SCOTTISH BORDERS: New bypass for Selkirk on agenda ahead of £350m holiday park

A new bypass for Selkirk should top the agenda if the town and region is to reap the full benefits of a new £350m holiday park, a senior councillor believes.

The Scottish Borders received a huge economic and tourism boost late last year when it was announced that Scotland’s first Center Parcs holiday village was earmarked for land between Hawick and Selkirk.

The new resort incorporating Huntlaw Farm at Hassendean would represent a £350m investment and could create up to 1,200 jobs.

Center Parcs currently attracts millions of visitors a year to its six sites across the UK and Ireland.

The plan is to build about 700 lodges with a range of indoor and outdoor activities including an indoor water park.

It will also include a car park, main access onto the A7, civil and technical infrastructure, woodland planting and lake creation, hard and soft landscaping, forest management works, along with all other associated infrastructure works and activities at land between Hawick and Selkirk.

This exciting project promises substantial benefits, extensive employment opportunities, a significant boost in tourism, and crucial support for local businesses.

One councillor is eager to seize this opportunity to address a long-standing issue for Selkirk and its surrounding areas.

Councillor Leagh Douglas, Conservative representative for Selkirkshire, has written to SNP Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes MSP, urging that the Selkirk Bypass be added to the agenda at the upcoming Convention of the South of Scotland meeting in March.

She said: “The Center Parcs development is a game-changer for Selkirk and the wider region, but we must ensure we are prepared to maximise its potential.

“Traffic safety and congestion in Selkirk has been neglected for too long. A bypass would offer a proactive, long-term solution for our community. It is not just about improving traffic flow; it is about securing the long-term prosperity of our region and ensuring that Center Parcs’ investment benefits everyone.”

Councillor Douglas, SBC executive member for Finance, IT and Corporate Performance, believes her call to action underscores the importance of aligning infrastructure improvements with the region’s economic goals.

She argues the bypass is essential not only for resolving traffic and safety issues but also for fostering a community equipped to handle sustainable growth.