ROYAL BURGH OF SELKIRK and DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL revision 2 (see notes)

Concerns, issues and opportunities to be tabled for discussion with SBC - with a view to agreeing a programme of implementation

ISSUE / COMMUNITY INPUT/INVOLVEMENT / SBC
(suggested) DEPARTMENTAL / SERVICE INVOLVEMENT
Planning / Tech Services (TS) / Others
1. / CENTRAL AREA
. /
  • Market Place
/ consider future (community based) uses to create community focus / consultation with
Regeneration Group/ Community / Econ Dev
consider reconfiguration to reduce bus domination / consultation with
Regeneration Group/Community / TS
  • Town Hall/ Old Court House
  • + Fleshmarket steps at rear – up to Holywell Hill/ Douglas Place
/ disabled access
blighted area. Opportunity for reconfiguration of functions and potential infill housing via phased redevelopment plan / consultation with
Regeneration Group/ Community / Conservation (Lottery project?)
Econ Dev, Conservation and Landscape / TS
  • High Street/Chapel Street corridor
/ backland decay and blight with opportunities for redevelopment and public parking / consultation with
Regeneration Group/ Community and involvement with owners/ affected neighbours / Policy/ Dev Control and Conservation / TS
  • Future of Police Station (site)
/ possible withdrawal of police on-site presence = potential availability of site for redevelopment / Consultation with Community / Policy, Dev Control / TS / Chief Exec?
  • No. 1 Tower Street
/ recent acquisition for community purposes (community initiative) / consultation with Community Council as owner / Conservation
  • Halliwells Close
/ visitor approach to museum/TIC and important pedestrian link between Market Place and visitor arrival point (parking/toilets)
renovation of outhouses (with possible static display?)
improved public/security lighting / consultation with Regeneration Group,
affected neighbours/ owners / Conservation / Education (Museum Service)
  • Conservation Area
/ protection and maintenance/repair (grant assistance) / consultation with
Regeneration Group/ Community and individually affected owners / Conservation, Policy and Dev. Control
  • Kirkyard, Kirkwynd
/ tourism potential - ref. consultant’s report (but funding delays)
consider improved access inc. via rear of PO to form pedestrian link with Fleshmarket / Consultation with
Regeneration Group/ Community and PO agents / Conservation / Parks and Cemeteries
  • St Mary’s Church
/ Central area eyesore and development site – urgent need for SBC to take initiative and facilitate /expedite redevelopment.
Suggest preparation of development brief pending conclusion of incomplete planning consent / consultation / Enforcement and Dev. Control
Local Plans/ Conservation / TS
2. / Town: General
  • Footpaths, ground surfaces and street furniture – especially central/ Conservation Area.
  • Palette of approved materials – street furniture/paving etc-. required
  • Bannerfield Drive
/ condition of footpaths/pavements throughout town is considered to be generally poor and requires a rationalised approach
Dialogue! The central (Conservation) area requires an agreed, rational and co-ordinated approach to material selection to avoid the existing plethora of finishes and colours. Appropriate sub-base construction also requires to be identified to reduce ongoing maintenance costs.
footpath distorted and very uneven (caused by tree roots) / Consultation with
Regeneration Group/ Community / Policy, Dev Control, Conservation and Landscape
Landscape / TS
+ Transport Scotland (BEAR)
TS
  • Local Heritage and Conservation
  • Public Buildings
/ preservation and enhancement of inherent quality and character
general concern and visual evidence (blocked gutters/ roof leaks etc ) that the condition of those public buildings in SBC care are not being adequately maintained. An audit of such properties should be undertaken and an improved building maintenance regime then established and funded. / Consultation with
Regeneration Group/ Community
Consultation with
Regeneration Group/ Community / Policy, Dev Control and Conservation / TS
(Estates) / Financial Planning
  • Affordable housing
/ identify sites and opportunities to help local community – reduce outward migration. Apply policies. / Consultation with
Community / Policy and Dev Control
  • Parking issues, including
long stay parking controls / one of the byproducts of A7 traffic and central area pressures.
Discourage long stay, bus and lorry parking within central area.
Identify, investigate and develop alternative sites as appropriate / Consultation with
Community / Policy / TS
  • Knowepark Primary School
/ Potential replacement: Need to identify appropriate site to accommodate adequate facilities
Current traffic / access difficulties – related to school function / Consultation with
Community
Consultation with
Community / Policy and Dev. Control / TS
TS / Education
  • Leisure / Sports
/ damaged and waterlogged pitches at SHS and the rugby and football clubs / Consultation with
Community / Leisure and Recreation
3. / Environment
  • Selkirk Hill
/ preservation and enhancement of local environment as an attraction for locals and visitors / Selkirk Hill Management group / Access Officer and Countryside Rangers / Parks
  • Ettrick Water corridor
  • Including Swimming Pool/ Caravan Park/ Camp site
  • Floral displays
/ preservation and enhancement of local riverine environment and access.
Visitor and local attraction - maintain and enhance local environment, landscape and access.
Upgrade facilities.
Alternatively, consider potential replacement on central site
N.b juxtaposition with Riverside Industrial Estate accesses and environment
Identify and develop displays at strategic points around town to improve image/visitor impact and local wellbeing / Consultation with
Community/ local Flood Group
Consultation with
Community
Consultation with Community / Access and Countryside Rangers
Landscape
Policy and Dev. control
Landscape / TS (+ Flood mitigation) / Parks
Parks
Leisure and Recreation
Parks
  • A7 corridor
(Ettrick Terrace)
  • A7 approach (north)
/ TPOs in force but commitment to a maintenance/management plan required.
