Scottish Borders Council has launched a public consultation on the next phase of the Tweedbank Masterplan, seeking views on future development plans for the village.

A drop-in session on Wednesday 21 August at 2pm to 7.30pm in Tweedbank Community Centre will allow the council to gather comments ahead of the publication of Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) towards the end of this year.

The Tweedbank Masterplan is a key project for the Borders Railway Blueprint Programme. It is seen as a transformational prospectus for the Scottish Borders which has the potential to create over 1,400 jobs.


The plan includes a number of ambitious ideas to encourage people to live, learn, visit and work in the Borders across five sites in the local community.

The SPG will build on the ideas presented in the Masterplan, with the process requiring a 12-week consultation and approval by the Planning and Building Standards Committee.

Once approved, the SPG will be a material consideration when processing planning applications submitted for the development of Tweedbank.

Councillor Tom Miers, Executive Member for Planning and Environment, said: "There are a number of exciting opportunities for residential and business space around Tweedbank.

"We have already seen the progress with one element of this – the Borders Innovation Park - which will deliver significant economic benefits to the whole of the Scottish Borders.

"The creation of the Supplementary Planning Guidance is key to developing these ideas further, with the drop-in session on 21 August a starting point for us to gather comments from the public to feed into the draft SPG.

"A full 12-week consultation due to begin later this year will then give residents and the public a further chance to give us their views on the draft SPG."

(MH)