“EXCITING” plans for a Galashiels site previously earmarked for a major development have emerged.

A meeting of the town’s community council last week heard that proposals for the former Burgh Yard were due to be filed with the region’s local authority imminently.

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) leader Euan Jardine said the project could include a hotel, care home, a commercial building, residential apartments and affordable homes.

Mr Jardine, who is a Conservative councillor for Galashiels, said the plans for the land off Braw Lads Brae were “really exciting”.

The former Burgh Yard site – which used to house a petrol station, garages and workshops – has long been established as a key location for development in the town by SBC.

In 2015, a hotel chain was said to be in talks over a potential 50-bed complex as part of a mixed-use commercial scheme.

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Two years later, SBC confirmed that the plot would be bought for around £1 million by Stirling-based Ramoyle Developments in what was hailed at the time as a “milestone”.

But optimism around the project faded when the council was left with a hefty legal bill following a failed attempt to cancel the sale.

Ramoyle Developments had six months to file an official planning application for the development.

The firm submitted two days ahead of the deadline, but the accompanying cheque arrived the following week.

SBC faxed documents to the developers on the cut-off day, rescinding the missives of the sale.

The local authority was found to be in the wrong despite launching an appeal.

Although SBC had to foot the legal bills, the court process concluded that it was free to remarket the former Burgh Yard site.