designed and placed signs. There is a plethora of them, including the village sign, arrow sign, horticultural show sign, and golf club hoarding. While some of these may be temporary, there are too many signs leading drivers to distraction. They detract visually from one of the most attractive entrances to a village anywhere in East Lothian.

Down across Gifford Water on the B6355 road, the verdant nature of this part of the village is striking with its larger houses and ancient woodland. An anomaly is the old weight restriction sign that survives only at one end of the bridge. Judging by the huge vehicles using it, maybe the sign is redundant.

Emerging into the Square, the only blot is the 'Toilets' sign immodestly placed at the outer corner of the car park retaining wall. While an essential concomitant of tourist places, surely a more genteel sign writer is needed. Car parking here is pleasantly practical and bay demarcation should be strictly discouraged. It is sad that the craft of laying granite setts has been lost, but the whole space is pleasantly understated, sign- and paint-line-free.

The old Edinburgh road is a charming narrow approach from verdant modern housing to an ancient hump-backed bridge over Gifford Water. Nearer the bridge, the road width is very variable indeed and the road edge poorly defined, if it exists at all. The highly obtrusive speed limit warning sign is very unsightly and quite unnecessary. No sensible driver approaches the bridge with anything but extreme caution, its profile being so indeterminate. Rather let there be some stone posts or edging to slow vehicles down and protect pedestrians. On the village side of the bridge, the giant speed limit sign is equally unsightly and unnecessary. Foot traffic should be encouraged here by judicious placing of natural stones to increase driving difficulty. This most attractive and historic entrance to the village should be enhanced by removing the unnecessary signs.

In Main Street, again, how fortunate it is to escape the dreaded yellow lines. The downside is a tendency towards irresponsibility and selfishness by drivers parking their vehicles in such a way that hinders others. In continental villages, where reckless parking is endemic, they manage to control it by judiciously placed street furniture and planting. Our continental brethren are also more content to park under trees (not lime), obviating the need for lines. Page 34 of John Simpson's The Feuars of Gifford shows how this was done in 1887, albeit there were few cars then. Shop signs are generally quite pleasantly discreet and homely, with rare exceptions that prove the rule, and excellent pub signs. The one development that has blown a hole in Main Street is the garage workshop on the north side. While its replacement with houses is to be encouraged, neighbours' flanking gable windows would prevent recovery of any street frontage. One suggestion would be to plant trees along the back of the pavement to make a nice forecourt for new houses.

The most striking piece of townscape in Gifford must surely be the relationship of the church with the Main Street. While The Avenue leading to the gates of Yester House and the Village Hall are equal first, surely the recently restored church is the jewel in the crown. Sadly, the stone walls surrounding it lost their railings in the 2nd war but some gates and piers remain (the iron was never used). Perhaps a grant to restore them might be available. Evidence for their design and fixing survives in the gates. Perhaps the grave-flower disposal point might be better placed and built of stone.

Pavement and pathway finishes around the village centre are delightfully informal and practical in the main, but in parts ruined by concrete kerbs. The standard of pavements varies widely and maintenance is erratic. Where attempts have been made to create a pavement without kerbs, the surface has been ruined by the encroachment of vehicular traffic. Dropped kerbs are somewhat random and some are dangerous for pedestrians, or redundant. In the village centre, modern paving is made up of crude concrete slabs checkered with concrete brick, an unhappy combination and visually unsympathetic to the old houses.

Paving levels have crept up ever higher over the years and thresholds have become buried and, one suspects, have damp doormats inside, if not damp front rooms. A complete re-think of pavement materials is needed with properly drawn up specifications and using grant aid.

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The quality of street lighting in Gifford also varies and the design of street light fittings is not always appropriate for a conservation village. Some fittings are decrepit, ineffective, unsightly and poorly positioned. A complete rethink is required, finance permitting. In all, the huge attraction of this lovely historic village is let down by the gap-tooth main street, poor signage, dreadful pavements, inadequate street lighting and a sad loss of railings round the church.

The recent extension of the footpath network around the village is welcome.

It is regrettable that the Right of Way known as “Fisherman’s Walk” has been compromised by the Old Mill Lane development, making it more important than ever that vigilance is exercised in protecting other Rights of Way around Gifford.

Photo 18- Footpath to Gifford

LIFEBLOOD People and their activities are the essential lifeblood of a village community.

How the population of Gifford relates to its village has changed. Many more of the population now commute to work outside the village, however the village still supports a large retired population and those that stay in the village during the day to care for family or work from home.

The most stable industry around the village has been farming, with forestry making its contribution in establishing young plantations in addition to maintaining and felling older timber. The Life Science Trust runs the Pishwanton Project on environmentally friendly and sustainable/organic principles.

Gifford is a popular destination for visitors and golfers. Visitors are well catered for by the two hotels and golfers have a choice of the nine-hole Gifford Golf Course or eighteen holes at Castlepark two miles into the Lammermuirs.

Fifty years ago the village was served by a dozen shops. Five remain, the largest being the Co-op Foodstore which provides important day-to-day shopping and, until recently, housed the post office.

Following threatened closure a restricted postal facility is now provided in the newsagent’s shop, a service much appreciated by the community. Also in Main Street are a coffee shop/takeaway, and a hairdresser and craft shop. The unwanted shops have, invariably been converted to residential use. The repair garage continues to offer a useful service, albeit in a less than ideal location.

It is generally recognised that the school is a vital component in the social as well as the educational life of a village, and Gifford is fortunate that Yester School, built in 1968, is fully involved with the community in addition to providing the teaching of seven classes to Secondary level.

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Photo 19- Junior Cricket

Photo 20- Cycle Race

In 1979 the Village Hall was rescued from private ownership and restored through the establishment of Gifford Community Association; the Hall itself was acquired by the Feuars of Gifford and leased to the Association, which attracted grants and funds to carry out extensive restoration work. Since its reopening in 1981, the Hall has been in continuous use by groups and clubs from toddlers and keep-fit to bridge and art classes. It is central to the social life of the village.

Other than golf, the principal sporting activity in the village centres on the Gifford Bowling and Sports Club, established in 1883. With the opening of the new clubhouse in 2008 the club now acts as home for Bowling, Cricket, Junior Rugby and Junior Cricket. Many other groups in the village have also enjoyed the club’s licensed facilities.

Photo21 and 22- Flower Show

Of the many other clubs in Gifford, it is, perhaps, the Horticultural Society who presents the highest profile with the Annual Flower Show, closely followed by the Art Group’s Summer Exhibition.

Gifford Community Council held its inaugural meeting on 22 July 1976. Its powers and responsibilities have grown considerably since then, but, in general, it has served the community well, sometimes with little support. It is important to note that the Community Council is also a statutory consultee on planning matters. They are able to comment on proposed changes to the village.

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CONCLUSIONS This study of Gifford suggests there are opportunities to be taken and threats to be addressed; they can be codified as positives and negatives.

NEGATIVES • The deterioration of the Avenue trees and the damage being done to their roots from cars parking between them.

• The speed and noise pollution of traffic entering and leaving the village • The growth of uncontrolled vehicle parking.

• Unsympathetic materials and components • Traffic and parking • Street lighting, street furniture and pavements POSITIVES • The architectural and spatial integrity of the historic heart • The fine 18th and 19th century houses • The church and its significant setting • Trees, grass and open spaces in the village • Woodlands and landscape around the village

GUIDELINES These positives and negatives shape the Gifford we recognise today. The following guidelines suggest how the village can shape Gifford in the future.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

•

Encourage new proposals which reinforce the character of the village Maintain the scale and integrity of the street scene in the historic core Reject large scale and/or inappropriate proposals Prevent the creeping degradation of the village by the use of the traditional and sympathetic materials Use natural materials in all new developments Remove unauthorised signage and improve essential signage Protect the approaches to Gifford and their views into and out of the village Protect from development and maintain all public open spaces within the village Protect and maintain all mature trees within the village and replace when required Encourage the restoration and maintenance of Yester estate Take steps to reduce traffic speeds into, through and out of the village Provide off-street car parking Encourage improvement in the maintenance of pavements Encourage improvements in the quality and design of street lighting Protect and maintain Rights of Way Encourage the extension of the footpath network

SPECIFIC PROPOSALS The Village Design Statement has identified successes and mistakes from the past which need to be absorbed and potential problems for the future which need to be addressed. This final section on specific proposals highlights these and incorporates suggestions received during the first consultation, allocating priorities to each.

Immediate • The preparation of a plan to save the Avenue trees 22

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• The prohibition of any manufactured components and materials which are inappropriate and which will adversely affect the Conservation village • The implementation of measures to reduce speeding traffic. It is important that such measures do not adversely affect the approaches to the village.

Urgent • The identification and procurement of a site for a car park • The implementation of restricted parking in the village centre • The removal of unauthorised and unnecessary signage Important • The local authority to prepare guidance and an action plan, that could take the form of a conservation statement, for the village centre which would be designed to enhance it not simply preserve it.

Desirable • The identification of a suitable site for the garage and the sympathetic residential redevelopment of the site

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APPENDICES Appendix 1: Origins and History The lands of Yester were granted to Sir Hugh de Gifford by William the Lion in 1174. His successors built, and re-built, the castle containing the famous Goblin Ha', perched over what is now called the Gifford Water, before building, in 1584, a four storey tower-house nearby, the Great House of Bothans.

By this time the Hay family had become Lords of Yester through marriage and Bothans was a peasant settlement for their vassals. In the late 17th century, about a kilometre north-west of the Great House, a cluster of houses grew up, outside the present gates to Yester Estate, and centred on new meal mills, malt barns, a smiddy and an Inn on the site of the Tweeddale Arms Hotel.

In 1681 the Earl of Tweeddale was granted the right to hold a Malt Fair and a Sheep Fair each year.

