Lowood House near Melrose set for demolition

A number of options have been considered but demolition is being recommended as the best way forward

An early 19th Century country house on the banks of the River Tweed is facing demolition to make way for new homes.

The contents of Lowood House near Melrose were sold at auction in 2021 - with one dish fetching more than £1m.

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) bought the estate nearly five years ago to extend the village of Tweedbank.

A range of options have been considered for the seven-bedroom historic house but a report to councillors suggests demolition is the best solution.

SBC purchased the land for about £11m in the hope of providing new homes in the area and creating hundreds of new jobs.

A dish from the house sold for more than £1m at auction in 2021

The deal was a controversial one with questions raised about the viability of the vision for the area.

The fate of the country house on the estate has been unclear but now it is being suggested that demolition would be the best way forward.

Other options considered included a boutique hotel, conversion to flats or a training centre.

However, they were all considered unviable due to cost.

A report to be considered by councillors suggests the preferred option for Lowood House is demolition at a cost of £450,000, as it would also free up more land for new housing.