The refurbished Market Square in Melrose has won further recognition at the annual Saltire Society Awards for Civil Engineering.

The Saltire Society commended the project "in recognition of the design, development and construction skills used to deliver an attractive and functional town centre for this historic market town."

The scheme was also highly commended earlier this year at the Institution of Highways & Transportation award ceremony.

Both accolades are an endorsement of the efforts of those who contributed from both the local community and Scottish Borders Council (SBC).


SBC Technical Services and Planning staff managed, designed, procured and supervised the works, SBc Contracts built the scheme and local companies supplied the stone, the lighting and metalwork.

Client representative Russell Cramb, of SBC, who was involved with the project throughout, said: "I cannot praise highly enough the input from local people in the stakeholders group during the trial of the one way system and during the design and construction of the works. Their contribution was invaluable in achieving our goals. My thanks go to Graham Barker who chaired the group. We should take pride in the fact that all aspects of the project had a local theme."

His sentiments were echoed by project manager, Ewan Doyle who commented: "I think special congratulations should go to SBc Contracts’ masons Norrie Linton and Chris Burns who made such an excellent job of the stonework, and Brian Paxton and Alistair Lockie who laid the paving and blockwork, but everyone involved should feel a strong sense of satisfaction that their work has been rewarded."

(GK/JM)