The Burgh Yard which was historically a former petrol filling station with workshops and yard is strategically located in Galashiels town centre adjacent to the Gala Water retail park and a short distance east from Galashiels town centre.
There are basement storage facilities contained within the tenements on the corner of Hill Street and the A7 which are included in the sale.
The site extends to approximately 1.06 hectares (2.62 acres) or thereby and slopes downwards from Braw Lads Brae (A7) from south to north with dual access points taken from Hill Street to the east.
Location
Galashiels is situated off the A7 amidst the picturesque Borders countryside and lies approximately 18 miles from Peebles, 40 miles south of Edinburgh, 58 miles north of Carlisle.
The town is located in the centre of the Scottish Borders with a population of approximately 110,000 persons and is the principal commercial and administrative hub for the area. There are good local amenities to include shopping, schooling and leisure facilities. Galashiels has campuses in the town for the Borders College and Heriot Watt University, which has recently redeveloped its halls of residence. The new Great Tapestry of Scotland Centre museum has recently opened in the town centre and adds to the existing tourist attractions in the immediate area.
The site is situated within 650m walking distance from the modern transport interchange which is used by over 3000 passengers daily together with the recent completion and opening of the Borders railway line in August 2015 providing a direct rail link to Edinburgh Waverley with a one hour journey time.
The site is situated in a mixed residential and commercial area. Surrounding commercial occupiers include Tesco, Asda, ATS, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Clarks, Pets at Home, New Look and Next.
Accommodation
Lot 1 - 2.18 acres
Lot 2 - 0.29 acres
Lot 3 - 0.15 acres
TOTAL - 2.62 acres
Terms
The subjects are available for sale as a whole and offers in excess of £750,000 plus VAT are sought.
Alternatively consideration will be given to selling the site in 3 lots as detailed below and offers are invited for the individual plots.
PROPOSED USES
Our clients would prefer the site to be used for a hotel. Independent advice has been sought which concludes that the Burgh Yard is the most suitable site for a hotel, which is one of the key areas of focus from the Galashiels Masterplan Regeneration Framework (2018).
Any development will need to show a strong built frontage to Brawlads Brae as referenced in the 2011 planning brief. Lower density uses should be positioned towards Hill Street.
Uses for the remainder of the site include private/affordable housing. However that being said this is a mixed use site and our client would be open to looking at proposals that are appropriate to the planning brief.
Our clients preference is to sell the site as a whole, however, consideration will be given to selling part of the site as a hotel if it can be shown how the remainder of the site can be developed.
PLANNING
The majority of the former Burgh Yard site is covered by a commercial redevelopment policy zoning within the Scottish Borders Consolidated Local Plan (2011). The site lies within the central area of Galashiels where policies ED5 and H3 apply.
Policy ED5 provides for retailing and other appropriate Town Centre development provided that the character, vitality, viability, and mixed-use nature of the Town Centre is maintained and enhanced. Appropriate Town Centre development, other than shopping, includes food and drink uses, offices, commercial, leisure and entertainment, residential, health care, education and tourism related uses. The policy states that if any proposed development would create an unacceptable adverse impact on the Town Centre then it would be refused.
Policy H3 allows for commercial development within Classes 1-4 of the Use Classes Order. Section 5 of the policy sets out the criteria by which exceptions can be considered, including provision of significant community benefit outweighing the need to maintain the original proposed use.
Further information setting out a development vision and potential uses for the site is available within the Supplementary Planning Guidance: Burgh Yard, Galashiels May 2011. This document is available for download on the Scottish Borders Council website:
http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/directory_record/7378/burgh_yard_galashiels
OFFERS
Offers are invited for the subjects either as a whole or in 3 lots. Offers should be submitted in Scottish Legal Form to:
Chief Legal Officer, Scottish Borders Council, Council Headquarters Newtown St Boswells, Melrose, TD6 0SA
All offers should include:-
- The identity of the purchaser
- Price offered
- Clear details of any conditions attached to the offer
- Indicative plans with proposed uses and a statement on design and finishes proposed
- Proposed timescale for conclusion of missives, completion and payment
- Proposed timescales for completion of development.
ASSESSMENT OF BIDS
In evaluating bids, the Council will require to comply with Section 74 of the Local Government(s) Act 1973. While the Council is not bound to accept the highest bid, it may be that the Council will require to exercise its powers under the Disposal of Land by Local Authorities (Scotland) Regulations 2010 to accept a lower bid. The Council reserves the right to sell privately and shall not be bound to accept the highest or indeed any offer.
Specification
SITE FOR HOTEL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING:
- PRIVATE / AFFORDABLE HOUSING
- OTHER COMPLEMENTARY USES AS APPROPRIATE TO THE PLANNING BRIEF