AMBITIOUS plans to turn a derelict pub in Hawick’s Burnfoot area into a community hub have been given the go-ahead by council planners.
The Burnfoot Roadhouse has been closed and boarded up for several years, but leaders from the Burnfoot Community Futures group came up with the proposal to turn it into a cafe, nursery, soft play area and office space.
The scheme will see three extensions built, as well as garden areas and a suite of rooms for health practitioners.
A £57,000 lottery grant in May last year enabled the community group to employ designers Camerons to come up with the detailed proposal.
In July this year the proposal topped a list of Borders projects to be considered for Scottish Government funding.
The council picked it ahead of Borders Railway work and Galashiels town improvements for possible cash from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund.
Later this month a decision will be made by the Scottish Government on the final shortlist of projects which will bid for a slice of the £20.5million pot.
Burnfoot Community Futures has also submitted an application for £1.8million from the Big Lottery Fund to enable the work to be carried out on the Roadhouse.