These stimulated the growth of the village, though at that time there was no church and Gifford belonged not to Yester parish but to Bara parish. When the first Marquess died in 1697 his son embarked upon an ambitious programme of major additions and improvements to the village, helped by James Smith, the architect he employed on the new Yester House. In 1699 the Marquess set aside as Common Land the 55 acres north-east of the village—rough moorland from which peat and turves could be cut, and which offered some grazing. The right to its use was given to the feuars; by 1709 there were 16 feuars in houses extending from what is now Beechwood, north-west along the line of the present High Street and beyond, with one property fronting also the north side of the "highway or common entrie"—now Main Street. This was the nucleus of the village, which by now probably had a population of at least one hundred. The road to Edinburgh at this time crossed Gifford Water at the Smiddy and followed the line of today's Station Road before turning west through Broadwoodside, towards Inglisfield.

Today, the Common is owned and managed by the Feuars of Gifford, a charitable trust which formally inherited these rights. The Common is leased for agricultural use, the income being distributed to deserving causes within the community of Gifford.

Another important step was the construction of a second bridge over Gifford Water in 1704, not to improve the route to Edinburgh at this time but, following the north estate wall to the North Port, to create a link with the farming communities to the south-west. And by 1705 the Town House (predecessor of the Village Hall) had been built, serving as Court House, School and Tolbooth; it occupies a prominent position, commanding the market place and green, fronting what became the High Street. Greenfoot was built at the same time, with Dolphin Cottage being added a little later.

There was an orchard on the land now known as the Bleachfield, but the Green was not levelled until 1791. The earliest reference to the avenue of lime trees and the mill-lade parallel to it dates from the 1730s, but this last feature is a reminder of the importance to the village, in these early years, of water power for grinding meal and making paper (from lint, grown in the surrounding area). In the High Street itself only the Tweeddale Arms, Beechwood at the southern end and one intermediate house remain of the original eighteenth century buildings, the rest of the street having been rebuilt or infilled over the years.

The 'Plan for Gifford' was completed by the building of the Church and the first Manse (1708-10); the parish church of Yester was until then the old church of St Cuthbert at Bothans. The revision of parish boundaries in 1702, amalgamating the parishes of Bara and Garvald, also saw the incorporation into Yester parish of the Town of Gifford, Duncanlaw, Sheriffside, Broadwoodside, Woodhead and Winding Law. The siting of the church, dominating the village at the head of the broad highway (now Main Street) and acting as the focal point of all approaches to the village, is presumed to be the decision of the architect, James Smith. In just ten years the Marquess had accomplished his 'Plan'; 1710 marks the 24

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beginning of the modern Gifford, which has retained its dependence on this simple L-shape, with its nodes formed by the Church, the Village Hall and the grand gates to Yester House.

Over the next two centuries there was little change within the village. The Edinburgh Road became established as the main road west, with the construction of stately mansions on its north side, Forbes Lodge in the late 18th century, and Gifford Bank around 1820. On the Haddington Road, another mansion, Gifford Vale, had been built in 1786, and, around 1830, a handsome new manse was added, just north of the original.

The next important factor affecting the growth of the village was the coming of the Gifford & Garvald Light Railway. This opened in 1901 as a branch line linking to the North British Railway's service to Edinburgh at Ormiston. Annual passenger numbers rose to a peak of over 8,000 by 1923 (when the line became part of the LNER network), but fell off as a result of competition from SMT buses. From 1929 to 1933 the annual average was closer to 3,000, and the line closed to passengers in April 1933 although goods traffic continued until 1948 when the railway was finally closed.

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Appendix 2: Commentary on the Growth of Gifford since 1850

The first edition of the Ordnance Survey was produced in 1855. This map shows the L-shaped layout of the village very clearly, with the High Street and Main Street meeting opposite The Square in front of the Village Hall, and with the Parish Church to the east, built in 1710, and dominating Main Street at the junction of the roads to Haddington and Duns. The hinterland within the L has a few small buildings served by two wynds off the High Street, and a lane crossing them and emerging on Main Street. Note the building on Main Street where the garage now stands; this was the Police Station, and it remained here until the late 1930s. The open space facing the High Street has long been especially important, with what is now known as the Bleachfield at first serving as an orchard, and later, as its name shows, for bleaching linen in connection with the manufacture of paper. The Fair Green, or Pound, provided for markets and festivities, in addition to housing livestock belonging to villagers. An interesting feature of this map is the small domestic building near the Lodge gates to Yester House, and facing north-west down the Fair Green. In 1855 the tree nursery for Yester Estate was not yet established on the northern edge of the Bleach Field.

The shape of the village had been established by around 1710, by which time the Hay family had surrounded Yester Estate with a stone wall; this bounds the woods to the south of Gifford, and, together with a sweep of Gifford Water, these elements form the southern boundary to the village.

The “new� road to Edinburgh runs south-west from The Square, across a bridge first built over Gifford Water in 1704, and this leads to the North Port where its original function was to serve farms to the southwest; it was actually many years before an improved route to Edinburgh was established here. The old road is a little further downstream, crossing over a narrow hump-back bridge, and running north-west on a continuation of The Avenue of lime trees forming what is now called Station Road. For its size, Gifford 26

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is surrounded by a significant number of small Georgian mansions, which stand out on this map—Gifford Vale (1786), Holynbank (now Forbes Lodge, late C18), Gifford Bank (c.1820), and the Manse (c.1830), which later became Tweeddale House. To the east, on the Duns Road, is the Free Church and its Manse (1843, both converted now to other uses, but note that the first Free Church became the School once a new church had been built alongside). Two important farms lie on either side of the village, Broadwoodside to the west, and Duncanlaw to the east; its cottages are shown on the extreme right-hand side of the map. The village is surrounded on the west side mainly by long-established woodland, while behind the Church there are open fields sloping up to the east, including The Common, comprising some 55 acres of land managed on behalf of the village by the Feuars of Gifford.

Although Gifford Water is not a prominent feature of the village, its potential as a source of power for milling was an important factor in its early life. In 1855, the only remaining Corn Mill is to be seen on the low-lying field, known as Whitehaugh, between Station Road and the stream, fed by a mill lade which has long disappeared. Between the two bridges lies the Smithy, which also depended on a small pebble strand on the Gifford Water.

Close inspection of the 1892 map will show many quite minor changes to the hotels and houses in the centre of the village, but very little has changed significantly by this date. The houses at the southern end of the Fair Green have gone. The United Free Church has its new church on the Duns Road, completed in 1880; their first church became a school. (There had earlier been a Free Church in the village of Duncanlaw, and this is shown on Forrest’s map of 1799.) A tree nursery to serve Yester Estate is shown north of the Bleachfield.

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The most significant development by 1906 was the completion of the Gifford & Garvald Light Railway line as far as Gifford; this opened for business in October 1901. There was some excitement in Gifford over the date, because an influx of trippers was expected in view of the imminent marriage of Lady Clementine Hay, and the two hotels had been refurbished. The line linked onto the North British Railway network at Ormiston, running due west from Gifford to Humbie Station (actually at Gilchriston), then between East and West Saltoun, and it passed close to Pencaitland. At first there were two passenger trains and two goods trains daily in each direction, but a third passenger train was added from 1914.

There were many amusing anecdotes about the average speed of the trains. One letter, in 1902, complained: “The first train from Edinburgh takes two and a quarter hours to cover 21 miles. The first train from Gifford takes 1 hour and 25 minutes to cover the first ten miles.� An important factor was the Light Railway Order, which placed restrictions on the operation of the branch line; for example, gates across the railway at road crossings had to be opened and then closed again by the guard!

Despite this, by 1904, the number of Gifford passengers had reached around 6,000 per year on average, increasing, apart from a drop during the First World War, to 7,000 and eventually a peak of 8,165 in 1923. And by 1914, the journey to Edinburgh took only 1 hour & 11 minutes. However, from around 1927, numbers declined quickly, largely as a result of competition from SMT buses, and an annual average closer to 3,000 was sustained over the last four years before the line closed to passengers in April 1933. By 1920, any prospect of extending the line to Garvald had already been abandoned. In 1923 the line (together with the entire North British Railway) became part of the London & North Eastern Railway under the terms of the Railways Act 1921. The last passenger train to run over the entire length of the line was a train chartered by Gifford WRI to take people to the 1938 Empire Exhibition, Glasgow - fare 6/9 (just under 34p)!

The railway had a profound impact on the Gifford Athletic Games, which had begun in 1881. Until 1912, these were held on the Fair Green (The Pound) in front of the High Street, and catered mainly for Gifford and the surrounding parishes. After the First World War it was decided to revive the Games on a more 28

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ambitious footing, moving to the Bleachfield, and over the next 13 years Gifford Games became a major attraction in the South of Scotland; the peak attendance was 2,000 around 1927, with special trains being run from Edinburgh. However, the closing of passenger traffic in 1933 meant that after three years they were once more restricted to local competitors, and the last Games were held in 1937.

The arrival and departure of the railway also had a predictable effect on local industry. A & R Brownlie of Earlston opened a sawmill on the land north of the station in 1919, employing around one dozen men, mainly local. The output, transported by rail, was mainly pit props, fence-posts and stobs, but by around 1945 the local supply of suitable timber had been exhausted and the sawmill closed. The line continued to carry "goods and mineral" traffic until 1948 over part of the route. Gifford Station remained open for parcels, which were carried to and from Haddington by lorry, but it was eventually abandoned on New Year’s Day 1959.

In the same year that the railway opened, the Marquis donated part of the land between Station Road and the mill lade alongside Gifford Water, to establish a rectangular four-rink bowling green. (Gifford Bowling Club had been established earlier in 1882, using a small bowling green between the Tree Nursery and The Avenue, and the Club helped found the East Lothian Bowling Club in 1883.) A small clubhouse at the south end of the green closely resembled the original clubhouse at Gifford Golf Course.

The mill lade continued to serve the Old Corn Mill to the north, but by 1906 this had become a Millwright and Engineering Works.

At this time there were not many children at Gifford School on the Duns Road, mainly because Longyester, Bolton and other surrounding villages still had their own schools; the village dominie lived in School House next door. This part of the Duns Road was known as School Brae.

