A DROP-IN session next week will provide the public with the opportunity to see how the Hawick Flood Protection Scheme will change the town.

The event will be held at Hawick Town Hall on Wednesday (March 27) and will allow the public to view the final scheme design between 1pm and 8pm.

Information will be available on how the design has been finalised through the Community Vision Working Group’s involvement.

Attendees will also be able to view the final wall heights and finishes, the proposed public footbridges and plans for replacement community greenspace areas.

In addition to detailed outlines of the finalised project, members of the Flood Protection Scheme and Scottish Borders Council officers will be on hand to answer questions.

Councillor Gordon Edgar, the council’s Executive Member for Roads and Infrastructure, said: “The drop-in session is the latest in a series of proactive engagement events held by the Hawick Flood Protection Scheme over the last four years with the public, community groups and businesses.

“We will continue to engage with the public, community groups and businesses on one of the most significant infrastructure projects to take place in the Scottish Borders.”

The Hawick Flood Protection Scheme will protect 900 commercial and residential properties long the River Teviot and Slitrig Water from a 1 in 75 flood event.

Eighty percent of the funding for the scheme is being provided by central government with the remaining twenty percent provided by Scottish Borders Council.

As well as protecting vulnerable properties from major flood events, the scheme hopes to provide cultural, energy and environmental benefits to the town.

As part of the project’s environmental sustainability remit, local community and charitable groups are being invited to apply to put trees felled during the scheme’s construction to good use through a community timber project.

Interested parties have until Monday, April 8 to propose projects which would use some of the timber for the benefit of the community.