Public Drop-In Meeting Feedback

Click here to go to the detailed results

Initial Results

Thank you to all residents who have helped in this process by giving us your opinions at the drop-in session on 15th June and via our questionnaires. The image below is a word cloud from the ‘key words’ section of our Questionnaire. The size of the words indicates how often they were used.

85 Borgue residents registered at the initial consultation event on 15th June 2024, 25% of 334* residents. At the time of the follow-up meeting, 70 questionnaires have been completed (21%) and handed in, at the event or via the website.

* 334 is the population for the Borgue Community Council area as defined by D&G Council, this is not the same as the Borgue Parish area.

Those who are involved in public consultations will know that this level of engagement is well above the norm and shows how much Borgue residents value the opportunity to make their views known.

There were also many other comments attached to Post-It notes at the various stands.

The Place Plan will look at the five topic areas under which the consultation was arranged.  The topics are ranked in order of the number of responses. There are 655 logged responses so far.

  1. Natural Environment – 265 responses
  2. Transport – 157 responses
  3. Services – 123 responses
  4. Built Environment – 75 responses
  5. Employment – 35 responses

Among the subtopics the following came out as the top 10 :

Roads 87, farming 54, coast 43, hedges / trees 42, housing 41, biodiversity 33, employment 35, verges 30, footpaths 29, bus 28, hall / pub etc. 28.

Kite Diagrams

The diagrams below show the ranking of the 5 subject areas according to the importance given to them by different age groups. You can see that the 31-45 age group ranked the Natural Environment as the highest priority, while the over-60s regarded Services as being more important.

The diagram below is the aggregate of all age groups, where the Natural Environment came out as the highest priority.

Detailed Results

Listed below are all of the comments and suggestions that we received at our public drop-in meeting in the Borgue Public Hall on 15th June 2024. These have been sorted into various topics and into sections for likes and dislikes. We have captured all of the comments so you will see a lot of repetition but this will give you an idea of how many people commented on each topic. Please have a look through the various sections and send in any additional thoughts via the contact form on the home page or via filling out our general questionnaire.

NOTE: Some of the comments in the ‘Built Environment’ part of the ‘Things that could be improved in Borgue’ section were incorrectly listed. This has been amended on 22nd August 2024.

