Charlesfield H-Building Commercial Units
The H-Building is a complex of small workshops and storage units that has been created from the former WWII munitions buildings at Charlesfield. The complex is owned by Charlesfield Farms Ltd., and in 1985 the director Trevor Jackson worked with the then Scottish Development Agency to refurbish the site including re-roofing the entire complex which acts as a business incubator unit. The H-Building currently enjoys almost 100% occupancy rates
Charlesfield Industrial Estate
The industrial estate has risen from the derelict buildings left from the munitions factory built during the Second World War. A number of firms came in during the 1970s to form the nucleus of the estate, attracted by the central, accessible location within the Scottish Borders.
Charlesfield Industrial Estate Improvement
Phase 1: In 1987 negotiations started with the council and the development agency to expand the industrial estate. Land was sold to the council and Scottish Enterprise funded the provision of roads and services which was completed in 1992.
Phase 2: In 1996 Trevor Jackson negotiated funding with Scottish Enterprise to extend the road and to refurbish two former munitions buildings for local agri-services businesses, and to provide further serviced sites. The majority of businesses moving to the sites created were former tenants in the H-Building complex.
Phase 3: In 2002 the road was further extended creating more sites which were sold to local businesses. There are now more than 60 businesses located in and around Charlesfield employing around 300 people.
Phase 4: The final phase of the development of the former munitions factory is now being conceived. Instead of simply creating serviced sites for sale, Charlesfield First is looking at ways of regenerating the estate, and improving its amenity.
Steading Regeneration
In 2004 planning consent was gained for five dwellings to be created from the vernacular Georgian steading at Charlesfield. They were completed in 2007, and were all sold. The regeneration retained and enhanced the original architectural features. There is a further building to be renovated in the steading, and it is planned to turn it into a two bedroom holiday cottage. Trevor Jackson is currently engaged in renovating the outbuildings of the Charlesfield Farmhouse.
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In 2005 Charlesfield considered very carefully the opportunities presented by the Scottish Borders Council Local Plan Review and recruited a professional team to present an alternative sustainable vision to the major expansion of Newtown St Boswells. The Charlesfield First alternative was the proposal to establish a new sustainable settlement at Charlesfield, outwith the settlement boundaries of both Newtown St. Boswells and St. Boswells.
This new settlement explored the potential to create a carefully planned and sustainable settlement for future generations in the same way as previous generations undertook the development of Lauder,
The opportunity presented created a sustainable and long term development solution in the Scottish Borders at Charlesfield, supporting the community through provision of high-quality employment space and low carbon energy.
The decision was taken to expand Newtown St Boswells whilst zoning some of the land at Charlesfield for the industrial expansion including the energy centre now coming forward.
The Charlesfield Biomass CHP Plant and Wood Pellet Plant proposals flow from that earlier extensive, innovative and creative masterplanning exercise. The land at Charlesfield is still controlled to bring forward a future presentation of the single sustainable community proposal.
