Old Kelso High School conversion approved

The old school will be turned into dozens of homes

Plans to convert an Art Deco secondary school in the Borders dating back to the 1930s have been approved.

More than 80 homes - many of them supported accommodation for the elderly - will be built on the site of the old Kelso High School.

Councillors approved the plans with some adjustments to the design of a number of the properties.

Kelso councillor Simon Mountford described it as "really good news" for the town.

Pupils left the site two years ago and moved to a new £22.5m development.

A new school in the town opened in 2017

It was said at the time that the old school had "served the town well" but new facilities were needed.

Mr Mountford welcomed the decision by Scottish Borders Council to approve the housing proposal.

"I'm absolutely thrilled that the old high school is going to be reused, it is going to be maintained in economic life," he said.

"Particularly I'm delighted that we are going to be using it for extra care housing which is something that is really needed both within the Borders but especially in Kelso."