British Wool lodges Borders relocation and expansion plan

The organisation provides wool from thousands of farms to the textile industry

A group which operates on behalf of 35,000 sheep farmers has lodged plans to move and expand its Borders base.

British Wool currently has a site in Galashiels but hopes to transfer to a new facility in Selkirk.

The group - which collects, grades and markets wool to the textile industry - said it would allow it to increase its workforce and keep a Borders presence.

It has submitted plans to Scottish Borders Council to allow the overhaul of the old RP Adam site in Selkirk.

British Wool announced the purchase of the premises earlier this year.

The proposals would see the demolition of an existing office to allow a new storage warehouse to be built.

British Wool announced the purchase of the Selkirk site earlier this year

The organisation said it had outgrown its Galashiels site which was no longer fit for purpose.

It said the move would allow a "key employer" to remain in the region and retain its existing workforce.

The group currently employs between 18 and 25 staff on a seasonal basis but it is hoped the transfer to new premises could allow that to rise by about 25%.

It said the proposal would ensure an existing industrial brownfield site in a prime business area would not remain unoccupied and "fall into a state of disrepair".