What we like or would like to see in Borgue

TRANSPORT
Bikes
  • Minibike maintenance station point in Borgue (like at Mountainhall hospital).
  • Welcome cyclists.  Often use this route.  Water and bike stations.
  • Lack safe bike / walk routes.  20mph limits.
  • Bike hire availability
  • Cycle group
  • Cycle lane from village to Kirkandrews
  • Bike rack at the hall for getting bus to town
  • Off road cycling options
  • Cyclists and pedestrian road signs
  • Bike rack and chargers
  • Bike hire facility for both local and non-local people.
  • Encourage cycling to the bus stop and install a bike rack.
  • Cyclist / walkers road signs to slow traffic.
  • Safer roads for cyclists: less potholes and speeding tractors; cars 30mph limit.
Roads / Cars / Traffic
  • 30mph all around and beyond the village.
  • Smaller lorries essential, and slower – less damage to the roads.
  • A speed limit of 30 mph on all rural roads in the area would be good for non-motorised road users (cyclists, horse riders, walkers).
  • Slower speed limit through and beyond Borgue, 30mph.
  • Road from village to Knockbrex should be made single lane (with passing places) to SLOW the traffic and a footpath off road.
  • Village car pool
  • Speed limit at Chapelton Row Corner
  • Parking improvements at Carrick
  • Village car pool with electric vehicle?
  • Not suitable for HGVs sign at Barharrow made bigger
  • Keep passing places clear.
  • Lift sharing
  • Quiet roads
  • More passing places on narrow roads.
  • Quiet lanes. 
  • Quiet rural roads
  • Roads without potholes
  • Road maintenance needs to be improved. The current process of filling some potholes intermittently while ignoring others nearby is surely not an efficient way of doing things, increasing the number of journeys required. There are some roads in Borgue that have particularly heavy traffic especially from tractors and milk lorries etc – these should be identified and maintained to better standard.
  • Information for those not familiar with driving on single track roads.
  • EV charging point facility – grants / funding
  • Learning to appreciate that driving in the countryside with respect for cyclists and other cars
  • Smaller farm vehicles.  Slower speed limits. – More investment to help farmers manage financially without the damage to the roads.
  • The establishment of, at least, a 30mph speed limit on all rural roads in the parish to make it safer for walkers, cyclists and horse riders
  • Road past Sunnybrae has to be designated a single track road – Danger for drivers / dog walkers / walkers.  Speed limit reduced to 40 mph to past the Shunnery Cottage.
  • We currently only have one official car park with toilets at Brighouse Bay (the Dhoon is technically outside the Borgue area), then nothing between Brighouse and Carrick apart from some informal parking on farmland at Isle Mouth Bay.
Footpaths & Bridleways
  • Footpath signage routes across the fields by Borness is poor.
  • The Senwick Woods coastal path is hard to find without local knowledge.
  • More accessible paths & better signs.
  • Maintain core paths.
  • Improved signage for footpaths.
  • Improved signage for all footpaths and walks to encourage more use of our beautiful countryside.
  • Develop coastal path & facilities to enable walkers / cyclists (eg hostels / bunkhouses).
  • Core paths are well signed.
  • Bridleways.
  • Better footpath signage
  • More footpaths needed
  • Footpaths need better signage to indicate route over fields
  • Access to footpaths?  Where are they?
  • Better signs for walks, paths maintained – local people could help with maintenance
  • Pathways in newly planted woodland / forestry.
  • The coastal footpaths, and access to them, are in need of improvement and maintenance.  More facilities for public access would be useful.
  • Need for access for walkers [New forestry schemes]
  • Access needs to improve (signed, controlled, gated etc) especially with the greater demand from more holiday makers. 
  • Need footpaths in the new Senwick Woodland. Pathways in newly planted woodland and space between road and fence on perimeter for walking.   Agree x 2
Bus
  • I think it is worth investigating an Area minibus with (say) a round the houses daily service to KBT and other journeys (eg CD) once a week; surgery, hospital etc.  Lots would need sorting out (eg drivers, safety certificates).  The running costs probably have to be done on a ‘seasonal ticket basis’ eg £100 pa to bring in definite amount of cost – or else people would just sometimes not turn up .. I’ll write a bit in more detail .
  • Great to have and KEEP a bus service
  • Buses at weekends
  • More buses
  • More buses
  • Buses at weekends
  • More buses
  • Want a daily bus and regular service
  • Better public transport to attract families and help young people stay. 
  • Would like a later bus running from KBT, say 8.30 in the evening so you could go out for dinner
  • Better bus timetable at weekends –Clear community planning. 
  • introduction of a regular bus service to Gatehouse or Kirkcudbright with a last bus that is reasonably late.
  • Do a well advertised trial run of a few months and collate usage.
  • Viable public transport. 
  • More public transport. 
  • Bus service at w/es and during the weekdays to cover the middle of the day. 
  • More buses through the village to reduce carbon footprint as you have to drive to get anywhere.
  • Have regular and daily public transport
SERVICES / COMMUNICATIONS/ COMMUNITY
Village Community
  • This event [Place Plan event]
  • Like to see more diverse families and nature – examples of good practice
  • YOUNGER PEOPLE TO COME TO THE AREA – new opportunities and interesting activities and events that should be unique.
  • The sense of community
  • Friendly people.
  • Permanent residents try hard to keep a community.
  • The vast majority of the people in the community
  • Kind, friendly people.  Many like-minded. 
  • Great community feel
  • Good community, Friendly, quiet
  • Community, rural life
  • Community spirit
  • Fabulous community
  • Friendliness,
  • Nice friendly people always want to help
  • The people, the space, the pace of life but I would like a better balance across the age groups
  • The community. 
  • Location. People
  • The community and friendliness.  The community
  • Parts of the permanent housed village Quiet, but things happen. 
  • Most of the people
  • Also the history Strong community spirit. 
  • friendly people
  • Small community,
  • Community that’s open
  • A happy village; less rumour – more communication
  • Peaceful.
  • It’s my home
  • The friendly community throughout the Borgue area, the presence of a newly refurbished hall and the happy and very amenable owners of the Borgue Hotel. Also, the fact that Borgue covers a large area of land that many don’t appreciate, it is not just the village.
  • Friendly community, with some exceptions.
  • The fact that its still not overrun by tourists which would spoil the charm of Borgue
  • Very welcoming & friendly, clean
  • A very welcoming set of residents.
  • Keep the Community Council going – it is our only local voice.
  • Plenty of good community work / events already. 
  • I feel as though more decisions need to be based on supporting local businesses and the future of the community! 
  • Families moving into the area.
  • Future plans made by future young people for future generations.  Plans made by local residents who have lived in Borgue for more than 2 years.  Retirement tax to be paid to the community to spend.  Community provide voluntary support and care to vulnerable residents of the parish.
  • Focus on those raising families – a narrowing of local comments and objections to focus on beneficial infrastructure
  • Continued in-fighting; not everyone is trying to change things or dislikes the farmers – more talking for better understanding
  • My husband and I moved out of Kirkcudbright over twenty years ago. We had long wanted to live in the peace of the country and settled quickly into a quiet but productive life. But the world caught up with us. With mixed feelings we have watched increasing attention on the tourist industry. We accept that people need holidays and that young caterers work hard to supply them and enjoy the profits. But there has been a high price to pay for this development: no less than the death of the community.  Aside from the resistance to change which is a feature of rural life, the lack of young people is a disaster. Who will take over the farms that are now such an important feature of our economy? Most of the people who do are the children of farmers. Who will work in the catering which is now a significant source of income for the rural populace?  I haven’t seen a woman of breeding age in Borgue for years. There are fewer children every year and the school is set to close: the shop is long gone: after a brief experiment the post office joined it. There are no social spaces where people can meet in a casual way. How can we call this a community? True, there are a lot of new faces about the doors, and a few of them could be called productive. The productive ones, like me, hold onto an aspiration that we hoped would bear fruit in a rural setting. The rest seem like a mass of young male walruses on a beach. They lie close packed, grumbling when someone disturbs their comfort, and fighting with their neighbours. Yet the old guys have something to offer. There is a mass of skills, professional and amateur, that could be useful for those younger people that we are shedding. The closed school could house a Night School, or Granny School where experience and skills could be shared with both the young and coevals alike. It may not be comfortable, but, I’m afraid, to be really alive is to be uncomfortable some of the time.  Otherwise…? I’ll see you on the beach….
