Hawick flood protection scheme bidders sought

Hawick has suffered repeated problems with flooding over the years

Bidders are being sought for a £35m contract to build a flood protection scheme in the Scottish Borders.

The defences in Hawick are expected to cost more than £44m in total and should be completed by 2022.

Scottish Borders Council will put in about £9m, the Scottish government nearly £35m and the rest will come from Transport Scotland and Scottish Water.

The council will need to purchase land along the river in order to implement the project.

In March councillors agreed to give officers authority to start land purchase talks and to begin compulsory land purchase proceedings where necessary.

The advert, placed on the public contracts Scotland website, reads: "The scheme will deliver flood protection against the one in 75-year flood event to 930 residential and commercial properties at risk along the river Teviot and Slitrig water through Hawick.

"The scheme will also deliver multiple benefits to the town of Hawick, maximising the cultural, heritage, educational, environmental, energy and health opportunities that a major civil engineering project can deliver in partnership with the community and external organisations."

Hundreds of properties should be protected by the scheme

Included in the scheme will be the replacement of three footbridges, and the creation of a 2.5m wide footpath and cycleway along the length of the defences.

A council spokesperson said: "In October 2005, flooding of the river Teviot caused extensive damage to the town, affecting thousands of people, hundreds of properties and caused millions of pounds of damage.

"As a result, SBC started the Hawick flood protection scheme, which is being delivered to protect around 900 flood-affected properties once completed in 2022.

"It is one of the largest infrastructure projects seen in the Borders, with 6km of flood defences being created, ten new flood gates and potentially three new footbridges."

• Story by local democracy reporter Joseph Anderson