ONE of the most vociferous opponents to the Great Tapestry of Scotland being housed in Tweedbank claims the project is being rushed through ahead of the next local authority elections in 2017.

And Councillor Michelle Ballantyne, who leads the opposition Conservative group at Newtown St Boswells, is also raising concerns over technology failings which are preventing campaigners against the £6 million visitor centre posting objections to the current live planning application.

More than 4,000 Borderers have signed a petition calling for the scheme to be scrapped. But just eight of them have so far managed to post online planning objections.

At Monday night’s meeting of Selkirk Community Council, Councillor Ballantyne said: “The planning application is live and it is there for anyone who wants to object - that is if you are able to. Everyone was blocked out from the system over the weekend but I am assured it is working again.” Selkirk Community Council is one of several local groups who have voiced concerns over the cash required to bring the tapestry to Tweedbank.

And they have campaigned for the councillors behind the move to answer their critics.

Councillor Ballantyne added: “They are pushing to have it through planning and opened before the next local council elections.” The full tapestry application is expected to go in front of the Planning and Building Controls Committee next month.

Members of the Selkirk council will write once again to SBC leader David Parker ahead of any decision.

Community councillor Alasdair Lockhart said: “I think we should remind David Parker of his offer to come and discuss the plans for Tweedbank.” Scottish Borders Council denied that its website was blocking objections throughout the weekend.

(Continued on page three) (Continued from front page) But they admitted the entire system had crashed on Monday evening.

A spokesperson said: “Due to high levels of traffic, SBC’s website went down at 7.07pm on Monday, August 10, and was back working at around 8.30am on Tuesday, August 11.”