Dutch-style care village backed in the Borders

Plans for an £11.2m care village in the Scottish Borders have been endorsed by councillors.

They have agreed the business case for the 60-bed development at a site on Guthrie Road in the Stirches area of Hawick.

It will replaced the town's Deanfield Care Home and be delivered in partnership with Eildon Housing.

Councillor Stuart Marshall said he believed everyone in Hawick supported the plans.

The move is part of a wider shake-up of care provision across the region with a similar care village planned at Tweedbank.

The proposals first came forward after a council visit to a "dementia village" in the Netherlands in 2020 to look at new ways to provide services.

It favours a move a way from institutionalised care by creating a "neighbourhood that is part of broader society".

The Deanfield facility in Hawick will have to close under the plans

Mr Marshall said he was "absolutely delighted" that the plans had been supported.

"The starting gun has been fired now for Hawick in terms of trying to deliver this 60-bed care village," he said.

"It is much-needed, it has been three years in the making and I am glad we have got to the stage now where we have approved the outline business case.

"The whole town will be thrilled by this news."

He said it was sad that it would mean the closure of the Deanfield site in a few years time.

"It has served our community very well for the last 35 years," he said.

"I pay tribute to the staff at Deanfield who have been absolutely outstanding and they continue to provide a fantastic service for the town.

"But we move on and to get this up and running in Stirches in a few years time will be a huge shot in the arm for Hawick."