  • Borgue Flower Show
Healthcare & Other Services
  • Cottage hospitals should be used for extra dementia and day services.
  • Need to fight to keep universal service obligation for post – vital lifeline.
  • Mobile libraries.
  • D&G Council are in charge of health and social care along with public transport
  • Leisure / Tourism [services].  What about a golf competition using all Stewartry golf courses and move from one to the other.  Eg KBT, Brighouse, Gatehouse etc.  Or a golf week?
  • Bin Collection
  • What services??
  • Youth activities needed in Borgue
  • The postal services are excellent, and they act almost as an informal social care, checking that householders are OK
  • The proximity to Kirkcudbright , Gatehouse and Castle Douglas.
  • Access to healthcare needs protecting
  • Services such as GPs, Fire station, Police, Library, sports, care services, education should be available as close as possible (Kirkcudbright, Gatehouse or Castle Douglas). There is a financial cost to this but the alternative is to depopulate the area making it viable only for the wealthiest and thereby underutilising its potential for income generation through agriculture, tourism, home working etc.
  • Church and graveyard
  • Cemetery. 
  • More local food production (employment opportunities).  Reduce air miles / improve diet.  Allotments, sharing growing knowledge.  Community composting.  All needs support that is sustained, not short term.  Organisation.  Citizen’s assembly to discuss what we could do looking at models that have worked.
  • Local newsletter
  • Hydro – small local power. 
  • The old hearse in the church grounds and the history of the area.  Keep the history alive. Not being treasured.  Could be an idea to have a display that brings in money with tickets to go and see.
  • Tourism developed WITH appropriate infrastructure planned in
  • More green energy.  I can’t believe that the solar project was turned down. We need embrace the future
  • More locally generated power and battery storage. 
Mobile Phone & Broadband
  • Great F2P Broadband.  More wi-fi needed in the village.
  • Better broadband, more opportunities for younger workers to keep the place young.  Shame to lose the school. 
  • [Better] Mobile phone coverage
  • Fibre required
  • Improved mobile phone signal would be good.
  • We have been included in the fibre broadband project.
  • Also digital connectivity – working from home, accessing the world needed to attract working / younger people.
  • To improve mobile phone signals to guarantee uninterrupted coverage – essential for business as well as domestic use.   To improve broadband coverage – as above.  
  • Borgue Hall to get broadband access and preferably reliable phone signal.
  • Better mobile phone coverage required.  Is fibre covering the whole area now?  If not, it needs to and publicise the good internet comms etc to encourage more families and working from home arrangements. 
  • The analogue phone lines will be going away at the end of 2025 so there is potential for people to be without a phone line in the event of a power cut. The local mobile phone network needs to be improved to eliminate some of the current locations such as Senwick and Kirkandrews that have minimal mobile phone coverage.
Pub / Village Hall / Shop
  • Coffee machine with honesty box providing snacks [for cyclists]
  • Coffee mornings in village hall
  • Keep the  pub
  • Keep the  pub
  • Keep the pub
  • Keep the pub
  • Village pub needs to stay
  • WiFi in Village hall
  • Borgue Hotel, Village Hall,
  • Events in the hall / pub.. Opportunities to get to know people
  • Having a pub is important. The Village hall
  • Pub.  Village Hall
  • Pub!
  • Pub
  • Community centre and pub as social spaces
  • The hall.  All of Borgue
  • Village centre
  • Village. Hotel.  Village hall well supported – weekly coffee mornings during winter.
  • Pub and hotel.  Village hall.  .  Village Community.  Village pub
  • Make the pub a proper welcoming place.  Open all week please!
  • Village hall needs further improvement
  •  Good to have a pub
  • Village hall,
  • More use of facilities, workshops, work out classes etc
  • Local amenities so we function as a community .. pub, shop, events in the village hall.
  • Better advertising for the hall.
  • Help with funding applications to keep Borgue Public Hall alive.  New roof needed.  Borgue Hall is owned by the community, it is not owned by the Council.  Hall Trustees / committee need support.  Clubs set up for families / adults: Badminton but badminton court lines to be replaced and funding needed.
  • Borgue Hotel seems to hold the village community together with activities. 
  • Village hall should have more activities. – better publicity of local events. 
  • More youth events. 
  • The weekly coffee mornings in the village hall are a wonderful way for locals and incomers to get to know one another, and it would be great if they could be extended over the whole year.
  • The Pub!
  • The hotel is the last social space in the community
  • Community Hall
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Verges
  • Some research has been done that showed a reduction in road accidents when verges not cut because drivers took more care.
  • Cut verges more often to improve visibility.
  • but [cut verges] possibly at spots where it’s dangerous.    Keep sightlines clear.
  • Cutting sides of roads, particularly at junctions and where side lanes are, to allow clear sight when coming out of side lane.
  • Cut the verge at junction of B727 / C8s.
  • The management of the cutting of roadside verges to take account of their importance in providing a habitat for wild plants and animals, if this is not already being done by the council; and education of the public into why this is so important.
  • Where frequent need to mount the verge to pass is evident, then passing places and more robust road edges should be installed (as along the Brighouse Bay road which works well).
  • Cut back the verges at junctions.
  • Verges.  Protect wildlife corridors.  No more cutting
  • Grass verges cut less. 
  • As verges are left to grow, not cut until later in the year has encouraged wild flowers to become established again.
  • Verges are vital for insect life as farm fields are increasingly becoming grass monocultures.  In 40 years in Borgue I have noticed a dramatic decline in all insects.
  • Less verge cutting where it can be done.
  • Less verge cutting until end of July – wildflowers.
  • Don’t need sightlines; cars just need to slow down.
  • Agree.  Less verge cutting – let the wildflowers bloom.
  • Verges uncut
  • uncut verges (when they remain uncut)
  • Uncut hedges and verges. 
  • Verges to be cut less often to encourage biodiversity – except in the places which visibility is severely limited ie some road junction, or some routes where there is a regular pedestrian use (ie Coo Palace residents to the Bar Shore Field, Borgue village dog walkers going to the Borness road etc) or where signs Cycle route 7, etc are obscured.   The wild flowers and numerous grasses in the road verges and the associated insect life.
Hedges / Trees / Forest
  • Trees.  More broadleaf.
  • More hedge planting.  Ponds in fields recovered / re-instated.
  • AgroForestry?  Don’t know what it is!
  • AgroForestry.  Varied small scale agriculture.
  • More community woodland and native broadleaf.
  • More broadleaf. 
  • More broadleaf / deciduous. 
  • More native broadleaves.
  • Protection of existing parcels of woodland and nearby areas of unproductive land from grazing farm animals and a culling of the wild deer would allow the wooded areas to expand by means of natural regeneration; an approach that has been shown to be much more effective and much less expensive than planting trees.
  • Existing parcels of woodland could be allowed to extend into nearby unproductive land by means of natural regeneration and protection from grazing by sheep
  • woodlands and hills
  • The patches of deciduous woodland dotted about the area.
  • Woodlands and wild places. 
  • Anywhere where you can see trees, water or friends.  The broadleaf trees need protecting, and ash replacing.
  • Woodlands
  • More hedges planted. Encourage farmers to replant hedges and repair walls.
  • To replace dying ash trees with other broadleaf species.   To allow hedgerows to develop intermittent standard trees where telephone line access is not impeded.  
  • The tree planting that has taken place recently is nothing short of vandalism and after these mature and are harvested a wasteland will be left behind for future generations to enjoy. An increase in deciduous woodland.. …..Advice from experts in sustainable agriculture.
  • More trees planted.  Specific funds – voluntary adopt a tree etc.
Wildlife
  • We need to assess what we already have and plan to increase it.
  • Swallow nests, swift house on village hall grounds.
  • Need habitat for curlews.
  • There are pinemartens at MillHall – we need to encourage more of them to predate [grey] squirrels.
  • curlew, lapwing etc decimated by slurry / silage regime.
  • Targeted ecological assessments.  These would give us some numbers to measure increase or decrease the amounts of keystone species and others.  Kestrels recently sighted on our road.
  • More wildlife planting to encourage bats.
  • Survey existing SSSIs.  Hasn’t been done for approx. 50 years.  Joined up thinking re planting / hedgerows / trees. 
  • Share sightings of wildlife.  Monitor our keystone species.