The most obvious change in the centre of the village by 1966 is the garage, built by Peter Main, the Saddler, on the site of the Police Station on Main Street, which he had purchased in the 1920s. However, many other changes occurred on Main Street during the early years of the century, as the Goblin Ha’ Hotel expanded to swallow shops and tearooms, and other shops changed hands. The Co-op premises, 29

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formerly Hodgson’s Bakery, which was bought by Haddington Co-op in 1928, were completely re-built in 1962. Electricity came to the village on Christmas Eve, 1926, to replace the paraffin lamps. The old horse trough in front of Yester Parish Church was removed when the roadway was re-aligned and the War Memorial built shortly after World War I. More recent developments in this area were The Rink (1963) by Ian Arnott, earning a Civic Trust award and described by Colin McWilliam as “remarkably sympathetic with the church nearby”, and Ardlea, the police house (now The Willows) and the Telephone Exchange in the crescent of land between the church and The Common.

After the union of the churches in 1929, the United Free Church, St Andrew’s, on the Duns Road, was bought by Dr Bradley, and used partly as a house and partly for storage; it was later converted into the two houses which stand there today, St Andrew’s Cottage and Kirkbrae. Dr Bradley built The Wards and developed a nursery garden for alpines. There was also a market garden alongside.

Most significantly, by 1966, the land behind the High Street was being developed with council housing on Park Road, Park Crescent and Walden Terrace. In addition to the new access formed off Duns Road, cottages on the upper part of The Wynd were cleared away to create a small green at the entrance to Park Road. After WW2, pre-fabs were built in this area and these are shown on the map at the end of Park Crescent and in Park Road (some unshaded). They were later replaced. Houses on either side of the Upper Wynd (now called Bablin’s Wynd), were demolished in the 1950s. At the southern end of Park Road, backing onto the gates to Yester House, was Maslowski’s Yard, which incorporated the earlier Small Bore Rifle Club’s clubroom; there are houses here now.

Earlier, the improved roadway leading to the Station had allowed more council housing, completed by 1928. Then a series of individual houses were built along this road and the newly constructed Tweeddale Avenue, at first a cul-de-sac as far as Holmcroft; by 1966 it had been extended to Blythehill and Lomond, with plans for more houses to follow. Castle Wynd Potteries were established alongside the dismantled railway in 1955 and flourished until 1967.

The mill lade, which had served the old Corn Mill on Gifford Water, was completely destroyed by the floods of 1947, though the Mill itself had lain derelict for many years before that and the mill lade had become blocked around 1930. The opportunity was taken, however, to “square” the bowling green, and the original clubhouse was extended by one bay in 1954.

On the Edinburgh Road the small cottage at the North Port had been demolished around 1939 to allow improvements at this road junction, while in the previous year the large mansard-roofed villa of Broadwood, opposite Gifford Bank, was completed, to the design of the Glasgow architect, Mervyn Noad.

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This 2010 map very clearly shows how the ‘envelope’ of the village has been filled out, with tidy boundaries formed to the east and the west. The most important feature of this plan is, of course, the primary school which was opened in April 1968, at the southern end of Walden Terrace, and now serving a much wider community, reaching as far as Garvald.

Within the centre of the village a number of new houses have been built since 1966, along the High Street and, notably, filling the gap in Main Street which was part of the garden to the Tweeddale Arms Hotel.

The Goblin Ha’ Hotel has also been extended, with new dining areas serving a beer garden to the rear.

Over several years, the council completed the development behind the High Street, to the west of Walden Terrace, and more recently extended Walden Terrace, adding Walden Place, two long culs-de-sac, to form a strong edge of social housing on the eastern side of the village. The land around The Wards was divided to allow four more private houses to be built here also, backing onto part of The Common.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Gifford Water, Tweeddale Avenue continued to be extended with individual houses, emerging onto the Edinburgh Road, and with a loop, Tweeddale Crescent, serving more houses, all with flat roofs. Gradually other houses were built, first on Tweeddale Grove, and then on the north-east side of Tweeddale Crescent, backing onto Station Road. Two houses were built within a small woodland behind Holynbank (now re-named Forbes Lodge), one of them assuming the name of Holynbank, while the other became the new manse for the Parish Church. Together with Gifford Bank, “The Tweeddales” form a clear western edge to the village; to the north-west, there is a small colony of nine houses clustered around the dismantled railway terminus.

Between Station Road and the Gifford Water, the old corn mill, which had lain mainly derelict since the 1920s, was converted into a house in the mid-1980s by Peter Wilson. Old Mill Lane was then developed, despite some local opposition, with seventeen houses on what was suspected of being a flood plain. In 31

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1970, a new clubhouse had been built by the Bowling Club on the opposite side of the green from the original; this always had the appearance of a temporary building, and was replaced in 2008 by a new clubhouse with much improved facilities, and the club has expanded to accommodate a wider range of sports activity, becoming an important hub within village life. Three small houses have been squeezed into the site of the first clubhouse, on the southern lip of the green.

The following map illustrates the land ownership 2011

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Appendix 3: Local Plan Policies

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Policies of relevance to GIFFORD, abstracted from the EAST LOTHIAN LOCAL PLAN 2008 1.

Introduction NATIONAL AND REGIONAL CONTEXT … the Government's National Planning Framework for Scotland... 2004 (guides) the spatial development of Scotland to the year 2025… …the highest areas of population increase 1991-2002 were West Lothian (10%) followed by East Lothian (8%).

The Edinburgh and The Lothians Structure Plan 2015 … a requirement to identify new greenfield land to meet housing and employment land requirements outwith the Green Belt… (having) good public transport access.. (making) efficient use of infrastructure… (avoiding) areas where development would have an unacceptable environmental impact. … focus new development in 15 core development areas, six of which are in East Lothian…

Areas of restraint within East Lothian include the rural villages and small settlements, and Tranent, Prestonpans, Cockenzie and Port Seton.

THE LOCAL CONTEXT East Lothian’s population continues to show a sustained increase... [79,000 in 1981; 84,100 in 1991; 90,088 in 2001] This reflects East Lothian's attraction as a place to live and its role in, and accessibility to, the wider Edinburgh housing market area.… diverse economy… Tourism... continues to grow in importance.

The quality of the urban and rural environment is one of East Lothian's greatest assets… Many of the towns and villages are renowned for their historic and architectural interest… … difficult for first-time buyers to enter the owner-occupied housing market… right-to-buy legislation continues to reduce the supply of affordable social rented stock.

LOCAL PLAN VISION AND STRATEGY SUMMARY The East Lothian Community Planning process is working towards a shared vision for the area… where communities are vibrant, where there are opportunities for participation and development, where services are people-centred and responsive to community needs, and where the quality of the East Lothian environment is recognised, valued and protected for future generations. … The Community Plan recognises that the planning process can help in a number of ways. It can: • protect and enhance the quality of the natural and built environment • promote development that is of wider benefit to people and communities • seek to enhance employment opportunities • provide a more integrated transport system • reduce dependence on the private car East Lothian remains an area of small towns and villages set in attractive countryside and coastal landscapes… growth cannot continue to be wholly directed to existing communities without changing their character or compromising their settings.

2.

Countryside & Undeveloped Coast DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE AND UNDEVELOPED COAST POLICY DC1 (applies to all areas surrounding Gifford—see extract from the local plan) Development, including changes of use, will be acceptable in principle within the countryside… where it is directly related to agriculture, horticulture, forestry and countryside recreation. Other business use will also be acceptable where it is of an appropriate scale and character for its proposed location in the countryside and there are no significant traffic or other environmental impacts.

(New build is only allowed where it is a direct operational requirement of an approved use and no existing provision exists; change of use or restoration may allow some new housing.)

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Enabling development may also be acceptable where it will fund the restoration of a listed building or other significant feature of the built or natural environment...

3.

Biodiversity and Natural Heritage (There are no designated sites in the Gifford area) TREES AND WOODLAND POLICY NH5 : PROTECTED TREES The uprooting, pruning or felling of any tree which is subject to a Tree Preservation Order or is within a Conservation Area will only be permitted where one or more of the following circumstances apply: • the tree is dangerous, seriously diseased, dead or dying; • it has no amenity value to the Conservation Area; • its removal is in the interest of good tree management, or would permit development which could contribute more to the good planning of the area than would retaining the tree or trees.

Where removal is permitted, replanting with one or more trees of appropriate species will normally be required.

4.

Built and Historic Environment LAND USE POLICIES POLICY ENV1 : RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER AND AMENITY (see plan; applies to most of the built-up area of the village, including the houses on the Edinburgh Road and on the site of the railway station, but not Main Street, the Tweeddale Arms or the Village Hall, nor the School) The predominately residential character and amenity of existing or proposed housing areas will be safeguarded from the adverse impacts of other uses other than housing. Development incompatible with the residential character and amenity of an area will not be permitted. Proposals for new development will be assessed against appropriate local plan policies. In the case of infill, backland and garden ground development, this will include assessment against Policy DP7 in Chapter 13.

POLICY ENV2 : TOWN AND VILLAGE CENTRES… (applies to Main Street (apart from the garage—see proposal H17), Tweeddale Arms and Village Hall) Within… village centres… uses appropriate to such areas, including retailing, business and office use, restaurants, leisure and entertainment, will be acceptable in principle. Housing may also be acceptable, subject to (conditions)… Change of use to residential (is also subject to certain conditions.)

POLICY ENV3 : LISTED BUILDINGS (1) The external or internal alteration of a Listed Building will only be permitted where it does not harm the architectural or historic character of the building; (2) The demolition of a Listed Building will not be permitted unless there are overriding environmental or practical reasons. It must be satisfactorily demonstrated that every effort has been made to continue the present use or to find a suitable new use; (3) New development that harms the setting of a Listed Building will not be permitted.

POLICY ENV4 : DEVELOPMENT WITHIN CONSERVATION AREAS (applies throughout the Conservation Area) All new development in Conservation Areas must be located and designed to preserve or enhance their special architectural or historic character. New development should accord with the size, proportions, orientation, positioning, density, materials, and boundary treatment of nearby buildings and public and private spaces.

