´óÏó´«Ã½

Five town centres in the Scottish Borders are being targeted for regeneration efforts in the region.

Hawick, Jedburgh, Eyemouth, Galashiels and Selkirk will be the focus of efforts by the local authority.

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) said a wide range of statistics had been used to identify the towns involved.

Last year the authority agreed to begin a rolling three-year plan to tackle town centre decline with the sites to be decided on an annual basis.

Stuart Bell, SBC's executive member for economic development, said: "This is a new approach for the council and proposes the use of targeted resources and partnership working to deliver focused regeneration activities in our towns in greatest need of intervention and investment.

"The actions and projects proposed would have significant economic impacts or wider benefits in the respective town centres and, at this time, are targeting empty properties, key site development, marketing, event and tourism development, inward investment and business support.

"While we are initially proposing to focus on five priority towns, the action plan is adaptable and we will seek to take advantage of new opportunities wherever they may arise and where a positive economic impact can be achieved."