A new, purpose built ambulance station has officially opened in the Scottish Borders region.

Hub South East Scotland and its contractor Morrison Construction completed the project earlier this year in Melrose.

The £1.9m facility is situated in the grounds of Borders General Hospital.

It will replace the old station which was built in 1976 at Roxburgh Street.

The new station provides improved, modern and operational facilities for the 34 staff that are based there.

In addition, it is the first Scottish Ambulance Service facility to be delivered through the Hub Initiative.

In an effort to retain local training and employment, Morrison Construction entered into a joint venture (JV) with Borders Construction to develop the facility.

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Paul McGirk, Hub South East's Chief Executive, said: "We are delighted to have delivered the first Hub project in Scotland for the Scottish Ambulance Service and I’m proud that, as well as a superb new station, it has resulted in a range of community benefits for the local area, most notably encouraging local employment through a joint venture with Borders Construction.

"Feedback on the new facility has been extremely positive and we look forward to continuing our successful working relationship with the Scottish Ambulance Service in the future."

Eddie Robertson, Regional Director, Morrison Construction, said: "With this contract, Morrison Construction further demonstrated its strengthened integrated construction and services capabilities.  Through our joint venture with Borders Construction, we were able to support Hub South East in their first Hub project for the Scottish Ambulance Service. 

"We were delighted to be able to hand over a state of the art ambulance station which meets the needs of both the crew and their patients."

John Moore, Construction Director, Borders Construction, added: "As an SME based in the Scottish Borders, we’re proud to be part of these projects. Our involvement in a joint venture with Hub’s Tier 1 Contractor, Morrison Construction, is helping sustain local employment and local spend, which benefits the communities we work and live in."

(LM)