(In addition, a number of requirements are set out; these include the form of Outline Planning Applications, car parking in accord with Policy DP22, conditions under which demolition is permitted, and specific conditions affecting external wall treatment—stonecleaning, recladding, the use of traditional finishes, and painting of external walls. There are also conditions affecting the 35

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refurbishment of shop frontages, and reference is made to other policies: DP2 (Design); DP8 (Replacement Windows); DP10 (Advertisements); NH5 (Trees)) POLICY ENV5 : CONSERVATION AREAS—PROPOSED RESTRICTION OF PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (applies throughout the Conservation Area) (This policy statement lists Classes of Development Rights which are to be removed; they are explained in Appendix 6 of the Local Plan. Those affecting Gifford are listed at the end of this summary) POLICY ENV8 : GARDENS AND DESIGNED LANDSCAPES Development that would harm the conservation objectives of areas included within "The Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes" will not be permitted. (the grounds and woodlands of Yester House are designated as an historic designed landscape; the plan shows that this policy also applies to most southern parts of the village such as the school and housing surrounding it, the Bleachfield, the Avenue and the Fair Green; Broad Wood and the houses south of the Edinburgh Road—but not Forbes Lodge or Gifford Bank; and all the fields extending east from the village south of the Duns Road.)

5.

Business and Industry (no specific references to Gifford, but the high proportion (50%) of East Lothian residents who are in employment commute to other areas to work is noted)

6.

Tourism (no specific references, but the Plan seeks to ensure a balance between the encouragement of tourism and the protection of important landscape and nature conservation interests)

7.

Retailing POLICY R2 : PROTECTION OF LOCAL SHOPS (general provision) Within villages, remoter rural areas… the change of use of a shop will not be permitted unless: i) the Council is satisfied that adequate attempts have been made to market the premises as a shop, and there is no reasonable prospect of retaining it in active retail use; or ii) the benefit of the proposed use, when assessed against the policies of the Local Plan, outweighs the loss of the shop.

8.

Minerals While this is not directly relevant to Gifford Village, the Plan identifies a "preferred area.. for sand and gravel extraction… near Longyester”. This is the subject of a current application for an extension. Although no policy is offered to deal with the impact of haulage traffic on minor roads, or through villages, there is comment that "extraction can result in a wide range of impacts, ranging from the visual to noise, dust and vibration" which might damage the quality of life of local people.

The implications for Gifford Village should be considered in potential effects from such operations.

9.

Energy, Waste and Infrastructure Again, although not directly relevant to Gifford village, the proliferation of individual wind turbines could be of some concern, with the cumulative effect on the village being a key consideration. No applications have yet been registered within the Conservation Area.

POLICY NRG3: WIND TURBINES Subject to consistency with other plan policies, proposals for individual turbines... will be supported where 1. they would not change the existing landscape character in an unacceptable way; 2. they would not have an unacceptable visual impact on landscape or townscape including the impact on distinctive public views, landmark buildings or natural features, or routes; 3. they would not have an unacceptable impact from noise...; 4. there would be no demonstrable nuisance from a shadow flicker effect; 36

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5. they would have no unacceptable adverse impacts on hydrogeology or hydrology; 6. alternative, better, sites are not available; and 7. there are no unacceptable cumulative impacts.

10.

Housing (there is one specific proposal for Gifford) PROPOSAL H17 : LAND TO THE REAR OF GIFFORD GARAGE Approximately 0.3 hectares of land to the rear of Gifford Garage, Main Street is proposed for residential development. The site will accommodate approximately 7 to 10 units. (this proposal is described as meeting "local needs", and is subject to a suitable and appropriate access being achievable and education capacity being available. Access must be by way of the present garage site and provide a development frontage onto Main Street that reflects its prominent location. The development must not adversely affect the setting of nearby Listed Buildings and be sympathetic to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.)

POLICY H2 : HOUSING QUALITY AND DESIGN New housing development must create diverse attractive and sustainable mixed residential communities by (providing a range and choice of house sizes, types and tenures, making efficient use of land, and ensuring best use is made of drainage and waste management systems; other conditions relate to larger scale developments than are relevant to Gifford.)

11.

Education and Community Services POLICY ED1: SCHOOLS School buildings and their playgrounds/playing fields are retained for educational and community use. (no specific proposals are made for Gifford under Education, where Yester is included under "Haddington Cluster Group of Schools� without comment; there are four policies under Community Services which are of general relevance to Gifford—the status of the new cricket ground may need to be investigated) POLICY C3 : PROTECTION OF OPEN SPACE (applies to the Square, Fair Green and Avenue, Bleach field, the Bowling Club and two areas adjoining Walden Place) Recreational, leisure and amenity open space and facilities which make a significant contribution to the recreational needs of the community or the amenity or landscape setting of an area will be retained in use as such. Alternative uses will only be considered where there is no significant loss of amenity or impact on the landscape setting and: i the loss of a part of the land would not affect its recreational, amenity or landscape potential ii alternative provision of equal community benefit and accessibility would be made available, or iii provision is clearly in excess of existing and predicted requirement.

POLICY C4 : PROTECTION OF POTENTIAL AREAS OF OPEN SPACE (no explicit reference to Gifford in Local Plan) Development on areas of land that are not subject to Policy C3 and which have a significant actual or potential value as open space will be subject to assessment under the terms of Policy C3.

POLICY C6 : RIGHTS OF WAY (no explicit reference to Gifford, but relevant to the failure to preserve "Fisherman's Walk" beside the Gifford Water) The Council will assert rights of way and bridle ways and keep them free from obstruction.

POLICY C7 : CORE PATHS AND OTHER ROUTES (no explicit reference to Gifford; "Core Paths" replace "Sustainable Path Network") 37

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East Lothian Council, in partnership with the public and private landowners, will develop a network of Core Paths.

1. Development that affects a customary path, cycle way or bridle way or an agreed or proposed Core Path or harms its amenity, will only be permitted where the overall integrity of the route and network is maintained.

2. The Council will seek reasonable opportunities from developers to create, manage, maintain and improve access through planning conditions or legal agreements.

3. Where development that would affect access to an agreed route is allowed, the Council will secure appropriate access provision through such development by means of planning conditions or other legal agreements.

PROPOSAL C6 : CEMETERY EXTENSIONS Land is reserved for cemetery extensions (in several locations including Gifford Cemetery) (the land designated in the Local Plan, see map, is actually in private ownership) 12.

Transportation (no specific reference to Gifford; policies emphasise the need for access by public transport, road capacity, road safety and residential amenity—all in relation to new development; there is nothing, for example, about speed control in small villages or the impact of heavy goods vehicles (Longyester sand and gravel extraction) on the condition of minor rural roads and village centres)

13.

Development Policies …This chapter sets out the more detailed development policies that will apply to all development proposals… both within settlements and within the countryside…

(The chapter refers to housing development in particular as the largest single urban land use, encouraging higher densities. The Scottish Executive Policy on Architecture for Scotland and Designing Places is commended, dealing with the design process and an emphasis on attention to detail, and stressing that different approaches and solutions should be related to local conditions.

The following list has only brief summaries of the 24 policies, some of which have quite lengthy and detailed provisions, but it allows an overview of the range of topics covered) POLICY DP1 : LANDSCAPE AND STREETSCAPE CHARACTER (deals with careful integration of new development, respecting natural and physical features and appropriate hard and soft landscaping) POLICY DP2 : DESIGN (new development must be appropriate to its location in terms of positioning, size, form, massing, proportion and scale, materials and colours; it should create a sense of place complementing local character, a sense of welcome, safety and security, maximising access to surroundings, with a well-connected road layout which favours walking, cycling and public transport; the design should clearly distinguish private and public space, and ensure privacy and amenity (considering sunlight, daylight and overlooking); existing physical and natural features should be retained, including watercourses) POLICY DP3 : HOUSING DENSITY (new housing sites should achieve a minimum average density of 25 dwellings per hectare) POLICY DP4 : DESIGN STATEMENTS (Design Statements must accompany all strategic and local housing sites, and strategic employment sites and in certain other cases; reference made to PAN 68 : Design Statements)

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POLICY DP5 : MAJOR DEVELOPMENT SITES (deals with larger development proposals and the requirement that they must relate to a master plan) POLICY DP6 : EXTENSIONS AND ALTERATIONS TO EXISTING BUILDINGS (these must be in keeping with the original building, appropriate in size, form, proportion and scale—in the case of houses or buildings of architectural merit, subservient to and in keeping with the original building; they must be finished externally in materials with colours and textures which complement the original building and those in its locality; and must retain physical or natural features which are important to the amenity of the area or provide adequate replacements) POLICY DP7 : INFILL, BACKLAND AND GARDEN GROUND DEVELOPMENT (outwith greenbelt, the countryside and undeveloped coast, development, including the subdivision of garden land, is supported where the site can accommodate the entire development, including an appropriate amount of open space, vehicular and pedestrian movement, without loss of privacy and amenity to neighbours and where the scale, design and density of the proposed development is sympathetic to its surroundings and overdevelopment of the site will be unacceptable; there must be no material loss of greenfield land or open space affecting the character, recreation and amenity needs of the area, nor of important physical and natural features) POLICY DP8 : REPLACEMENT WINDOWS (permission is only granted where the design and construction of replacement windows does not harm the character of the building and its surroundings; more stringent conditions apply to listed buildings, and in Conservation Areas, where exact matching of the original is required; otherwise, in flatted properties and non-domestic buildings, proportions and mullions, etc., should be replicated). Details can be found through Historic Scotlands web site pages where they provide advice on repairs and caring for your listed building- http://www.historicscotland.gov.uk/index/heritage/historicandlistedbuildings/listing-guidance-for-owners/repairs-andcaring-for-your-listed-building.htm POLICY DP9 : EXTERNAL SECURITY (the means of external security (shutters, grilles, etc.) should not harm the appearance of a building or its setting; more stringent conditions apply to Listed Buildings and in Conservation Areas) POLICY DP10 : ADVERTISEMENTS (within Conservation Areas advertisements will only be approved where their design, materials, positioning and detail are sympathetic to the character and appearance of the building and its surroundings; internally lit signs will only be allowed for emergency services, and external illumination will only be allowed if the lighting is sensitive to the situation and street lighting is inadequate; fascia boards must be an integral part of any shopfront or building, and should be of painted timber; projecting signs hung from well designed metal brackets may be permitted; where there is no existing fascia board, letters may be permitted if concealed fixings are used, and painted signs will only be allowed where the building itself is painted) POLICY DP11 : ROADSIDE ADVERTISEMENTS (roadside advertisements in the countryside, by virtue of their siting, size and appearance must not harm the amenity of the area; they must be primarily directional and not advertise products or facilities) POLICY DP12 : BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT (information must be provided for development sites larger than 0.1 hectare which contain trees and hedges or ponds, marshes or water courses, to enable a decision on the need for biodiversity assessment) 39

