A NEW care village – including a dementia centre – is being planned for Tweedbank.

Last Wednesday, Galashiels Community Councillors were told the local authority is looking to bring a new facility to the village at the Lowood Estate.

In December, SBC paid £9.6 million for the land south of the River Tweed, with a view to build new houses and industrial units.

And it has been revealed that architects are to carry out a feasibility study for a new health complex as part of the Tweedbank Masterplan.

Martin Joyce, the council's director of assets and infrastructure, said: "We are in talks with a number of private and public sector organisations for several developments at Tweedbank.

"One of the options is a public sector-led investment to build a new dementia unit.

"This would be in the first phase of the development, so it is our intention that contractors are on the site next year."

The region's first specially-designed dementia unit, Murray House, was built in Kelso last year.

And its first residents were welcomed to the £6.1 million facility just in time for Christmas.

But Tweedbank has been without a care centre since 25-bed residential unit Craw Wood closed its doors back in 2014.

Mr Joyce added: "At Tweedbank we have divided the site up so one third of the site will be for housing, one third for businesses and one third for public access.

"As well as the dementia unit, we are in talks to provide a sports facility near Radio Borders and have allowed space for CGI [the council's contracted IT provider]."

A Scottish Borders Council spokesperson said: “Investigations are underway into the possibility of developing a new care village at the recently purchased Lowood estate in Tweedbank, with architects appointed to carry out a feasibility study which will examine a range of options for a potential facility.”