  • The curlews disappeared from the fields near us when haymaking ended.  The nests just can’t survive silage and haylage making.
  • Wildlife, especially bats.
Rewilding / Habitats / Knowes
  • More wildlife planting.  Agree, more wildlife planting.
  • Brighouse Bay is an SSSI.  More sign that it is treated that way.
  • I feel that the countryside code should be taught from an early age, helping to encourage the young people to appreciate and respect the natural environment.
  • Habitats.  Yes, to protecting existing habitats and creating new ones.  Who will do this? 
  • Knowes.  Yes they are important for wildlife.
  • Rewilding as much as possible
  • Existing relatively untouched areas could / should be joined up to provide better quantity and quality of wildlife habitat – we are one of the least biodiverse countries in Europe.
  • We need a local nature recovery plan and a network of wildlife corridors of protected sites.
  • We need a protected local nature reserve/s or co-ownership of land to protect by covenant to protect native habitats from intensive farming.
  • Rewilding some areas. 
  • Knowes are critical for survival of native species eg hares.
  • Regenerative farming
  • Encourage biodiversity
  • Wildlife habitats
  • Hedgerows
  • Very beautiful
  • Wildlife
  • More nature resilience
  • Natural environment in general
  • Reinstatement of nature (ponds, hedges and trees, not sitka) – Council charter and funding.
  • Increased biodiversity, via field edges, hedgerows.  Land set aside for wildlife regeneration – Awareness programmes to all local populace – links with leading bodies.
  • Quality of the scenery and environment, recognised by Regional Scenic Area and SSSI status (but see below for issues).  Opportunities for range of outdoor activities (walking, cycling, water sports, climbing etc.). 
  • More rewilding to increase wildlife.  Protect trees from being cut down.  Increase the biodiversity in the fields around Borgue
Rivers and Water
  • Waterways.  Flooding arrangements seem to work.  More ponds would be great.  Where?
  • The river and coastal environment needs protection / improvement to allow the increased use not to degrade water quality.
  • Restore the old curling pond (Loch Roy) – there are grants available.
Coast
  • Protect our beaches from over-tourism.
  • Beaches
  • The coastlines – all protected by SSSI. 
  • Sea views, wildlife
  • The coastline
  • proximity to coast
  • The natural beauty and the beaches
  • The stretches of beautiful coastline and the wonderful views over the sea and to the Galloway hills.
  • Open landscape with views to the sea and arable land
  • The unspoilt vista, sea, sky and hills into the distance. 
  • Wildlife, sea views
  • The sea
  • Beaches / shores.  Need protecting & improving
  • Carrick – islands and seascapes.
  • The beaches – ideally increased litter collection – but this is a refection on their popularity.
  • The coast
  • Coastline.  Countryside
  • Brighouse
  • Beaches, woods, hillsides
  •  The coast
  • Knockbrex shoreline.  Coastal paths
  • The views of hills and sea
  • Coast.
  •  Seaviews, walks, beaches
  • Walks and varied landscapes.  Sea views. 
  • seashore. 
  • The beaches / coast.  The wild areas.  Brighouse SSSI needs protecting.
  • Coastal areas, open skies
  • Carrick.
  • The area between Borgue and Carrick
  • coast line,
  • The wonderful views on the road down to Carrick. Ross Bay. Brighouse Bay. The openness. The peace and quiet. Do they need protecting?  Absolutely!
  • Beaches, coastline.
  • The coastline, for its geology, wildlife and recreational opportunities.  Need protecting .. Our bathing water quality has been declining in recent years. Some remedial work has been done by SEPA but there are still issues with domestic and agricultural pollution.
  • Carrick, needs protecting
  • The coast line
  • Safe bathing water. 
  • Coastal water quality needs to be improved so bathing water standards are consistently of the highest level. This needs constant monitoring and liaison with domestic and farm properties (as happened at Mill Hall) to upgrade installations.  Coastal recreation should have a presumption of being non-mechanised (no jet skis, motorboats etc) – encourage sailing, paddle boarding, kayaking etc.    Environmental Impact Assessments should be required on any development larger than one domestic dwelling. 
  • It would be nice to have a bench or two at the northern end of Brighouse Bay so that you can sit and enjoy the view of the bay and the Isle of Man after you have walked to the beach.
  • I would like to see local beauty spots such as Carrick protected from too many visitors and the prospect of a national park does not bode well.
Farming
  • Need to have a more enlightened approach to farming and the environment and a more open debate – a proper conversation where everyone LISTENS to each other.
  • Less monoculture grass.  Give cows more tasty grass to eat.  More cows in the fields, less indoors.
  • Existing habitats urgently need protection.
  • Rewild the fields / nature restoration.
  • Controlled silage.  Encourage meadows to attract wildlife.
  • Increase plant diversity in land used for grazing and silage.  At present too much land is a green desert.
  • Farming subsidies tied to regenerating methods
  • Protect it all from factory farming
  • More local food
  • The well farmed countryside!
  • Borgue is a farming area and residents who decide to live within the community should at least acknowledge this and be more aware of where food comes from, rather than assuming the fields should be wildlife habitat.  Needs EDUCATION. If they actually realise they need a farmer at least three times a day rather than a wildlife park to walk their dog through in their spare time.
  • The rural location.  Farm animals.  Peace and quiet
  • Farming activities, same as my village at home
  • Ancient farmland with knolls, trees and wild flowers.
  • Fields,
  • Farmland needs protecting.
  • Pastoral farmed countryside and open vistas
  • More joined up thinking about how we can grow the food we need without doing further damage to the environment.  But it needs someone to sort out how the food system works.  Farmers shouldn’t be told what they’re going to be paid for their produce! – By all of us acting together.
  • More fields with set-aside and borders with wild flowers – Pay the farmers!
  • Regenerative / small scale agriculture which is suitable for the landscape.  Right farm, right place.
  • Farming has shaped the local landscape and it is disappointing to feel a large degree of anti farming sentiment when farms provide such a large contribution to the local economy and employment
  • A dramatic decrease in intensive farming and a return to more diverse and sustainable farming practices.
Landscape
  • Exceptionally diverse and beautiful
  • Wild and diverse
  • Protect
  • Peace & quiet. 
  • Peace and quiet.  Beautiful surroundings. 
  • Beautiful, dark skies. 
  • Beautiful scenery, very peaceful and quiet
  • Peace
  • Beautiful landscape / seascape
  • The weather.  One benefit of opposing wind farms is that it’s much hotter that it used to be.
  • Quiet environment
  • Lack of traffic, peaceful environment
  • Nature
  • Young people understand the countryside code.  All should adhere to this, all ages.
  • environment
  • The peace and quiet.  The farmland and environment.  The wildlife
  • Environment. 
  • The weather!  The light.  The landscape.  Lack of midgies and snow
  • Scenery. 
  • Area is clean and looks nice
  • The landscape.  The wildlife
  • The views
  • Scenery and the peaceful nature
  • Environment.  Scenery
  • Natural environment
  • Rurality, scenery; people
  • Countryside and peace
  • The diverse landscape. The quiet (relative to Berkshire).
  • The ambience and feel of the wild spaces
  • The location
  • My garden (Lol!)
  • Grassland, meadows, ponds
  • SSSI covers coastline care.  Outdoor access code covers access and enjoyment.  D&G Council covers planning, transport and health / social care.  SEPA covers environment, NatureScot protects our environment, Biosphere promotes nature.
  • The green land and the views need protecting from littering and new builds
  • No particular places, but in general, the relatively natural appearance , and scenic variety of the area.  Need protecting?  Obviously. yes.
  • Focus on nature / green agenda.
  • National Park status for Galloway would have many benefits.  If we appreciate our environment and celebrate it, we will take better care.  Pride, employment, new businesses and the joy that visitors experience.  So much has already been done towards this, but whatever the outcome, the principles of treating our special environment, celebrating its beauty and caring for it apply.
  • Celebrate our wildlife. 
  • Protect local nature reserve. 
  • Allotments / food growing project, green energy community scheme
  • Increase in protection of environment and wildlife and increase in younger community.  Volunteering to help protect environment, litter picking etc.  Become a GSA biosphere village
  • Scenery
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
New Housing
  • We need more affordable homes.  The community could own and build these.
  • Use Community benefit money (from solar farm, and the two forestry operations) to act as seed fund for building some new homes in the village – owned by the village.
  • Social housing.  Develop school building into: Hostel / Flats??
  • Social housing?  Yes, yes, yes.  Encourage our younger generation to live here.
  • Unused steadings – convert to workshops / rental / business, or convert to housing. 