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POLICY DP13 : BIODIVERSITY AND DEVELOPMENT SITES (development of sites where a biodiversity assessment is required will not normally be permitted if there is a net loss of the biodiversity resource) POLICY DP14 : TREES ON OR ADJACENT TO DEVELOPMENT SITES (new development should incorporate any tree or hedgerow that makes a significant contribution to the setting, amenity or nature conservation value of an area; where there is a case to remove a tree, replacement planting may be a condition of planning permission; existing groups of trees should normally be incorporated into public open space and not into private gardens; new buildings, and extensions, should conform with British Standard 5837:2005 Trees in relation to construction—Recommendations) POLICY DP15 : SUSTAINABLE URBAN DRAINAGE SYSTEMS (SUDS) (SUDS are designed to return excess surface water to the water cycle with minimum adverse impact; as such they normally apply to larger developments and are unlikely to apply in Gifford) POLICY DP16 : FLOODING (development likely to cause unmanageable flood risk, either on or off site, or which would require additional unplanned public investment for flood protection, will not be permitted; in areas subject to flood risk there is a presumption against forms of development particularly vulnerable to flooding; to minimise flood risk, new development must protect existing water courses and avoid the introduction of new culverts) POLICY DP17 : ART WORKS—PERCENT FOR ART (development that has a significant impact on the local environment, due to its scale or prominence, must incorporate artwork either as an integral part of its design or as a related commission) POLICY DP18 : TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT AND TRAVEL PLANS (development proposals likely to generate significant levels of personal travel or have an effect on the transport system should be accompanied by a Transportation Assessment, covering the impact on the road network and travel system and an analysis of access by sustainable modes; if travel to work is likely to be a significant factor, a Travel Plan is required, showing how sustainable modes may be encouraged and monitored) POLICY DP19 : TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE STANDARDS —DEVELOPMENT ROADS, PEDESTRIAN, CYCLE AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT FACILITIES (governs construction standards for all new roads and paths to be adopted by the Council) POLICY DP20 : PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS (development proposals should be designed to make walking and cycling as attractive as possible) POLICY DP21 : PUBLIC TRANSPORT (new developments should be designed and laid out to maximise the use of public transport) POLICY DP22 : PRIVATE PARKING (car parking provision must conform to the Council's adopted standards, designed to minimise its visual impact and take account of public safety; in Conservation Areas, a reduced provision may be acceptable provided there are townscape or amenity benefits and that road safety is not compromised)

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POLICY DP23 : WASTE MINIMISATION, SEPARATION, COLLECTION AND RECYCLING (mainly concerned with business parks, leisure and retail centres; all new houses must be equipped to accommodate multi-bin collection systems) POLICY DP24 : HOME ZONES (new residential layouts must incorporate "Home Zone" principles, making them safe, legible and welcoming, and must support integrated land use and transport; reference is made to government guidance and East Lothian Council’s Design Standards for New Housing Areas)

Permitted Development Rights in Conservation Areas which are restricted under POLICY ENV5 : Appendix 6 of ELLP2008 explains why each of these rights are withdrawn by Article 4 Direction*, thereby necessitating a planning application.

Class 1 control of materials and design of dwellings Class 6 control of satellite dishes on or within the curtilage of a house Class 7 control of design of gates, walls and fences and their materials Class 16 & 17 control of caravan sites and their associated development Class 18 control of agricultural buildings and operations Class 22 control of forestry buildings and operations Class 27 control of repairs to private roads and pathways Class 30 control of development by local authorities Class 33 control of housing development by local authorities Class 38 control of development by water undertakings Class 39 control of development by public gas supplier Class 40 control of development by electricity undertaker Class 41 control of development by public transport undertakings Class 67 control of development by telecommunication code system operators (masts) * Article 4 Direction: Certain minor works do not need a planning application to the Local Authority. These are called permitted development, and the rights relating to them are defined in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. Under Article 4 of the Order, a Local Authority may make directions to remove such rights if it feels that such development would be harmful to the character of an area, and this is most common in relation to Conservation Areas.

What is a valid objection to a planning application?

The Council can only take into account 'material planning considerations' when looking at your comments. The most common of these (although not an exhaustive list) are shown below: •

Loss of light or overshadowing

•

Overlooking/loss of privacy

•

Visual amenity (but not loss of private view)

•

Adequacy of parking/loading/turning

•

Highway safety

•

Traffic generation

•

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•

Hazardous materials

•

Smells

•

Loss of trees

•

Effect on listed building and conservation area

•

Layout and density of building

•

Design, appearance and materials

•

Landscaping

•

Road access

•

Local, strategic, regional and national planning policies

•

Government circulars, orders and statutory instruments

•

Disabled persons' access

•

Compensation and awards of costs against the Council at public enquiries

•

Proposals in the Development Plan

•

Previous planning decisions (including appeal decisions)

•

Nature conservation

•

Archaeology

We cannot take into account matters which are sometimes raised but are not normally planning considerations such as: •

The perceived loss of property value

•

Private disputes between neighbours

•

The loss of a view

•

The impact of construction work or competition between firms

•

Restrictive covenants

•

Ownerships disputes over rights of way

•

Fence lines etc

•

Personal morals or views about the applicant.

Please note: it is important to understand that the material considerations relevant to any particular application will need to be weighed in the final decision process according to their seriousness and relative importance.

Produced by Richmond Council

!

Review of the Local Plan

The following extract is taken from East Lothian Council’s web site. This provides a summary of the process for the review of the local plan.

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ELLDPone THE EAST LOTHIAN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN your chance to help shape the future of East Lothian. East Lothian Council is starting to prepare the new land use plan for this area. The East Lothian Local Development Plan [ELLDPone] will guide development in East Lothian from 2014 to 2024. It will be reviewed every five years.

What is a Development Plan?

A Development Plan guides the uses that can be made of land and buildings, where these uses require planning permission. Basically, itʼs about managing change and promoting the right types of development in the right place at the right time. The Council refers to the development plan when it makes decisions on planning applications, and will normally support applications that are in line with the plan.

The Development Plan has three parts: 1 Within each of Scotlandʼs four main city regions (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee), a Strategic Development Plan (SDP) sets out a vision for their long term development and includes a settlement strategy. It covers land use planning matters that generally have effects across an area greater than a single local authority, for example, housing, transportation, green belt and employment. The SDP sets out the amount of housing and employment land each local authority area must provide, and its general location. It deals with broad locations rather than specific sites.

2 Within every local authority area, a Local Development Plan (LDP) sets out in detail where most new developments will happen and the planning policies that will guide decision making on planning applications.

The LDP has to be consistent with the relevant SDP for any of its area covered by the SDP. This means that if the SDP sets out, for example, that land for 100 houses will be found around a certain town, the LDP must identify land for this. The local authority cannot decide that it would prefer not to have those houses.

3 Strategic and local development plans can be supported by Supplementary Planning Guidance providing more detailed guidance on specific issues, for example, on the design of new development.

The key steps in the preparation of SDPʼs and LDPʼs are: 1.

A Main Issues Report (the focus of consultation) 2.

A Proposed Plan (to which comments or objections can be made) 3.

Submission of Proposed Plan to Scottish Ministers (modified if required) 4.

An Examination (to deal with unresolved objections: this could result in the Proposed Planʼs further modification) 5.

The Plan (approved, in the case of SDPʼs, by Scottish Ministers and, in the case of LDPʼs, adopted by the local planning authority) SESplan: the Strategic Development Plan for Edinburgh and SE Scotland. SESplan covers the Edinburgh city region which includes the whole of the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, West Lothian and Scottish Borders Council area, and the southern part of Fife. These six Councils have set up SESplan, the Strategic Development Planning Authority, and are working jointly to prepare a strategic development plan for Edinburgh and South East Scotland. SESplan published a Main Issues Report in summer 2010. Publication of the Proposed Plan is expected in November 2011, followed by an opportunity for comments and objections to be submitted. Once these have been considered and any changes made, the Proposed Plan will be submitted to Scottish Ministers for approval in November 2012. An examination (inquiry) will be held on the SDP to resolve outstanding issues, and it will then be approved (expected summer 2013).

Preparing our ELLDPone ELLDPone will help guide the future development of every part of East Lothian, and will replace the current East Lothian Local Plan 2008. ELLDPone must reflect the policies and proposals of the SDP and so the Council must wait for publication of SESplanʼs Proposed Plan before it can consult on the Main Issues Report for its own plan.

We must also ensure that ELLDPone takes the Scottish Governmentʼs Scottish Planning Policy and National Planning Framework 2 into account.

ELLDPone will set in detail where in East Lothian land will be allocated for new development, including land for new houses, both market and affordable. Housing land will be allocated in accordance with SESPlan requirements.

Scottish Planning Policy also requires that our plan must ensure that a five year supply of land for house building is available at all times.

ELLDPone must also provide a range of sites for economic development. Its approach to retail and leisure uses must reflect an identified hierarchy of town / commercial centres. A key part of the plan is to ensure that enough development land is available and that it is in a location where the infrastructure needed to make it happen is in place or can be provided. The plan will also show where particular land uses will not be permitted.

ELLDPone will also contain the land use planning policies the Council will apply to assess planning applications.

Examples include policies to manage development in Conservation Areas, in the countryside and in town centres, and to deal with specific issues such as the location of wind turbines and the design of new development.

The adopted ELLDPone will be supported by a number of documents: An Environmental Report assessing its likely significant environmental effects and how it has taken these into account A Habitat Regulations Assessment

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looking at its impacts on Natura 2000 sites (the network of sites protecting the best of European wildlife) including the Firth of Forth and Forth Islands Special Protection Areas An Action Programme setting out the requirements for delivering its policies and proposals The adopted ELLDPone may also be supported by: Supplementary Planning Guidance, including detailed planning policies, development frameworks and briefs.

