HOUSEHOLDERS living above a controversial wall in Selkirk have hit back at councillors.

But the agency responsible for local trunk roads admits it is in the dark.

Last week’s Border Telegraph revealed how fears had been expressed over the condition of a 20-foot wall next to the A7 at Ettrick Terrace.

And how one local authority member, Gordon Edgar, believed it was the responsibility of residents to prevent it from falling onto the road and pavement below.

But the home owners have responded with historical records and their title deeds to prove the structure was built 30 years BEFORE their houses.

And according to the official documents they possess, its upkeep is down to the roads authority, Upholsterer Nick Bihel lives in one of the three households above the wall. He told us: “The road and the walls on either side were built through land owned by a Mr Dobson in 1831 and 1832 - these houses didn’t go up until 1860.

“They had to break through the rock face to connect the town centre with the jail, which is now the library, and the wall was built to hide the bar rock face.

“The title deeds for these properties show that we have responsibility for a small wall towards the Doctor’s Close and the other small wall at the other side leading to the Conservative Club. We have looked after these walls but the one next to the road is the responsibility of whoever is looking after the road.” Ancient documents show that the Committee for the New Selkirk to Galashiels Road paid saddler William Dobson £600 for his house, which had to be demolished, and the surrounding parkland at the start of 1831.

Within 20 years of the new road being completed St Mary’s Church, which was demolished in 2000, was built. And ten years later the sandstone house above the new road, which is now three apartments, was also constructed.

Mr Bihel added: “Repairs were done to the wall by the town council or whoever back in the late 1940s or early 1950s and it hasn’t been touched since then.

“I don’t believe it is in danger of falling down - all that’s behind it is bare rock, there’s nothing pushing it.

“The only damage being done to the wall is from the heavy lorries and buses that pass by every day.” The A7 which runs through Selkirk is part of the region’s trunk road network.

It is currently the responsibility of BEAR Scotland, soon to be replaced by Amey.

This week officials confirmed they planned repairs on some walls leading into Selkirk - but they believed the Etttrick Terrace structure was the responsibility of either Scottish Borders Council or the neighbouring landowners.

A BEAR Scotland spokesperson said: “the wall in question isn’t part of the trunk road network.” But former Selkirk councillor Kenny Gunn is in doubt about where responsibility lies.

He said: “Scottish Borders Council has had this assumption for years that the wall isn’t their concern - that’s not the case.

“I have checked this out in the past and it is definitely the responsibility of whoever is looking after the road. The wall has nothing to do with the people living there.”