A new community timber project will open next month, giving local groups the chance to put trees felled during the Hawick Flood Protection Scheme to a good use.

Community and charitable groups are invited to submit an application, outlining the details of a project which would use some of the timber and how it would benefit the local community.

The application process will be run in two phases, with the first phase launching on Monday 11 February and offering tree trunks to Borders-wide groups from council-owned land. The second phase will follow on later this year once further trees are felled in the autumn.

Application forms for phase one will be available from the Scottish Borders Council website from 11 February, with the deadline for submissions Monday 08 April. Applicants will then be advised if they have been successful by the end of May 2019.

Tree felling works have been required to allow the construction of the new defences in the town, which will deliver protection from a 1 in 75 flood event to over 900 residential and commercial properties at risk along the River Teviot and Slitrig Water – one of the biggest infrastructure projects ever to take place in the Scottish Borders.

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Every tree that is removed will be replaced with two new trees as part of the landscaping strategy for the town.

To date, the site clearance and tree felling works have been undertaken on Mansfield Road, Weensland and the river banks between James Thomson Bridge and North Bridge. In November 2018 when we reviewed the Scheme's progress and re-profiled its programme, a decision was taken to postpone the remaining tree felling works until autumn 2019 to minimise impact on the town's landscape.

Councillor Gordon Edgar, our Executive Member for Roads and Infrastructure, said: "Hawick Flood Protection Scheme will not only deliver protection to 900 properties but also aims to deliver multiple benefits for the community.

"With this in mind, the Council is launching the community timber project which will look to ensure these trees are put to good use, with a wide variety of ideas welcomed.

"As the Council's Energy Efficiency Champion, I am also looking forward to seeing a valuable natural resource being re-used in the local community.

"More details will be provided ahead of the launch of the first phase of the project next month, but any questions in the meantime can be made at hawickfloodscheme.com or the Scheme's Facebook page."

Due to the scale of the works, the project has now been divided into six elements, which are:

• The Flood Protection Scheme, approved in December 2017;

• An Advanced Works Contract to be completed before the Main Works takes place;

• A new wall at Commercial Road which will be both a flood wall and part of the A7 Trunk Road and thereby jointly delivered by the Scheme and Transport Scotland;

• A new Pumping Station within the Waste-water Treatment Works delivered for Scottish Water;

• A major investment in a sustainable travel network delivered in partnership with SUSTRANS (such as pedestrian and cycle pathways, new bridges, and associated infrastructure)

• New community park and civic areas (including Little Haugh, Common Haugh, Weensland)