THE councillor responsible for economic development in the Borders does not anticipate that the construction of a £6m visitor centre for the Great Tapestry of Scotland will begin before August.

Stuart Bell (SNP) was responding at last week’s meeting of Scottish Borders Council to a question from Councillor Gavin Logan of the Conservative opposition group.

Cllr Mr Logan wanted to know when a report on the operation of the facility and the structure and membership of the trust which will run it would be brought to councillors for debate.

Cllr Bell told him: “Officers currently anticipate a report will be brought to council in August.”

CllrMr Logan then asked for confirmation of a “commitment” that construction at the Tweedbank site would not commence until that report had s been considered.

CllrMr Bell said he could not recall any such commitment, but added: “Although the necessary permissions [for construction] are in place, there are still a number of matters to resolve, so I do not anticipate construction commencing before August.”

The council has agreed to invest £3.5m in capital into the project and is currently awaiting confirmation that the Scottish government will fund the balance of £2.5m through its Borders Railway Blueprint programme.

Planning consent for the building – on a council-owned site opposite the new rail terminus – was granted in October last year.