Published: Wednesday, 13th December, 2006 1:29pm

Second housing agency set for Selkirk move

EILDON HOUSING is planning to shut up shop in Galashiels and Melrose - and take their 80 office staff to Selkirk.

An application has been submitted to convert part of Ettrick Riverside into offices for the association.

And if the bid is successful Eildon will close its headquarters in Melrose, as well as high street offices in Galashiels and Peebles.

Peter Lee, chief executive of Eildon Housing, told the Border Telegraph: 'We are an expanding organisation and require larger premises.

'A study was carried out and the future is to centralize our operations in one office - it is the way forward.

'We have not committed to buying the building as yet - we want to establish if we will receive planning permission to turn it into offices before any purchase is made. The building is the perfect size for our requirements.'

Eildon Housing was formed in 1973 by staff at Dingleton Hospital to give patients the opportunity to live in the community.

Over the past thirty years it has grown to become one of the largest housing providers in the Borders with almost 1,000 tenants and an annual turnover of £7 million.

And it currently leads the way in building social rented housing across the region.

Ettrick Riverside became the flagship development of Scottish Enterprise Borders almost five years ago when it underwent a massive multi-million pound refurbishment.

The former Victorian mill on Dunsdale Road is now home to around 150 workers and 30 different companies.

But the enterprise company had failed to find a tenant for the former Weaving Shed despite extensive marketing.

Selkirk Baptist Church hoped to move into the listed building two years ago to create a community centre - but their ambitious £1 million plans fell through after they failed to establish funding.

Nigel Watson, director of infrastructure at Scottish Enterprise Borders, said: 'Eildon"s proposals to refurbish the Weaving Shed will provide high quality office accommodation that will not only bring this A listed historic building back to life, but will also enable the company to grow and expand.

'We are continuing to discuss the company"s property requirements and supporting them through the planning application process.'

The Scottish Borders Housing Association moved to a new purpose-built office in Whinefield Road in the town last year.