Agenda item

A presentation from Director Infrastructure and Environment. 

3.1     The Director Infrastructure and Environment gave a short presentation, the purpose of which was to provide Members with an overview of Industrial Estates in the Scottish Borders.  A report was due to be presented to Council later in 2023.  The Scottish Borders covered an area of 4,724 km2 and comprised 97 settlements and a population of approximately 115,000.  A summary map of all sites where SBC currently owned Economic Development sites/ Business Land was provided – 13 in total across Berwickshire, Eildon, Teviot & Liddesdale and Cheviot localities.  A summary map of Local Development Plan (LDP) sites was provided – 9 across all five localities.  An officer working group had been established which met monthly to progress Economic Development sites and with a view to the development of a plan of action for the sites.  The group comprised Estates, Economic Development, Planning and Capital Programme Management.  A market assessment had been completed in collaboration with SOSE and partners and a summary was provided in relation to supply and demand of office space, small industrial units and serviced land/sites and barriers which included access to development finance and investment capital among others. Several recommendations were detailed in the assessment: coordination of market demand/supply information; identification of areas of market potential by public bodies; interventions to make land serviced and developable; public sector funded development; and market intervention to ensure local demand and attraction of mobile projects.

3.2     Information was shared on the Net Zero Starts Here Investment Guide; an initiative launched on 30 August 2023 by a South of Scotland multi-agency partnership which focussed on building the economy of the future around a renewable, values-based economy and the region’s natural capital. The website had been launched and detailed guidance in several sectors: energy transition; digital business services; digital financial services; food and drink innovation; health & technology; and software & IT.

3.3     In relation to SBC’s Site Analysis and Prioritisation, five criteria had been developed and were as follows: Strategic Fit; Market Assessment; Transport & Access; Economic Input; and Development Potential.  The working group assessment had identified several key priority sites: Duns Industrial Estate; three Eyemouth Gunsgreenhill sites; Galapark and Burnfoot, Hawick; St Mary’s Mill, Selkirk; Tweedbank; and Tweeddale.  A summary of action to date on other sites in the region was provided in terms of the number of plots available now and those in need of funding or development, the number of active enquiries and plots let or sold.

3.4     In response to a question about the Jedburgh Oxnam Industrial Estate, it was confirmed that electrical works on site was still required but funding was needed.  The demand in the area was low and consequently, development had been delayed.  A Strategic Working Group had been established to liaise with Scottish Water, Scottish Gas, BT and Scottish Power to achieve better alignment of priorities and subsequent investment.  In relation to the lack of SBC owned sites in the Tweeddale LDP available, it was confirmed that there were two land holdings of interest for which SBC Estates and Economic Development teams were in discussion with landowners.  In addition, early discussions had taken place with an Innerleithen landowner around the prospect of repurposing some of their holdings.  There was a need for there to be a closer alignment between land allocation in the LDP and business needs and demand.  In response to a question about Reston sites, it was confirmed that land in Reston had been allocated and was part of the consultation of the new LDP.  It was acknowledged that more work was required to effectively promote the availability of SBC owned sites and target advertising to particular business sectors. 

DECISION

NOTED the presentation.