A BORDERS-BASED organic egg supplier has cracked it with a successful planning bid to continue operating a mobile poultry unit for another 15 years.

Border Eggs is a family-run business located at Hutton Hall Barns just outside the village of Hutton.

The company supplies organic, free-range eggs to the Borders, Northumberland and beyond.

Back in 2009 it was granted planning approval for a fourth shed, which currently houses 12,000 laying hens.

But at the time planning approval was granted on the condition that the unit was removed after 15 years due to it being a mobile structure.

Now permission has been rubber-stamped by Scottish Borders Council (SBC) for the unit to continue to operate for another 15 years – until 2039.

A report in support of the application said: “After 15 years, as expected the buildings remain structurally sound and continue to house birds.

“One member of staff looks after these birds every day and many more jobs are created when these birds are depleted, cleaned and restocked.

“Between them, the hens in these buildings produce about three million free range eggs each flock and contribute to the economy by creating employment and food.”

In his report approving the application, Paul Duncan, SBC assistant planning officer, says: “The application site is located within a former arable field at Hutton Hall Barns which has hosted mobile poultry units for around 15 years.

“In 2009, planning permission was granted for the mobile poultry unit known then as ‘Bird House 4’.

“The successful screening of the development has mitigated potentially adverse landscape and visual impacts, including the setting of the nearby designed landscape of the former Hutton Castle and the setting of nearby listed assets.

“The condition of the building is acceptable and there is no reason to believe the retention of the building for a further 15 years would harm landscape or visual amenity, or the setting of the noted interests.”