Key Stages in the preparation of ELLDPone STAGE ONE: Initial engagement: Autumn 2011 SESplan始s Proposed Plan will be approved by its partner Councils during August to October 2011 and subsequently made available for comment and objection. This will give us a good indication of how this plan, when eventually approved, would influence the planning policies and proposals to be included in ELLDPone.

We see our consultation process being based on a discussion paper that will be made widely available. It will consider the amounts and broad locations of development land that ELLDPone would need to identify to meet emerging SESplan requirements. It will also consider what land use planning policy issues ELLDPone should address.

This will be an opportunity for people to engage in the process and to let us know what they think is important for the planning of East Lothian. For those wishing to promote development sites, it will be an opportunity to submit these to us for consideration. These submissions should be accompanied by a reasoned justification for their inclusion in the plan and a proportionate evidence base to demonstrate that they are a sustainable proposal in a sustainable location and that they are deliverable. This evidence should include an estimate of the lead-in to and the phasing and timing of development, including any significant infrastructure requirement. We will make available a pro forma on which this information can be provided and submitted to us.

Please note that SESplan will provide a chance to comment or object to their Proposed Plan following its publication in November 2011. Any comments on its broad strategy, for example total numbers of houses to be provided for, and its broad location, should be made to SESPlan (http://www.sesplan.gov.uk/ Tel: 0131 524 5165 Fax: 0131 524 5151 E-mail: contactus@sesplan.gov.uk ) STAGE TWO: Main Issues Report, Monitoring Statement, Environmental Report and Appropriate Assessment: Spring 2012 The Main Issues Report is the main opportunity for consultation on the content of the plan. This will set out the Council始s preferred strategy and the general policies and proposals for development in East Lothian, including where development should and should not happen; it will also identify any reasonable alternative(s) to the preferred approach. It will invite comment on the main land use planning issues that ELLDPone should address. The MIR will be supported by a Monitoring Statement. This will assess the main changes in the physical, economic, social and environmental characteristics of the area and the impact of the policies and proposals of the existing structure and local plans. An Environmental Report and Habitat Regulations Assessment will also support the Main Issues Report.

The Main Issues Report and its associated documents will be the focus for public consultation. They will be published in spring 2012 and will be widely advertised. The Council will hold a series of public workshops in the main towns to publicise their content and ensure that everyone has a chance to input into the preparation of ELLDPone.

STAGE THREE: Proposed Plan, Proposed Action Programme, Environmental Report and Habitat始s Regulations Assessment: Autumn 2012 The Council will consider the responses to the Main issues Report and Environmental Report and, informed by the emerging SDP, will publish the Proposed ELLDPone and its accompanying Proposed Action Programme, revised Environmental Report and revised Habitat Regulations Assessment. The Proposed Plan will represent the Council始s view on what the content of the adopted ELLDPone should be. At this stage, the Proposed Plan will be advertised and at least six weeks allowed for representations to be made.

The Council will then consider the representations received and decide if the Proposed ELLDPone needs to be modified before submitting it to Scottish MInisters. If the Council decides to make major changes at this stage, a new Proposed Plan would be published; if it decides to make less significant changes then there would be a further period for representations to be made.

STAGE FOUR: Submission of Proposed Plan and Action Programme to Scottish Ministers: October 2013 If there any unresolved objections to Proposed ELLDPone then its submission to Scottish Ministers would be followed by an examination (inquiry) by a person appointed by them. It is anticipated that this would take place late 2013/early 2014. The recommendations arising from an examination will be largely binding on the Council.

STAGE FIVE: Adoption of ELLDPone : Summer 2014 Taking account of the recommendations of the examination, the Council will publish and advertise (1) any modifications to Proposed ELLDPone and (2) Proposed ELLDPone as modified. The Council will also publish and send to Scottish Ministers the revised Environmental Report and revised Habitat Regulations Assessment.

Subsequently, the Council will adopt ELLDPone, whereupon it will replace the current East Lothian Local Plan 2008.

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Please note that the timescales for the above stages are a best estimate and could be subject to change, particularly if there is any change in SESplan始s timescales.

How you can be involved Currently we are simply raising awareness of our intention to begin preparation of our local development plan. The main opportunity for submitting representations on the planning issues and specific sites that we should address in ELLDPone will follow in stages one, two and three as described above. However, we are happy to receive at any time any comments you have on the range and effectiveness of our existing land use planning policies and proposals and what changes should be considered in preparing ELLDPone.

Comments can be submitted to us at localplan@eastlothian.gov.uk or sent by post to: Policy and Projects Environment Department East Lothian Council John Muir House Haddington EH41 3HA You can also phone the following planners: Lynn Clarke Phil McLean Jean Squires 01620 827958 01620 827017 01620 827370 (Monday to Wednesday only) For further information on progress on ELLDPone please check the Development Planning page of the Council始s website at www.eastlothian.gov.uk/localplan Adverts will be placed in the public notices sections of the East Lothian Courier and East Lothian News to advise of the start and details of public consultation events. Press releases will also be prepared. We would also hope to work with Community Councils to help canvass local views and publicise local consultation events.

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Appendix 4: Listed Buildings, Key Buildings and Designed Landscape Listed Buildings This is the schedule of listed buildings, established by Historic Scotland, that apply to Gifford Village.

Details of these listings can be found on both East Lothian Council and Historic Scotland’s’ web site.

(Category A is the most significant listing).

Address Date listed Category Yester Parish Kirk With Hearse House And Piers, Gates And Graveyard Walls (Church Of Scotland)

05-Feb-71

A

Gifford, The Avenue, Yester House Gate Lodges, Gates And Gatepiers And Railings

05-Feb-71

A

Gifford, Gifford Manse With Stable Range And Walled Garden

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, The Square, Wellhead

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, High Street, Tweeddale Arms Hotel

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, The Square, Town Hall

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, High Street, Ystrad House With Retaining Walls

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, The Square, Greenfoot Cottage

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, High Street, Beechwood With Retaining Walls And Gatepiers

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, Gifford Bank With Gatepiers

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, Gifford Vale With Outbuilding, Dovecot, Retaining And Quadrant Walls With Gatepiers

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, High Street, Muirlea

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, 1 The Avenue With Outbuildings

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, 3 The Avenue

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, The Square, Dolphin Cottage

05-Feb-71

B

Gifford, 4 The Avenue

12-Mar-86

B

Gifford, Gifford Green, Retaining Walls With Gatepiers

01-Jun-90

B

Gifford, High Street, Hopeswood

01-Jun-90

B

Gifford, Duns Road, Curlew Cottage

01-Jun-90

B

Gifford, Duns Road, Ashlea And Kirkview

01-Jun-90

B

Gifford, Bridge By Forbes Lodge

01-Jun-90

B

Gifford, The Square, Market Cross

01-Jun-90

B

Gifford, Forbes Lodge With Gatepiers And Garden Walls

01-Jun-90

B

Gifford, Duns Road, Rowan Cottage

01-Jun-90

B

Gifford, The Wynd, Rockingstone

01-Jun-90

B

Gifford, The Wynd, George Cottage With Boundary Wall

01-Jun-90

B

Yester House, Bridge And Tunnel

01-Jun-90

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Address

Date listed

Category

Gifford, Station Road, Old Mill

05-Feb-71

C(S)

Gifford, 2 The Avenue

05-Feb-71

C(S)

Gifford, Main Street, Goblin Ha' Hotel

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford, Main Street, Cornerways

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford, Duns Road, Ashvale

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford, High Street, Greenbank

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford, Station Road, Bridge

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford, Duns Road, The Pirn

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford, The Lane Braewell

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford, Station Road, Mill House

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford, 25 High Street

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford War Memorial

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Gifford, High Street, Avenue House

01-Jun-90

C(S)

Key Buildings Yester House: The original design was for a classical mansion with pavilions by James Smith and Alexander MacGill, built for the 2nd Marquess of Tweeddale between 1699 and 1728. William Adam added a platform roof and a pedimented frontispiece around 1729-30, with interior decoration five years later. In 1761 William and Robert Adam created the saloon, often regarded as the finest room in Lothian, if not Scotland, and in 1728 Robert added a new frontispiece and carriage ramp.

On 1830 Robert Brown removed the west pavilion and transferred the entrance to the west side with a new porte-cochere eight years later, finally relieving the long suffering north front from surgery.

In spite of all the interventions by later architects, Yester House remains an imposing place with considerable presence, still worthy of being regarded as a great house.

St Bothan’s Chapel: close to Yester House this consists of the vaulted choir and transepts of the collegiate church of St Cuthbert which served as Yester Parish Church until 1705. Externally, the main feature is the Rococo Gothic frontage of 1753 by the Adam Brothers.

Yester Castle: south-east from Yester House are the remains of the castle built by Hugo Gifford in 1268.

A straight stair leads down to the legendary Goblin Ha’, a subterranean rectangular vaulted chamber, said to have been built by magic but more probably by French masons.

Gifford Bank, Edinburgh Road: early 19th century (around 1820) two-storey, three bay classical mansion with single-storey wings. The broad pilastered and corniced doorcase is flanked by tripartite windows with segmental heads, with similar windows present in the outer wings. The frontage resembles the design of the Bank of Scotland in Haddington (1802-3) by James Burn.

Forbes Lodge, Edinburgh Road: late 18th century two-storey classically detailed mansion with single –storey wings, probably doubled in size circa 1825 with further extension and internal alterations mid 19th 47

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century. Recently more exterior modifications and interior changes have opened up the house and garden to the west.

Gifford Vale, Haddington Road: classically detailed two-storey and attic three-bay mansion (later 18th century) with an urn finial over the pedimented centre. A lean-to dovecot and cottage sit to the north of the house.

Tweedale House, Haddington Road: two-storey, three bay classically detailed former manse with single-storey wings, 1824. L-plan stable range, earlier 19th century.

Designed Landscape Yester House was scheduled a designed landscape by Historic Scotland in 1987. This affords additional protection in the planning system for the landscape of the estate.

The following shows extracts from Historic Scotland’s website describing the nature and importance of this site.

Reason for inclusion in the Register, 1987 Although much deteriorated, the picturesque style design structure of the mid-18th century can still be seen, and the scenic and architectural qualities of this landscape still make it significant.

