Hawick flats in line to be demolished in summer

The £11m regeneration of the town’s Stonefield Estate is nearing completion, with the final two flat blocks built in the 1960s facing demolition.

When it was built 50 years ago. the estate consisted of 25 low-rise blocks made up of mostly one-bedroom flats.

However, by the end of the 2000s, the estate was in need of major revamp, with many of its flats sitting unoccupied and frequent anti-social problems becoming an issue.

A project was launched to revive the estate led by Scottish Borders Housing Association in partnership with Scottish Borders Council and Waverley Housing.

That work has seen the refurbishment of dozens of flats and the construction of several new properties, with the estate now offering one, two and three-bedroom flats and three and four-bedroom affordable homes for rent.

The housing association has applied to the council for planning permission to demolish the last two flat blocks, numbers five and six, with that work planned to take place in the summer.

Association development officer Ali Weir said: “Although we don’t have plans to build on the site at the moment, the demolition of these blocks and remodelling and grassing of this site will continue to improve the look and feel of this now-attractive and sought-after part of Hawick.

“We have discussed this with our tenants, and nearer the time we will contact all of the residents to provide assurance that these works will be carried out with the least possible disruption.”

Henry Coyle, the association’s director of customer services, added: “We wish to thank the local residents who have been patient over this period of Stonefield regeneration and hope that most would agree that this £11m transformation from small, unpopular flats to a thriving community with new, warm and affordable family homes, has benefited the whole of Hawick.”

“One of our key objectives is to create great places to live, and Stonefield is a fantastic example of this.”