  • Need more homes to re-open the school.  KBT academy not at threat, but needs support.
  • Restore the disused steadings: Brighouse, Culraven, Senwick, Balmangan, Cairniehill, Southpark …
  • Affordable housing
  • New low cost houses for families
  • Empty premises should be compulsorily purchased by the local council for local families to live in.
  • Affordable housing especially for young families – through planning process.
  • To allow/encourage house building, particularly where this would provide accomodation for farm workers / young families and others seeking employment – this would help balance the skewed demographic pattern. – sites to accomodate such building should be identified, preferably near Borgue village.  
  • Houses for folk to live in, not holiday lets
  • We need a younger generation
  • More Borgue generation, we are losing culture
  • Affordable houses needed for our young
  • Proper affordable restoration of old houses and buildings.  It’s currently cheaper to demolish than restore.. A recent energy insulation on a house nearby has been completed by large number of tradesmen, all blaming each other for failings.  No one person in charge with overall authority.
  • Encourage by Development of affordable housing and better grants and incentives for renovation and upgrading of small, old cottages.  Creation of collaborative office/workshop space in disused buildings (church, school, farm buildings etc.)
  • More housing and better public transport to attract families and help young people stay.
  • Community led development.  Speak to young people.  Engage with South Scotland Community Housing.
  • New opportunities and activities and new housing spread about instead of all clammed together.
  • Allocate land for building
  • More affordable homes needed
  • New, low cost rentals
  • Affordable housing.  Younger generations moving back, then the school could re-open.  Wheatley to buy some properties and introduce more social housing.
  • More affordable housing – not retirement homes. 
  • Low key developments of affordable housing. 
  • Proportion of holiday / 2nd homes defined. 
  • Restrictions on short term holiday lets.  Capping current numbers with future reductions of numbers. 
  • Affordable housing.  People living in the village. 
  • Village to grow – more young families.
  • Borgue could take a greater part in social housing provision.  There need to be an approach across D&G to look at small developments. New low cost rental properties. 
  • Accommodation for families and work opportunities for range of people .. artists studios etc.  Council could become involved in social housing in rural areas.
  • Less holiday property, more affordable.  Use the derelict properties to house permanent families, affordable housing around the village.
  • Residential development for permanent occupancy. 
  • New small scale housing, well designed for families.
  • Low impact small scale locally managed and led – allow planning applications for residential development to existing homes to provide bed spaces and parking
  • Family homes
  • Derelict buildings converted to affordable housing. 
  • Affordable housing to retain our young people. 
  • More young families in the area – proper housing available
  • Social housing built to encourage families which may help to reopen the school – more discussion with housing and builders.
  • I would like to see some economic investment in the community and the provision of social housing for people working locally, by embracing social housing and the agricultural industry which is the only real source of employment in the parish,
Hall / Pub / School / Church / Shop / Cafe / Old Garage Site
  • Re-purpose the bodyshop and the plot opposite
  • Car parking opposite what used to be the Smokery.  Developers look at eyesore.
  • Facitilies for locals / tourists / cyclists / walkers in Borgue … café and shop.  Agree x 2
  • Investment into the village hall – cosmetic and facilities – to broaden its use and appeal.
  • The village should own the village hall.
  • Village hall used to its full potential. 
  • Investment in village hall – grant applications
  • Use school building / community centre for evening classes, community serving events and activities
  • Open toilet facilities at community centre for cycling visitors
  • The former school could be turned into low cost housing.
  • School will not be un-mothballed as lack of families.  However, there is an opportunity for a hub of some sort, whether for support, additional learning support or a youth hostel perhaps?
  • Could the community take over the school?  Too expensive?  For arts / crafts workshops etc or affordable housing.
  • School used for allotments or other community activities.
  • The school to be sold sensibly
  • In the immediate future, the Council must be pressurized to be proactive in finding a solution for the Borgue School and playing fields. A ‘mothballing’ of the school provides the Council with four years of inactivity. This must not happen! The building will deteriorate and decline to the extent that the cost of reintroducing it as a school building anytime in the future will be too costly and a good excuse for it never to return back to a school even if the school numbers have increased to the levels that would substantiate such.  A comprehensive Feasibility Study to be undertaken immediately. Solutions for the use of the building and grounds must be investigated – we can’t sit back and let it rot! We must act now!
  • school facilities for community – sports (tennis / badminton).
  • Community Shop.  – Amenities for families.  Villagers volunteering to run a shop.
  • A café and shop
  • Focus on residents.  Social hub / warm space event (hall / school).  Would love to see this combined with a community shop – there’s lots of passing trade I think for fancy goods & staples for residents.  Local producers could sell from here.  A local directory of producers / suppliers / holiday rentals.
  • A shop for provisions, perhaps run by a community hub. 
  • Facility for selling locally grown produce.  Coffee Shop. 
  • Establishment of a café / shop for use by locals, tourists, cyclists, walkers etc.  Encourage tourism to lead to employment and prosperity in the area.  Encourage holiday lets / accommodation (eg pub / hotel).  Publicity for passing trade – cycle clubs, local holiday parks, walkers groups etc.
  • A café / centre in Borgue, possibly with shop space for art etc.  Would attract both local ‘drop in’ trade and many passing cyclists.  Loss of school / church and possibly pub, leave Borgue without a ‘centre’.  There are ideal sites in the middle of the village for development.  See excellent examples (of different types) in Glencaple, New Galloway, Glen Trool.
  • Café and proper pub – all can be achieved through planning and grant funding.
  • Other ideas for facilities in Borgue:
  • If the school becomes available, it could be converted to a variety of uses, catering to the local community and/or tourists on the South West 300 or Kirkpatrick C2C.
  • 1) Bunkhouse/guest facilities, similar to Barholm at Creetown. https://creetowninitiative.co.uk/barholm-accommodation/
  • 2) Outlet shop for local artists and makers (Borgue Collective etc.). With cafe/community facilities.
  • 3) Small business centre with IT facilities/workshop spaces to provide local work spaces and employment.
  • A more proactive attempt to find alternative uses for redundant steadings – residential, tourist facilites, light industry.
  • Redevelopment of the former Borgue Kirk (as art studios / small flats or a youth hostel) would generate more local employment.
  • Youth hostel in Borgue (convert church?) for cyclists and walkers.
  • Church building could / should be developed re possible resource for community
Second Homes / Holiday Homes
  • If less 2nd / holiday homes and more families, then more families for the school.  Lets have the primary school back please. 
Other
  • Change nothing!!
  • Solar panels should be mandatory for all new / renovated properties both domestic and commercial.
  • have community energy/wind turbine etc, community shop
  • Bothy / Youth hostel, particularly for younger generation and encourage cyclists and walkers.
  • A single planning application for: new homes, tourism or agricultural related construction, which has been recommended for approval by a planning officer, be APPROVED despite local opposition.  Highlight that most of the issues that have been raised are in large part the result of over-restrictive planning regs (both locally and nationally)
  • Let’s have a wee village museum (like Crossmichael).
  • Restore the Hearse and make it a feature of Borgue.  More events that celebrate this and Borgue’s history.
  • Create Borgue History Centre for visitors
  • Hearse House needs to be looked after and hearse renovated
  • The garden behind the school is a community garden.  It could be extended with allotments on the field.
  • Have a community garden at the school
  • Community garden – help yourself to fruit and veg grown there.
  • Welcome cyclists – they often use this route – with water and bike stations.
  • Encourage the development of tourist friendly venues – cycle bunkhouse, cafe, art gallery, craft workshops etc (possibly in redundant steadings). 
  • A visitors centre (bike hire), café (community run) green / sustainable / environmentally friendly.
River / Water
  • Pulwhirrin Burn is very polluted due to slurry spreading
Coast
  • Litter on beaches
  • Littering everywhere