Importance of Site —Work of Art : Outstanding At several points in its history the designed landscape has been described as an outstanding Work of Art. —Historical : Outstanding The long associations with the Hay family, the 17th century designers, the Adam family and others, gives this site outstanding historical value.

—Horticultural, Arboricultural, Silvicultural : Some The 18th century woodland, together with the few park trees and remnants of the late 19th century ornamental planting, gives this site some horticultural value.

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—Scenic : High The deciduous woodland along the river valleys which can be seen from the surrounding roads gives Yester high Scenic value.

—Nature Conservation : Some The flora along the banks of the rivers and in the 18th century woodlands give Yester some Nature Conservancy value.

—Archaeological : N/A No information available.

Site History The 17th century garden was swept away in the mid-18th century and was replaced by a ‘picturesque’ design. This was maintained throughout the 19th century until the estate was sold in the 1960s. Since then the design and condition of the gardens and grounds has deteriorated (sic).

In the 13th century, the Manor of Yester was granted to an Englishman, Hugh Gifford. The property remained in the hands of his descendants until the mid 20th century. In the late 13th century Yester Castle was built by Hugo de Gifford, about a mile to the south-east of the house. He is also said to have constructed the subterranean Goblin Ha’ (Goblin’s Hall) by magic. St Bathan’s Chapel was the parish church for the adjoining village of Yester. The village was moved to Gifford probably in the 17th century.

The Gifford heiress married a member of the Hay family and, throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, the Hay family were at the forefront of Scottish affairs. In the mid-17th century the 1st Earl of Tweeddale considered building a new house at Yester. The 1st Earl fought for the Royalists during the Civil Was and was created Earl in 1646; later he changed sides and served as a Scottish representative in two Commonwealth Parliaments. Following the Restoration and under the Duke of Lauderdale, the 2nd Earl was appointed a privy councillor and commissioner of the Treasury. He supported William III and as a reward in 1692 was appointed Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. Two years later he was created 1st Marquess of Tweeddale and died in 1697. His son married Lauderdale’s only daughter, Margaret.

From the 1660s, the 2nd Earl began planting at Yester. He was a close friend of John Evelyn. Daniel Defoe wrote, in about 1727, that from 1664 over 6,000 acres were planted. In 1670 Sir William Bruce was consulted on a new house by the 1st Marquess but it was his son, the 2nd Marquess, who in 1699 instructed James Smith to start work on the central block of the new house. Building continued until about 1728. However, by 1676, the park had already been enclosed and by the 1690s, before the new house was built, one of the most ornate formal gardens and one of the largest parks in Scotland had been laid out around the old house. They can be seen on several delightful paintings by the Dutch artist, De Witt.

The 2nd Marquess was also a politician and was, for a few months, Lord High Chancellor under Queen Anne. He was a strong advocate of the Act of Union. He died in 1713. His son, the 3rd Marquess, died two years later, before the building work had been completed. John, the 4th Marquess, inherited as a minor. He became involved in politics and was eventually appointed Secretary of State for Scotland. In 1729 building resumed and William Adam was asked to add a pedimented attic to the south front and an Ionic centrepiece to the north front (later replaced by Robert Adam). Under the Marquess’ supervision John and Robert Adam worked on the house throughout the latter part of the 18th century. By the 1760s, the magnificent formal gardens had been swept away and John Adam was proposing ‘Chinese Bridges and Temples’ on the lawns. In 1824 Loudon described Yester in his ‘Encyclopaedia of Gardening’ as ‘an elegant and magnificent structure of stone, with a park containing some very fine old trees and a good kitchen garden’.

George, the 8th Marquess, followed Wellington throughout the Peninsular War, fought at Waterloo and rose to the rank of Field Marshall. He was also a recognised agricultural reformer. In the 1830s the front 49

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of the house was re-orientated to the west side, the double pair of curving steps removed and the glass porte-cochère built by the architects Robert Brown and Son. At the end of the century, George’s grandson William, the 11th Marquess, modernised the house with the assistance of R. Rowand Anderson.

By the 1920s the grounds were described by Thomas Hannan as ‘beautifully laid out with flower beds, tennis court and numerous stone vases on pedestals with a fountain playing near the tennis court’.

Photographs show the details of the colourful borders. David, the 12th Marquess, died in 1967 and shortly afterwards the estate was sold.

Landscape Components Architectural Features Yester House, listed Category A, was built between 1699-1727 by James Smith and Alexander MacGill on the site of a 16th century tower house which was demolished in 1699. From 1729 to 1745 William Adam was involved. He was first called in to repair the leaking roof and he added a pedimented centrepiece to the north front. His sons John and Robert were commissioned to decorate the saloon which is considered to be some of the finest work. In 1789 Robert replaced his father’s centrepiece in the north front, although he proposed to remodel the whole building. The West Pavilion was burnt down in 1797 but was quickly rebuilt. It was removed in the 1830s by Robert Brown who replaced it with a glass porte-cochère and re-oriented the front door onto the west side. In 1877, more work was done by R. Rowand Anderson for the 11th Marquess.

St Bathan’s Chapel, listed Category A, was originally built in the 15th century as the Yester Parish Church. It was rebuilt in the mid-17th century and became the family mausoleum in about 1710. In 1753 the Adam brothers built onto it a ‘Rococo Gothic Frontage’. It represents one of Robert Adam’s earliest ‘Gothic Fantasies’.

The Gifford Lodges and Gatepiers, listed Category A (S), were bult by John Adam in 1753, in red sandstone with ‘grand square piers with coupled Ionic columns attached’ and good wrought iron gates.

Danskine Lodge and Gates were built in the early 18th century and have contemporary gates. The ruined Yester Castle, listed Category A, is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, built in the 13th and 15th centuries.

The Stables, designed in the Gothic style, were built between 1820 and 1826. The Walled Garden, listed Category C(S) was built by 1824 with curved brick walls. The wrought iron ate is a good example of late 19th century ‘Arts and Crafts’ work. The Gardener’s Cottage. listed Category C(S) was built at the same time and had a two-storey classical façade facing the garden added to it in the mid-19th century; it is known as the Bailiff’s Cottage. The Kiosk in the garden, which is the clock case from the Caledonian Station in Edinburgh, was moved there in the 1970s.

Parkland The park was described by John Macky in 1714 as ‘the best planted park I ever saw; the park walls are about eight miles in circumference and, I dare venture to say, there is a full million of full-grown trees in it. In short, it is larger, as well walled, and more regularly planted than Richmond in Surrey’. This park was planted by the 1st Marquess and part of it can be seen in the De Witt paintings of about 1690. The park, or rather the enclosed fields, can be seen on General Roy’s plan of 1750, and they extended on both sides of the roads from Gifford to Danskine. By the first edition OS of 1855, the park had been reduced to the area south of the house between it and the Castle. Today there are one or two large trees growing in the pasture to the south probably dating from the early 18th century; they are the sole remnants of the great park.

Woodland Over 6,000 acres of woodland are said to have been planted by the 1st Earl and his son, the 1st Marquess.

The 1st Marquess was a close friend of John Evelyn, and extensive woodlands along the Gifford Water, Hopes Water and Swallow Cleugh can be seen in General Roy’s plan of 1750 and in the first edition OS of 1855. The woodland consists mainly of hardwoods planted from the 1880s and clumps of conifers, 50

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mainly Douglas Fir, which were planted from about the 1880s, probably following the sever storm in 1881. In the southern section, the woodlands have been replanted with conifers by the new owners, Tilhill Forestry.

In the 18th century there were romantic drives along the river valley passing the ruined Yester Castle and through the narrow gorge to Danskine Lodge. In the woodland between the house and Gifford on either side of the Water there are several tall copper beeches and other ornamental conifers, particularly Douglas Fir and Scots Pine planted about 1890. Attractive walks bordered by tall beech run along the escarpment through the woodland. Flights of stone steps cut into the banks lead down to the Water.

The Gardens The Gardens created in the late 17th century are shown in a series of oil paintings by De Witt of about 1690. Contemporary commentators praised the gardens and mentioned most of the extravagant features shown in the pictures. John Macky in 1714 wrote: The parterre and garden behind the house is very spacious and fine. There is a handsome basin with jett d’eaux in the middle of the parterre, with four good statues upon pedestals in each corner. There is an abundance of evergreens, and green slopes regularly disposed; and to the west on an artificial mound is a pleasant summehouse.

In 1708, accounts for work on the pond, garden gates, summerhouse, bridges and grotto indicate that the gardens were still developing. The paintings show a rectangular flat-walled garden divided into seven compartments lying to the south of the house. Beyond the small garden gate lay the ‘Wilderness’ which contained an exuberant cascade falling down a steep bank into a broad canal. Yester Mains can be seen on the hill above the cascade. In 1751, John Adam suggested adding Chinese bridges and temples. In 1753, William Bowie, a nurseryman from Musselburgh, produced a nine-point memorandum on the garden. Shortly afterwards the formal gardens were wept away and in 1760 Richard Pococke described them: ‘... the lawn behind the house is fine with large trees interspersed where the sheep feed and there is a terrace round it, on one side is a hermitage and on another a summerhouse in a little island, beyond this the park’.

During the 19th century, flower beds and more statues were added and these can be seen in some early photographs. Most of the flower beds and tennis courts had been swept away by the 1950s. In the 1970s the gardens and the park were divided and are now managed by different owners. Recent planting along the boundary has increased their separation. On the west and east sides there are several large conifers and ornamental tress dating from the 1830s and the 1890s, including two enormous copper beeches. The clock tower from the Caledonian Station in Edinburgh was placed to the west of the house as a summerhouse.

The entrance drive from Gifford village is marked by the remnants of a lime avenue leading from the road to the Lodges. This avenue was part of the 17th century formal planting. The drive continues up the east side of the Water and, near the house, sweeps across the culverted river to the front entrance. On the east side of the drive the banks are regularly terraced; it is not known whether these are natural or part of the formal 17th century design.