Implement new ‘managed’ edge to verges – such as double width beech hedge to trim woodland edge and camouflage unkempt land slopes (eg areas opposite Dunsdale Haugh)
Improve Dunsdale Haugh appearance, setting and amenity
Ettrick Terrace dark and overhung with poorly managed trees and scrub – under canopy landscape regime and maintenance also requires to be established / Consultation with
Community / land owners (if identifiable)
Consultation with
Community / land owners (if identifiable)
Consultation with
Community /Developer(s)
Consultation with
Community / Planning
Landscape
Dev Control / landscape / TS + Transport Scotland (BEAR) / Parks
Parks
  • The Toll
/ Tarnished ‘Gateway’ image:
set up ideas competition with (senior?) students from High School followed by exhibition of work in local Library. In tandem with canvassing community opinion via question/comments sheet.
Tie in with A7 corridor proposals
Assistance with base information required from SBC / Liaise with High School re feasibility and progress project / Landscape? / ? / Education (Selkirk HS-Rector and staff)
Parks Dept
  • Allotments
/ confirmation of land allocation at former Fish Farm site and alternative option (Bannerfield)
Local community initiative with landowner and assistance from SBC / Direct involvement with
Community / Planning (Policy) / TS / Parks
By-Pass /
  • By- Pass
/ Will assist protection of Selkirk’s historic centre and conservation area and
-demonstrate ‘green’ policy by reducing pollution
-encourage visitors to ‘safer’ environment
-facilitate central area refurbishment
-provide potential Planning gain and benefits to local vitality
-improve rail/ commuter links
(consider implications once the by-pass decision is made) / Maintain pressure on Central Govt / Transport Scotland via A7 Action Group/MP/MSPs
Highlight need for bypass route to be identified, surveyed and safeguarded
Policy / Policy,
Tourism and landscape (Natural Heritage) / TS
TS / Chief Exec
  • Traffic flows: Yarrow Terrace /Buccleuch Road
/ -Area of traffic difficulty/congestion
-Consider future of blacksmith yard / Consultation with
Community / Policy/Local Plans and Dev Control / TS
  • Thornfield
/ -Disintegrating road surface (overtopped concrete base)
- / TS
4. / Economic Regeneration
  • Dunsdale Haugh / Riverside
/ regeneration of Dunsdale Haugh area and physical implementation of measures to mitigate flood risk / Consultation with
Regeneration Group/ Community / Policy and Dev Control + landscape / TS (Flood Group)
  • Windfarm potential
/ local project to establish viability of harnessing green energy. Consultants invited to tender for feasibility study / Direct involvement with
Regeneration Group/ Community + other potential partners / Policy and Dev Control / ? / ?
  • Textile Heritage Centre
/ possibly based on Elliot’s Mill, Dunsdale Road / Consultation with
Regeneration Group / Econ Dev, Conservation, Tourism / ? / ?
5. / Events / All local events involve community organisations and have a potential tourist/economic spin-off – thus requiring a high standard of environmental quality
  • Selkirk Common Riding
/ Annual event with huge community involvement / Direct involvement with
Community / TS / Parks
  • Scott’s Selkirk
/ Annual event requiring sponsorship/grant assistance / Direct involvement with
Community / Tourism
  • Stadtfest
/ Local initiative requiring grant assistance / Direct involvement with
Regeneration Group/ Community / Econ Dev / Lottery Officer?
  • Walking festival +
/ Encourage annually with other walking events / Consultation with
Community / Tourism / Access Officer
  • Markets (Continental)
/ Encourage at least once /twice per year / Direct involvement with Community / Econ Dev
6. / General Issues / All Departments / Services!
  • Community Voice
/
  • Ensure community voice is heard (and heeded) – c.f. loss of prime retail frontage status and risk of degrading Market place quality/setting by recent planning consent – also planning approvals not genuinely reflecting local opinion
  • Engage more fully with SBC and local elected members (Councillors)
  • Note there is a common public perception in Selkirk that the town is generally overlooked by SBC and government in terms of capital investment planning (esp. regeneration / development issues) – and that, historically, the local community has not been adequately consulted
[c.f. other Borders examples- Melrose Square, Galashiels central area, Hawick (Heart of H = loss of archive from Selkirk), Kelso by-pass and bridge, Clovenfords by-pass and environmental imps, investment in Lauder, Peebles, Duns, Coldstream, Eyemouth, Tweedbank etc. etc]
  • Formation of TRUST? - help unify community groups? Currently being established
  • Need for local action to be confirmed and demonstrated through development planning and financial commitment by SBC (embed in Business and Financial planning processes/ programmes)

Ian D King
26 July 2008

List sent to Ian Lindley, Director of Planning and Economic Development (28 July 2008)

and copied to:

  • all members of The Royal Burgh of Selkirk and District Community Council
  • Selkirk Regeneration Group (Dr L Neil, Rob Nicholson)
  • Scottish Borders Councillor Vicky Davidson
  • Scottish Borders Councillor Kenneth Gunn
  • Scottish Borders Councillor Carolyn Riddell-Carre
  • SBC Community Council Liaison Officer Clare Malster
  • Michael Moore MP
  • Jeremy Purvis MSP

REVISIONS/ ADDITIONS / Description of revision / Date
1) / addition of
  • Knowepark Primary School – replacement
  • Swimming Pool – replacement
  • damaged and waterlogged pitches at SHS and the rugby and football clubs
  • implications once the by-pass decision is made
  • Chapel Street pavement repairs
/ September/ November 2008
2) / addition of
  • traffic issues related to KnoweparkSchool access etc
  • Selkirk Common Riding and note re environmental quality
  • St Mary’s Church site – update
  • Allotments - choice of site(s)
  • Reference to future of existing police station deleted following assurances of continued police presence in town
/ December 2008
3)
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