  • Also, eliminate wild camping- especially motorhomes and camper vans at Carrick and Dhoon Bay. We need to protect this environment – they may be self contained but emptying a full toilette cassette down the public toilet leads to over use, blockages and pollution. Encourage the Council to erect height barriers at these beaches!
  • Litter at sides of road to Brighouse Bay (road signs, take your litter home and bins at Brighouse beach). 
Farming
  • Fields pretty ‘sterile’ around Borgue, I think.  No wild flowers etc.  Goodness knows what wildlife gets killed before grass cut for silage.
  • Borgue used to be a farming community. Unfortunately nowadays the beautiful scenery that has been created by farming practices which are continuously evolving seems to have resulted in houses being purchased by members of the older generation who then wish to influence the farming practices outside their window.
  • Lack of biodiversity when all fields left to silage
  • Lots of arguments with the farmers. The Scottish Govt. set their rules. Have the arguments with them.
  • The expansion of industrial dairy farming. This is destroying our characteristic landscape, degrading our environment and reducing biodiversity.
  • Slurry spreading
  • At huge risk from intensive farming, slurry /silage
  • The over-emphasis on farming activities
  • All the fields flattened.
  • Some heavy-handed [farming] practices destroying habitats.
  • Lack of understanding of farm activities.
  • Destruction of natural fields, hedgerows etc
  • Factory farming destroying the landscape and polluting the rivers and sea.  Heavy and fast traffic on the roads. 
  • Alarming loss of habitat and native species due to destructive land management -slurry/silage regime
  • Divisive, polarised positions around farming
  • Slurry spreading (intensive dairy farming). 
  • In this day and age it is essential that the only way farms can compete is to become more industrialized and we need the farms!
  • The conversion of many fields into grass monocultures for intensive dairy and the associated dramatic fall in insect life.
  • I would not like to see the greater intensification of agriculture (larger farms, fewer ‘natural’ areas, fewer ponds / streams, less biodiversity of florea and fauna)- see above.
  • Further increase in intensive dairy farming as it has been shown that this is a major contributor to climate change and the reduction in biodiversity. The global situation is dire and everyone and everywhere, including Borgue, has to contribute in order to halt and reverse these changes!  Education of farmers and land owners as to how vital their role is.
  • The loss of the curlews that used to nest in the fields near me before haymaking was replaced by the making of sillage and haylage.
  • The erosion of biodiversity habitats and the turning over of farms to industrial, non-agri uses
  • The loss of natural environment to intensive farming methods
  • Silage cutting
  • I am sorry to see the disappearance of the knowes which are a habitat for a more biodiverse environment (bees and birds especially) but understand the financial pressure central governments are placing on farmers to maximise their economies of scale.
  • Destroyed landscape due to removal of rocky knowes in the Regional Scenic Area.
  • Destruction of current field / land geography to flat featureless fields.
  • No more tree farms, or land being flattened – less grants to do these things
  • Any more factory farming as it’s too destructive
  • More ‘big’ farmers taking over the farms
  • Further expansion of industrial dairy farming. It is currently degrading our landscape, environment and road system, as described above, and causing a lot of friction in the community.  Increase in the acquisition of land by external investment companies hiding behind forestry grant schemes.  How to discourage?  Not from confrontation with local farmers! There need to be changes to the farming payments and incentive schemes to encourage and reward techniques that protect our landscape and environment.  
  • More intensive dairy farms – use subsidies, caps on industrialised farming model (taxation).  Tax on CO2
Renewables
  • Prospect of renewables creeping into our SSSI.
  • Further industrialisation of the area.  Further renewable developments without the upgrading of the national grid – By all of us acting together.
  • The area being run as a semi-industrial park for green energy and all the unproven benefits – through awareness programme and strategic tie-up with a wider greener framework.
  • Solar farm – better places to suit this project.  Other large scale industrial activity – More pressure from full community
  • and certainly no windfarms
  • wind turbine promotion Wind and solar farms on agricultural land.  It’s a blight on the countryside.  Offshore would be better for wind.  Solar, not sure about..  Nothing will stop the march of renewables, I’m afraid
General
  • All of these [forestry / wind turbines] would detract significantly from the natural beauty/ visual amenity of the area. Promotion of the SW 300 route – all one has to do to understand why this is a bad idea is to look at the mess (literal and figurative) that has been created in the north by the creation of the NC500 (referred to by many angry and frustrated locals as the WC 500). … Ensure sufficiently robust planning legislation is maintained/ improved /created.  Legislation and its subsequent enforcement, is essential at government level to ban the practice of so-called “wild camping”, and confine motorhomes, campervans, tents, etc to proper campsites.
  • National Park – we already have dark sky status.  We need to consider who will look after it – there are not enough young people who can afford housing to service such a proposal.  The Lake District and North Coast 500 are examples where tourism has overwhelmed the areas.  It would be worse here where there is little accommodation, and the roads are not suitable for the level of traffic that would be generated.
  • No Galloway National park as we have enough tourists that the hospitality industry can’t cope, with all the local cafes shut at 4 pm – Say no to national park they never properly advertised in the local press any public meetings in town public halls around Galloway so the general public didn’t get a vote before they put in there application!!
  • The thing which worries me most is the possibility of this area being designated a national park . The potential increase in tourism bringing additional traffic to already poor narrow roads would have a massive detrimental impact on Borgue. Hopefully powers at be will realise that this area doesn’t need additional bureaucracy stifling investment in the milk field of Britain
  • National Park status without infrastructure to manage increased visitor numbers – avoid large scale vanity projects and status symbols.  Make all public bodies face up to managing visitors and providing facilities
  • The general environment – litter picking, dog fouling should be done to help protect the nature and environment
  • Wild campers leaving their rubbish behind – I’m not sure. I don’t think leaving more bins out will help Selfish, but I don’t want the area to get too busy.  Level of tourism is OK now.  Avoid the Lake District ‘victim of it’s own success/publicity’ problem.
EMPLOYMENT
  • We need to continue to have a blacksmith and a drystone dyker and all sorts of other crafts.
  • More inventive green job opportunities.
  • Consider more employment opportunities like IT to attract young people to the area.  Maximise the recent upgrade to internet access.
  • Where are the young people to be employed?
  • There need to be greater opportunities for older people to remain in their own homes.
  • Lack of opportunities for young people
  • Needs more young families
  • More green employment
  • Employment for young people
  • School developed as low cost work units / studios / offices to bring in employment
  • More small businesses / craft workshops to encourage people to visit the village and spend money here.  It would help keep money in the village.  At present, the absentee landowners take all the money out (holiday home owners and landowners included)
  • Use school for building for employment
  • Could the village school (closing) provide space for small ‘white collar’ businesses?
  • Repurpose school to provide work units / studios / offices to encourage employment.
  • Apart from the large farms, there are a number of small businesses operating from home which maintains the population in the area.
  • Farming is NOT the only industry, more skills training
  • Café / shop for employment
  • More green, local jobs.  Local college campus.  IT hub. 
  • A bit more opportunity for self-sufficiency.  More chances for young families to survive here – more input from the present community to encourage a more mixed community.
  • More employment of tradespeople and apprenticeships. 
  • We need support for all businesses in the parish to grow, develop and provide more employment, reinvest in the parish and keep it as perfect as it is for all.
  • Encourage new businesses to boost economy
  • Job creation.
  • Having more opportunities for younger people
  • New employment opportunities in the area, especially for younger families to offset the decline in the number of people working in farming. This could be through expansion of tourism offerings (within agreed limits) or creation of new working environments. The area is now well connected to fibre broadband which gives more opportunities for small businesses and home working. 
  • Increase in young families to be employed and support our school.
  • More jobs. 
  • Improving employment opportunities so young people have an insensitive to move to the parish