Walled Garden The Walled Garden was built around 1750. Andrew Wood built a Peach House in 1791. In 1824, Loudon commented on the quality of the garden. Further glasshouses called vineries were erected by Andrew Sheaver in the 1850s, when the classical façade was added to the Bailiff’s House or Gardener’s Cottage. The walls are twin-skinned with brick on the inside and stone on the outside. The fine wroughtiron gates in ‘Arts and Crafts’ style at the southern entrance could have been added in about 1900. The gravel paths dividing the garden into equal compartments still remain but most of the vegetable garden now grows ‘Pick your Own’ raspberries.

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To the south of the Walled Garden are the remains of the old shrubbery and flower garden; there are still one or two exotic trees and shrubs planted in the 1920s around a lawn.

There are no details for a number of features, listed as having “no information available�; these include: Drives and Approaches, Paths and Walks, Avenues and Vistas, Woodland Garden, Water Features and Arboretum. The account is not dated.

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Appendix 5: The Feuars of Gifford

The Feuars of Gifford as presently constituted is a Scottish charity, established in 1966. Prior to then, the body then known as "The Feuars of Gifford" was composed of the feuars and owners of property in Gifford, which body had rights in the Common Land belonging, or possibly belonging, to the village of Gifford. From time immemorial that Common Land had been administered, in practice let by the Feuars to agricultural tenants, for charitable purposes for the benefit of the community at Gifford. It was because, despite these charitable purposes, the Feuars had been assessed to Income Tax on the proceeds of such lets, that the Feuars of Gifford was in 1966 formally constituted as a Charity, and the intention to maintain the practice of distributing surplus income for the benefit of the Gifford community, "including the Parish Church, the Village Hall, the Village Cross, and the other organisations in the Village" was documented.

While the name remained unchanged as "The Feuars of Gifford", Charity Law required that the Trustees be identified as "Managers", and not as "Feuars". Despite this formal requirement, the managers are still informally referred to as the Feuars. There are two local Feuars, Max Muir, and Finlay Marshall. The third is a corporate body, Bailford Trustees Limited, the corporate trustee of Biggart Baillie LLP, a firm of lawyers which has had close connections with the Feuars.

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A peculiar complication arose which was settled in 2003. When the lease of the agricultural land was being re-negotiated, doubt arose whether the 11th Marquis of Tweeddale may have retained the superiority of the Common Land.

In order to regularise the position, his Executors made over to the Feuars by Disposition all the lands that the 11th Marquis might or might not have had rights to. This allowed the Feuars to lease the Common Land as they were then recognised as holding the title to it! While the disposition of the Common Land, comprising the Tillage Park, the Kirk Park, the Cow Fauld Park, the Middle Park and the Pauls Holes Park, was without any consideration being paid, the Trustees resolved to reciprocate by financing the insurance of the chapel at Yester House, ownership of which had been retained by the Hay family when Yester House had been sold.

While reference is made in various Dispositions to the Village Cross, which has been regarded by some in the past as being in the possession of the Feuars - indeed the County Clerk wrote to that effect in 1971 - it is not accepted by the Feuars that either the Village Cross or the Village Well are in the possession of the Feuars, and the Feuars do not accept responsibility for their upkeep.

The Feuars do however own the Village Hall, which is let to Gifford Community Association for a token rent of ÂŁ1 a year, a rent which the Feuars do not collect. Further, the surplus income has generally been used to help with the cost of maintaining the Village Hall. By these arrangements, the Feuars implicitly contribute to all the village organisations that make use of the Village Hall.

Although the Feuars made a significant contribution to the 2009 restoration of the Kirk, the present Managers expect that the primary use of surplus income will continue to be directed towards the maintenance of the Village Hall.

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Appendix 6: Circulation The western approach road into and out of Gifford, the B6355, has become very much busier over the last several years as the village itself has grown, and as its amenities have attracted a continuing flow of visitors. The road carries traffic from East Saltoun and Pencaitland in the west, Bolton to the north, as well as local traffic to Yester, Woodhall and Marvingston. Traffic to and from the two Gifford golf courses, the quarry at Over Newton and the dairy at Yester Mains also uses the road.

The great majority of traffic is comprised of private motor vehicles but there is a still significant flow of commercial vehicles delivering to the village, collecting aggregate from the quarry at Over Newton, and a wide range of agricultural vehicles.

The road into the village runs straight from the Gifford Golf Course 90 degree corner, and its junction with the roads to Long Yester and Woodhall/Marvingston, down hill to the bridge over the Gifford Water at Forbes Lodge. This long straight of around 500 yards provides motorists with an irresistible invitation to break the 30mph speed limit and to open their throttles with the result that noise has become a real and growing problem and it is becoming a danger to pedestrians. There was a nasty accident recently, just over the bridge, when a speeding motorist lost control of his sports car, crashed over the pedestrian walk way and hit the Yester House estate wall narrowly missing a group of girls walking into the village.

There have also been a number of accidents at the Golf Course road junction. Quarry lorries turning right at the blind junction, to collect aggregate from the quarry and private cars going to Castle Park golf course, Yester or to Pishwanton, have been unable to stop in time to avoid causing accidents on the corner.

The community council is aware of the problems associated with this relatively small strip of road. In the last several years the speed limited zone has been extended from the junction with Tweeddale Avenue to the golf course corner itself. More recently a speed monitor was installed on the Gifford Bank verge of the road which flashed vehicle speed and encouraged motorists to be aware of the speed they were going as they approached the village and yellow hazard strips were painted on to the road. The speed monitor was successful in that many motorists took notice of it and slowed up as they went into the village, but interestingly, the monitor had no affect on traffic leaving the village which continued as before, to ignore the speed limit and treat the road as an attractive clear and unrestricted road fit for acceleration.

Traffic calming measures bring their own problems which may even exacerbate the current ones of speed and noise, particularly motorbikes. In order to slow up traffic, rumble bumps could be installed but they would be unlikely to have much impact on the traffic given the road’s situation. More robust speed bumps could be put in place but they would increase the noise level as vehicles slowed down; changed gear and possibly clattered over the bumps. An empty semi-trailer bulk carrier or livestock carrier already makes a significant noise as it rattles up and down the road. Noise would be much greater if they rattled over speed bumps.

A speed bridge, similar to that put in place just over the Tyne Bridge in Haddington, could be installed. It would be more effective than speed bumps or rumble-strips as it could not be circumnavigated. However noise levels may not be much reduced, as gear shifts would certainly be needed to get over the bridge.

Another but more expensive alternative would be the building of a speed chicane barrier as exists in East Saltoun. Whilst this would reduce speed considerably it might restrict traffic flows as the narrowed carriageway may not be sufficiently wide to allow the free progress of some vehicles. There would also be the visual impact of such a barrier on the conservation nature of the village and its environment. A speed chicane is not a thing of beauty.

In order to be certain of keeping speed and sound levels to an acceptable level, a speed camera, monitoring both sides of the road, would need to be installed. Speed cameras are expensive to install and 55

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maintain but they are very efficient and effective in controlling the natural instinct and behaviour of drivers. It might be possible to have a single mobile speed camera that could be moved regularly and set up on all the approach roads to Gifford. Many of the problems encountered on the western approach to the village will be mirrored on the eastern road to Haddington and the southeastern approach road to Townhead, Stenton and Duns.

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Appendix 7: Activities Organisations, clubs and societies Gifford Community Council Gifford Community Association Gifford Golf Club Gifford Bowling and Sports Club Gifford Mini Goblins Rugby Football Club Gifford Cricket Club Gifford Kwik Cricket Gifford Curling Club Yester Church Women’s Guild Gifford Women’s Rural Institute Good Companions Gifford Horticultural Society Gifford Society Gifford Art Group Gifford Bridge Club Gifford Scottish Country Dance Club Gifford Theatre Club Gifford Players Gifford Playgroup Yester Community Movie Association Recreational Facilities and Access A field to the south of Gifford Vale is used in the summer for cricket (this use is courtesy of the owners).

The Bleachfield is used for games, and the local authority has provided children’s recreational facilities there.

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Extract showing Gifford core and local paths from the East Lothian Core Path Plan 2010.

In 1998 the local authority held a consultation on paths throughout the village and its environs. Since the Land Reform (Scotland) Act came into effect in 2005 the general public has had a right of responsible non- motorised access to most land in Scotland. The consultation document says that ‘most people prefer to use paths’, and with this assumption a number of paths through farmland around Gifford have been designated. There are also recognised paths- much used by dog walkers- through woods to the north of the village.

So far paths in the Yester Estate have been recognised to only a very limited extent, and none has been designated. While the Marquesses of Tweeddale owned the Estate there was an acceptance that villagers could use parts of the Estate for walking, but this privilege was not extended to them by later owners, who cited evidence of vandalism. The current notice at the main entrance to the Estate reflects this position by forbidding access; it obviously dates from before the Land Reform Act. The present position is that the local authority has been in discussion with the current proprietor of the major part of the Estate, but so far there has been no agreement on the identification of marked paths within the Estate. Accordingly access to the Estate depends on the general right in the 2003 Act which requires that such right is exercised responsibly by respecting people’s privacy, safety and livelihoods and caring for the environment. It is to be hoped that future owners will not stand in the way of the undoubted improvement in the general amenity of the village which would be produced by the designation and marking of paths within the Estate.

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References and Further Reading Transactions of the East Lothian Antiquarian and Field Naturalists’ Society - Vol. V; W Douglas Simpson: Yester Castle - Vol. IX; James Bulloch: Bothans Kirk - Vol. XIII; John G Dunbar: The Building of Yester House 1670-1878 - Vol. XVIII; John H Simpson: The Origins of Gifford John H Simpson: The Feuars of Gifford (1750-1980); Scotland’s Cultural Heritage, 1986 Colin McWilliam: Lothian, except Edinburgh; The Buildings of Scotland; Penguin, 1978 Gifford Community Council: Gifford, 1983 (1987,1990) rev. 1994 Richard A Hamilton (ed): Social Life in Gifford, 1989 Rev John Muir: Gifford: 1750-1850 George D Munro: Yester, Church and Parish (various editions) J M Russell: The Charm of Gifford; The Scots Magazine, July 1977, pp387-8 East Lothian Local Plan 2008: East Lothian Council Fourth Statistical Account for East Lothian 1945-2000

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COMMENTS It is important that the document reflects the views of the community.

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