THE sale of a Victorian mill building in Galashiels is back on track after a delay which infuriated its perspective purchaser.

In October, the Border Telegraph reported that two-storey Buckholm Mill off Wheatlands Road – owned by Scottish Borders Council and with a guide price of £175,000 – was “under offer” and, as such, had been removed from the website of selling agents Edwin Thomson.

But the following month, the council decided to “pause” the sale because of access issues relating to the much-vaunted Galashiels Waterways project which is developing plans to produce hydro electricity from the town’s historic system of mill lades.

Last year, that community project received £2m from the Scottish Government’s Local Energy Challenge Fund to progress three generating sites in the town including Buckholm Burn which runs alongside the mill building.

The stalling of the mill deal angered the un-named potential buyer who filed a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to Newtown demanding the names of all the hydro project teams members, including councillors, who were involved in the decision “to delay or stop the sale” and their reasons for intervening.

“Many of these are themselves councillors representing a group of people who have state aid of £2m giving them an unfair advantage over our privately funded community project,” claimed the disgruntled buyer.

In its FoI response, SBC declined to reveal the requested names, claiming such information was “personal data” and thus exempt from disclosure.

“Regarding the reasons or justification regarding any decision about the sale…any such information held in written form between SBC officers is designed for internal use only...and is exempt from disclosure,” added the response.

Asked to clarify the position this week, SBC leader David Parker said the buyer’s disquiet was due to an “unfortunate misunderstanding”.

“The council decided to pause the sale because of technical issues relating to access to the waterway required to develop the hydro-electric project,” said Councillor Parker.

“These issues, which were extremely complicated and required considerable historical research regarding ownership rights, has now been resolved and the mill is currently under an offer of £195,000 from the same purchaser who was understandably disappointed at the delay.

“Although I cannot at this stage provide any information on the perspective buyer, I understand it is a business related to the performing arts. I can, however, say that the sale will definitely go ahead.”

Buckholm Mill is believed to be the first industrial premises in the town illuminated by electricity, with works completed by Edison & Co. of New York in 1884.

The building, extensively refurbished by the council, comprises a general office, meeting room, board room, nine offices and kitchen/staff room areas of the ground floor and 12 offices, a meeting hall and a store room on the second.

Buckholm Mill has a current rateable value of £35,100.