Things that could be improved in Borgue

TRANSPORT
Roads / Cars / Traffic
  • Massive tractors and lorries cause too much damage to road surface and verges.
  • Potholes need to be repaired for cyclists, very dangerous as I have experienced first hand.
  • Yes, potholes are appalling, they need to be fixed shortly or left to public to fill them themselves.
  • potholes. 
  • More consideration from the farmers on the roads.
  • Yes, potholes a priority and no penalty if people fill them in themselves.
  • Ross Farm do not own the road and should not restrict parking at Ross Bay.
  • Vehicles, tractors / lorries too much damage to verges and roads
  • Prohibit permanent parking of heavy vehicles on village road
  • Potholes & edges
  • Road erosion from heavy vehicles
  • Potholes
  • Potholes
  • Traffic speeding
  • Potholes
  • Potholes!
  • Difficulties in walking/cycling due to volume of tractor traffic.
  • Potholes. 
  • Potholes
  • Fix potholes!
  • Poor condition of roads & verges
  • Potholes
  • Inconsiderate parking when blocking elderly neighbours drive without thinking
  • Cars and tractors driving too fast through village.  Speed indicator would be good.
  • State of the roads
  • Potholes.  Fast cars.
  • Fast traffic and potholes
  • Road conditions. 
  • Tractors driving too fast at Chapelton Row Corner
  • Potholes
  • People who can’t reverse.
  • Potholes.  Traffic (milk lorry on narrow road making potholes)
  • Narrow roads with fast cars – need slow down signs and bumps.
  • Whereas this [industrialized farms] leads to larger farm vehicles trundling along the single track roads exacerbating and expanding the pot holes, this kind of problem is encountered across the country- it is not unique to Borgue Parish. Farm expansions and pot holes do not sit comfortably with the non farming population, many of whom are genuinely interested in maintaining our natural eco systems.
  • pot holes;
  • traffic ignoring trial 20mph signs; (slightly outside our area, but,) campervan/camping infestation at Dhoon beach area.
  • The marked increase in traffic associated with the expansion of intensive dairy farming: very large tractors and trailers and heavy delivery vehicles, some travelling at dangerous speeds
  • It [expansion of dairy farming] is also having adverse effects on our local road system due to the increase in heavy farm traffic. 
  • Potholes / road maintainance.
  • Potholes
  • Potholes
  • Road network – fix potholes.
  • Road to it [Carrick] needs improving.
  • potholes are everywhere
  • Roads
  • Road conditions & potholes.
  • The roads
  • Roads in dire state. 
  • Potholes.  Being forced off the road by tractors (not all) going far or too fast.  Too much of a sense of entitlement by SOME of the drivers and aggressive if challenged.
  • Roads are narrow with few passing places for cars and large tractors.  Surfaces are unsuitable to attract visitors. 
  • Permanent use for parking on village road of heavy works vehicles on route into village – very dangerous
  • Too fast traffic at Shunnery / Ivy cottage corner
  • Need speed limit signs (20mph) at the corner by Chapelton Row
  • We need an agreed route into the area that HGVs can use.  This route will need to be as sturdy as main roads, but cost will prevent.
  • The condition of the road surfaces ( pot holes)
  • The poor roads are a disgrace
  • Single tracked roads – just for residents and cycles and a speed limit on them
  • Traffic is reasonable at present, but the roads are very narrow.
  • Giant farm vehicles damage the roads and roadsides and risk to pedestrians – manufacturers could be encouraged to build smaller vehicles (ain’t going to happen!!)
  • More petrol vehicles.
  • Litter along roadsides
  • I am wondering after the chaos on the A75 in recent days, mainly due to the weather, whether anyone has mentioned regular maintenance of streets and bushes for the safety of the community. It could be a part-time job for someone perhaps sharing a job with other nearby villages.
Footpaths & Bridleways
  • Too many cows and calves and bulls in fields along the coastal path which is unfenced.
  • Ross Farm have blocked the footpaths around Meikle Ross.
  • There are few paths, to get anywhere you have to walk on the roads
  • Lack of signage to indicate footpath routes across fields.
  • Need more footpaths
  • Footpaths, signage needs improving
  • Village centre footpaths
  • Gate locked at Kirkandrews.  Any more cattle grids (can’t ride over them and block access)
Bus
  • Buses [lack of]
  • No Buses at the weekend.
  • Bus times – big gap in the middle of the day.
  • Bus service
  • Gap in bus times in middle of day
  • No bus at weekend
  • Lack of transport
  • Lack of transport options. 
  • Lack of transport
  • Gap in bus times in middle of the day
SERVICES / COMMUNICATIONS/ COMMUNITY
Village Community
  • Too many people interfering in things that have nothing to do with them.  We do not need a place plan!!
  • The introduction of a Place Plan on top of all the current policies in place, and adding to the layers of red tape.  No Borgue Place Plan because it is not needed when the District Council are in place and fill in all the potholes!!!
  • Future plans made by retired parishioners.  Changes made by a select few individuals which does not reflect the views of the majority of Borgue residents – any plans made should receive 75% parishioner support before they are acted upon.
  • Division and intolerance in the community
  • Being lumped in as an incomer wanting to change the village – the village will change anyway.
  • Division. 
  • A narrow focus on elderly retirees new to the area – an appropriate weighting of opinions.  Those who employ others and raise families over those at end of economic life
  • It used to be a great place to live with enthusiastic community spirit
  • The local “Borgue People“ seem to have been sidelined by the new residents
  • Tension between farming community and residents and within the farming community itself. 
  • As is common in many rual communities with a substantial retired / holiday population, a feeling of us and them, incomers and residents. 
  • How the dairy farmers have taken over all the local dialogue (or have tried to) and are intimidating folk who are perfectly entitled to have views about the local area
  • Constant negativity from a community that object to everything
  • The rift between farmers and the rest of the community
  • The division amongst the villagers.  Nothing for young people to do.
  • Remote. 
  • The agitation existing between the farmers and the non farming residents. We need to understand and respect each other.
  • Communication and understanding between the two [farmers and the non farming residents.] is imperative and support from the Council in order to mediate and encourage an optimal solution could be the first step forward?
  • The attitude to farming that our new residents who have retired here and don’t know how the country side works.
  • The fact residents are constantly complaining about farming practices which they have no understanding about.
  • Not very progressive
  • The loss of young people
  • People moving to an area of farmland and then not liking farming practices.
  • The conflict among community. 
  • Isn’t anything for young people
  • Very high % of A / BB.
  • Some negativity at public meetings.
  • Divided local opinions and conflict.  Communication
  • Becoming very industrial and losing the rural community
  • Sadly at the moment, I feel most current decisions are being made by the elderly who have moved here to retire.  They are not the future of this community.  I feel the decisions involving the future of the parish should be made by the young people who are the future of the community.  This means not by the people who have moved to the area to retire.  I do not feel it is acceptable for people who have just moved to the area to be making decisions on what happens here.  Borgue is a beautiful place, if you don’t like it as it is, then why move here?  I would like the future to be decided by young people, who themselves are the future of the community.  I feel that decisions should be made by long term residents who have lived here for countless years and by business owners who work hard for the community.  Ask younger members of the communities for their opinion.  Encourage families to move here, for the primary school and for the future.
  • The lack of social opportunities for both young and older people, I dislike the current spate of houses being sold to retired couples. While I have nothing against any of them personally the changing demographics make it hard for school age children to have any social groups or opportunities. There is a lack of any economic activity in the village which again impacts on the younger generations ability to work within their own community
  • More families and re open the school
Healthcare & Other Services
  • The village has too many old people like me! 
  • School Community garden left to be neglected. 
Mobile Phone & Broadband
  • Mobile dodgy. 
  • No mobile signal around Senwick.
  • Analogue phone disconnection in 2025
  • Mobile phone signal when out walking (safety)
  • Mobile phone signal.  No facilities. 
  • Mobile phone signal when out walking. 
Pub / Village Hall / Shop
  • There is a lack of a shop, could possibly benefit from local run, essential items
  • Lack of community focus – no school, church, no pub (hopefully temporary)
  • Worried that the school closure makes it unattractive to young families
  • Pity about the school closure.
  • The pub needs protecting, with the school gone the lack of a pub would make the village a ghost town
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Verges
  • Not easy to walk along road when verges are high
  • The lack of verge cutting – dangerous in places.
  • Verges are dangerous at this time of year on narrow country roads.  We would welcome their being cut for safety. 
  • Very supportive of wildlife, but also of my family driving and walking.
  • Litter.  More training needed, earlier in life (more learning not to do it, and why .. less litter picking).
  • Litter picking.  Events held in school and rubbish dropping discouraged, but need to be re-inforced at home!
Hedges/ Trees /Forests
  • Commercial forestry at its limit for Borgue now. 
  • No more Sitka spruce. 
  • Tree replanting in unmanaged areas of farmland.
  • No more commercial Sitka. 
  • Fewer Sitka spruce. 
  • The mass planting of sitka spruce to fulfil a governmental ‘green’ target while lining the pockets of carbon credit multinationals. 
  • Damage to the environment from forestry planting (there was no environmental impact assessment)
  • Do not like all the tree planting; ill conceived forestation schemes, from which the only local people who profit are landowners;
  • The acquisition of land by outside investment companies, typically for woodland planting.
  • The planting of trees on farmland
  • We don’t need any more farms planted with trees
  • I would not like to see the planting of productive pasture land with sitka forests – this can only be influenced by central government agricultural policy. 
  • Any more forestry in our scenic parish. 
  • More tree planting and farms sold for this purpose!  Not allowed!
  • No more farmland sold for forestry
  • NO MORE FORESTRY!!! – you only have to travel up north to experience the ‘horizon pollution’!  But Only the Scottish Government can change this – make the Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) more accountable. If the Scottish Government continue to support such schemes then our Council should be encouraged, at a local level, to Introduce planning permissions for large scale forestry projects, including comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessments. The existence of this Scheme is not only ruining our countryside but it is inflating farm prices where large corporate Guernsey registered companies are purchasing our farms after receiving the ‘nod’ from the FGS that a grant for planting would be looked upon favourably, thus outbidding local farmers who have ambitions for growth
  • More unnatural forestation;
  • Hopefully Place Plan Group could ensure no applications slip through the net (eg Upper Senwick very underhand permission)
  • Woodland and forestry planting schemes need to have proper community consultation rather than blanket approval by Scottish Forestry.
Wildlife
  • We would have more ground nesting birds (curlews, lapwings etc) if we did not have badgers.  We never had badgers when I was young.
  • Loss of red squirrels to greys, loss of hedges, trees and whins for wildlife to shelter in. 
Rewilding / Habitats / Knowes
  • Very much against so-called ‘rewilding’.  We never have had beavers, bison or boar, but I have heard skylarks and saw 4 lapwings in the last week.  Removing knows is part of improving efficiency in farming operations and has no effect on wildlife.  There is still plenty of habitat left.  Look around!
  • Rewilded land, this allows the grass to take over there, not aiding the growth of such special wild flowers, which it is in aid of …
  • Destruction of wildlife habitats
River / Water
  • Pulwhirrin Burn is very polluted due to slurry spreading
Coast
  • Litter on beaches
  • Littering everywhere
  • Also, eliminate wild camping- especially motorhomes and camper vans at Carrick and Dhoon Bay. We need to protect this environment – they may be self contained but emptying a full toilette cassette down the public toilet leads to over use, blockages and pollution. Encourage the Council to erect height barriers at these beaches!
  • Litter at sides of road to Brighouse Bay (road signs, take your litter home and bins at Brighouse beach). 
Farming
