Tuesday October 6th 2026
Former Co-op site
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A clarion call has been issued for the conversion of empty shops in the Scottish Borders into much-needed affordable homes.
Members of the council’s Executive Committee today (Tuesday, October 6) endorsed an ambitious five-year housing plan which sets a target of more than 1,100 homes to be built in the region over the period.
But members were informed that more realistically the Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2027 -2032 will deliver just over 700 new homes due in part to financial constraints.
During the debate, Councillor Jenny Linehan, Conservative for Leaderdale and Melrose, raised the hope that SBC could target long-vacant retail premises to tackle the current housing emergency.
She said: “I see so many places on our High Streets with empty shops. I think a lot of people would like to see that we are looking into converting them into homes.”
In response, Lindsey Renwick, SBC’s Principal Officer for Housing Strategy, Policy and Development, said: “In terms of using empty shops there is an example in the SHIP of Channel Street in Galashiels, a project with Scottish Borders Housing Association (SBHA).
“So there are opportunities to use empty shops to become affordable homes. It is usually on a site by site basis.
“Converting shops is something that has been considered and recently, as part of the New Homes Agency, we did piece of work looking a vacant empty buildings, vacant land opportunities and we’ve compiled a list that we have sent to Scottish Government and there could be opportunities for funding through the new agency.”
It is now hoped that SBHA’s purchase of the long-vacant former Co-operative building at 34-36 Channel Street could act as a “benchmark” for future similar developments.
The acquisition serves as the crucial first step in a major town regeneration project aimed at breathing new life into the empty building by transforming it into much-needed modern homes
A SHIP articulates how the council and its Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) partners will seek to deliver the Borders affordable housing investment needs and outcomes, over a rolling five-year planning period.
The SHIP sets out a very ambitious potential pipeline of up to 1,184 new affordable Borders homes with an estimated investment value of £331m during 2027- 2032.
But based on current Resource Planning Assumptions, only 705 new homes could be delivered based on current funding available.
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