This was the view from Tweed Bridge, Peebles on 30 December 2015, when 631 tonnes of water flowed past the bridge every second. Just think what an extra 515 tonnes of water every second would look like. That’s what SEPA says Peebles needs to prepare for.

In fact, every town and village along the Tweed must prepare for peak flows 59% greater than the highest flood on record. In Peebles, that peak was 721 tonnes per second on 7 January 1949, meaning we need to prepare for 1146 tonnes/sec. The guidance applies across the Borders to settlements on every Tweed tributary with a catchment over 50 km² – including Eddleston Water.

Tweeddale Flood Advisory Group have issued a call for urgent action for SBC to strengthen flood defences in Peebles now that the Hawick, Selkirk and Galashiels defences are complete.

The critical question is: are SBC planning decisions protecting the public from climate change? 32 hectares of fields East of Cavalry Park are allocated for housing and mixed use in the Local Development Plan (LDP). Yet SEPA’s latest flood maps show that almost the entire site has a high and frequent flood risk of ≥10% each year. Hopefully this land will be removed from the next LDP.

The picture below shows Kingsmeadows House on 9 February 2020. The river peaked at 235 tonnes/sec – the 27th largest flood on record. The woodland on the left is the site of proposed flats which were approved in 2016 and 2021 – despite encroaching into the floodplain.

The reality of climate change, according to SEPA, is that Kingsmeadows must prepare for peak floods with 910 tonnes/sec more than shown in the photo below. It’s clear just how damaging and dangerous that would be – and why building in the flood plain is against planning policy.

Despite this, the developer is appealing. They want their expired permission renewed for 5 years, again in the floodplain. They ask SBC to grant approval without reconsidering the principle of the development because, in the developer’s view, policies haven’t materially changed. They do not provide an updated Flood Risk Assessment.

In reality, new Local and National planning policies have been issued and SEPA guidance shows the flood risk has more than doubled, from 500 tonnes/sec when last approved to 1146 tonnes/sec today. SBC now no longer have discretion to approve development within the floodplain or ignore climate change guidance without triggering escalation to Scottish Ministers.

We hope SBC considers flooding, ecology and trees when they hear this appeal on 23 Feb 2026.

Dr Michael Marshall
Planning Convenor
Peebles & District Community Council

As always: support or comment to Anne Snoddy (Secretary PCC)