  • Fields pretty ‘sterile’ around Borgue, I think.  No wild flowers etc.  Goodness knows what wildlife gets killed before grass cut for silage.
  • Borgue used to be a farming community. Unfortunately nowadays the beautiful scenery that has been created by farming practices which are continuously evolving seems to have resulted in houses being purchased by members of the older generation who then wish to influence the farming practices outside their window.
  • Lack of biodiversity when all fields left to silage
  • Lots of arguments with the farmers. The Scottish Govt. set their rules. Have the arguments with them.
  • The expansion of industrial dairy farming. This is destroying our characteristic landscape, degrading our environment and reducing biodiversity.
  • Slurry spreading
  • At huge risk from intensive farming, slurry /silage
  • The over-emphasis on farming activities
  • All the fields flattened.
  • Some heavy-handed [farming] practices destroying habitats.
  • Lack of understanding of farm activities.
  • Destruction of natural fields, hedgerows etc
  • Factory farming destroying the landscape and polluting the rivers and sea.  Heavy and fast traffic on the roads. 
  • Alarming loss of habitat and native species due to destructive land management -slurry/silage regime
  • Divisive, polarised positions around farming
  • Slurry spreading (intensive dairy farming). 
  • In this day and age it is essential that the only way farms can compete is to become more industrialized and we need the farms!
  • The conversion of many fields into grass monocultures for intensive dairy and the associated dramatic fall in insect life.
  • I would not like to see the greater intensification of agriculture (larger farms, fewer ‘natural’ areas, fewer ponds / streams, less biodiversity of florea and fauna)- see above.
  • Further increase in intensive dairy farming as it has been shown that this is a major contributor to climate change and the reduction in biodiversity. The global situation is dire and everyone and everywhere, including Borgue, has to contribute in order to halt and reverse these changes!  Education of farmers and land owners as to how vital their role is.
  • The loss of the curlews that used to nest in the fields near me before haymaking was replaced by the making of sillage and haylage.
  • The erosion of biodiversity habitats and the turning over of farms to industrial, non-agri uses
  • The loss of natural environment to intensive farming methods
  • Silage cutting
  • I am sorry to see the disappearance of the knowes which are a habitat for a more biodiverse environment (bees and birds especially) but understand the financial pressure central governments are placing on farmers to maximise their economies of scale.
  • Destroyed landscape due to removal of rocky knowes in the Regional Scenic Area.
  • Destruction of current field / land geography to flat featureless fields.
  • No more tree farms, or land being flattened – less grants to do these things
  • Any more factory farming as it’s too destructive
  • More ‘big’ farmers taking over the farms
  • Further expansion of industrial dairy farming. It is currently degrading our landscape, environment and road system, as described above, and causing a lot of friction in the community.  Increase in the acquisition of land by external investment companies hiding behind forestry grant schemes.  How to discourage?  Not from confrontation with local farmers! There need to be changes to the farming payments and incentive schemes to encourage and reward techniques that protect our landscape and environment.  
  • More intensive dairy farms – use subsidies, caps on industrialised farming model (taxation).  Tax on CO2
Renewables
  • Prospect of renewables creeping into our SSSI.
  • Further industrialisation of the area.  Further renewable developments without the upgrading of the national grid – By all of us acting together.
  • The area being run as a semi-industrial park for green energy and all the unproven benefits – through awareness programme and strategic tie-up with a wider greener framework.
  • Solar farm – better places to suit this project.  Other large scale industrial activity – More pressure from full community
  • and certainly no windfarms
  • wind turbine promotion Wind and solar farms on agricultural land.  It’s a blight on the countryside.  Offshore would be better for wind.  Solar, not sure about..  Nothing will stop the march of renewables, I’m afraid
General
  • All of these [forestry / wind turbines] would detract significantly from the natural beauty/ visual amenity of the area. Promotion of the SW 300 route – all one has to do to understand why this is a bad idea is to look at the mess (literal and figurative) that has been created in the north by the creation of the NC500 (referred to by many angry and frustrated locals as the WC 500). … Ensure sufficiently robust planning legislation is maintained/ improved /created.  Legislation and its subsequent enforcement, is essential at government level to ban the practice of so-called “wild camping”, and confine motorhomes, campervans, tents, etc to proper campsites.
  • National Park – we already have dark sky status.  We need to consider who will look after it – there are not enough young people who can afford housing to service such a proposal.  The Lake District and North Coast 500 are examples where tourism has overwhelmed the areas.  It would be worse here where there is little accommodation, and the roads are not suitable for the level of traffic that would be generated.
  • No Galloway National park as we have enough tourists that the hospitality industry can’t cope, with all the local cafes shut at 4 pm – Say no to national park they never properly advertised in the local press any public meetings in town public halls around Galloway so the general public didn’t get a vote before they put in there application!!
  • The thing which worries me most is the possibility of this area being designated a national park . The potential increase in tourism bringing additional traffic to already poor narrow roads would have a massive detrimental impact on Borgue. Hopefully powers at be will realise that this area doesn’t need additional bureaucracy stifling investment in the milk field of Britain
  • National Park status without infrastructure to manage increased visitor numbers – avoid large scale vanity projects and status symbols.  Make all public bodies face up to managing visitors and providing facilities
  • The general environment – litter picking, dog fouling should be done to help protect the nature and environment
  • Wild campers leaving their rubbish behind – I’m not sure. I don’t think leaving more bins out will help Selfish, but I don’t want the area to get too busy.  Level of tourism is OK now.  Avoid the Lake District ‘victim of it’s own success/publicity’ problem.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
New Housing
  • Destruction of landscape and views by inappropriate development of building / second homes.  .  Government grants to purchase land for inappropriate tree planting etc.
  • New builds, they look ugly and ruin the landscape
  • [Don’t want] Borgue fade away, off the map, or be covered in houses.  Keep the area natural.  Borgue should also however stay on the map as it has potential – to make use of these unused deteriorating areas with job opportunities.  This will keep people coming in, yet halting housing development on every bit of land.
  • random/unnecessary housing development;.
  • Lack of affordable housing
  • Stop holiday homes
  • No more holiday homes!
  • Derelict buildings
  • Not enough homes
  • Lack of housing for families.
  • The lack of housing for families. 
  • The village has been taken over by retirees buying all the local houses at prices that are beyond young local families.
  • The village becoming entirely a retirement theme park – create homes, improve public transport
  • Any major building developments; domestic or farming.  Look at Springholm development, it looks like a Cat A prison!.  Protest / placards where these occur.
  • Don’t want new builds on decent farmland
  • Local housing becoming holiday homes.
  • Increase in second homes, as they become neglected and don’t benefit the community – renting selling homes to bring families with young kids in to help keep the community going
  • To become developed, I agreed that some developments are good but not to become over developed with outside business.  Keep all business local – through planning applications.
Hall / Pub / School / Church / Shop / Café / Old Garage Site
  • Pub closing
  • Waste ground doesn’t look great
  • Empty garage is an eyesore.
  • Waste ground across from centre is eyesore.  The number of derelict buildings / homes.
  • The two old commercial sites on the hill into Borgue.
  • The ex-garage – eyesore
  • Building plot in centre of village opposite garage.  Any building on your land should be your responsibility to maintain.
  • Derelict sites coming into Borgue from the west. 
  • The big section of disused land on the other side of the road from the garage
  • The abandoned plot opposite the old smokehouse / garage; and the garage itself.  It is not charming!
  • The old garage site – needs a house on it
  • Concrete area [opposite garage] that is slowly rotting away should have something there
  • Derelict garage site in Borgue village. 
  • Closure of the kirk. 
  • Church has been sold but sadly no real function or contact with the community or outreach re needs of the community
  • The village hall!
  • Mothballing of school
  • Worried about the use of the school when it closes – needs to be something positive
  • School grass pitch and garden.  No houses should be built on these
  • School closure won’t encourage families
  • School becoming holiday lets
  • Loss of school is a significant loss to community
Second Homes / Holiday Homes
  • NO holiday park – there are too many already along this coastline.
  • Too many holiday homes.  Impossible for younger generation to afford to buy homes here.
  • Too many holiday homes.  Not enough rental opportunities for families. 
  • Number of B&Bs / holiday lets
  • Too many Airbnb’s
  • Expansion of holiday parks.  Put a sensible limit on Airbnb / holiday lets. 
  • Holiday homes, we have enough – planning at D&G should refuse any applications or change of use.
  • Too many houses bought for 2nd homes.
  • Too many holiday homes / 2nd homes.
  • Lots of holiday cottages. 
  • c. 25% + of village houses are second homes/ air B & Bs with more in the offing (see D&G Planning Dept info)
  • Empty properties through winter, only part occupied through summer.
  • Too many holiday lets.
  • Any more holiday homes.  I have no answer, as the house prices are unaffordable to families on low incomes, and the wealthy buying the lower priced cottages / homes.
  • Large scale tourism (more holiday parks, organised activities etc)
  • I would not like to see the limited residential properties used for holiday lets – residences for rent or purchase would be of more value to the locality. 
  • Become just a place of holiday cottages – more people staying in village rather than only being here part time. 
  • Any more Airbnbs.  Any more holiday home sites – Community engagement and landowner accountability.
  • More second homes because they lie vacant for much of the year
  • An increase in holiday lets, because it limits housing for young people – limit planning for these
  • Holiday lets everywhere – cap on Airbnbs etc
  • Holiday lets.  It is preventing the development of a thriving village community.  More permanent housing and financial penalties on A/BB owners and second home owners
  • More tourism and 2nd homes. 
  • Anything that increases noise around the area – later into the evening.  Increasing number of holiday lets – create a quota of holiday homes in the area. Reduce the continual increase in Airbnb’s! Only this week another planning application will be forthcoming for the conversion of a barn to four residential units. The new licensing scheme has not reduced the number of airbnbs – and the planning department cannot influence the ‘use’ of the building at planning permissions stage. Their hands are tied even although they have been made aware that the application for new developments will be used as an Airbnb they are unable to reject the application on these grounds
  • I would like less family houses to be sold as retirment homes or holiday let’s
  • Too many holiday / second home owners. Takes away the village community
Other
  • A single planning application for: new homes, tourism or agricultural related construction, which has been recommended for approval by a planning officer, be DENIED as the result of local opposition. – Educate the community as to the detrimental effects of denying local businesses, and remind them that these are what pay for local services, pensions, NHS etc.
  • [Don’t want ]Industrial units, over-tourism, more commercial forestry which exploits carbon trading opportunities –
  • Super school I think is a poor idea, especially all the travelling for the kids.
  • Lack of any focal point in the village
  • Farm buildings been left to become derelict and falling down
  • Derelict houses, steadings and farm buildings. 
  • Derelict farm buildings in several locations
  • Lack of lighting in village centre.
  • Those bright street lights that should have cowls pointing the light down
EMPLOYMENT
  • Less use of land for zero job opportunities…”woodland”!!
  • I don’t think a blacksmith is in the same category as a lorry park.
  • Lack of jobs
  • Lack of jobs for young locals
  • Limited new business formation = few jobs
  • Not diverse, low paid, seasonal jobs
  • The lack of opportunities