WATCH: Demand for new homes highlights scale of housing crisis in the Scottish Borders

Tenants are set to begin moving in to a new housing development in the Burnfoot area of Hawick next month.

Scottish Borders Housing Association - the region's largest social landlord - has cut the ribbon on 12 new homes in Fairhurst Drive.

They include a mix of one and two-bedroom cottage flats with accessibility features, as well as two and three-bedroom homes, with solar panels and EV charging points.

It follows on from its recent development of four additional three and four-bedroom homes in nearby Leishman Place.

However, demand for the latest properties highlights the scale of the housing crisis in the Scottish Borders.

WATCH: Click on the link below for an exclusive first look inside the new development in Hawick...

SBHA chief executive Julia Mulloy told Greatest Hits Radio: "We've had around 250 bids for 12 homes, which tells you a lot. So 12 households will be really happy, but the others obviously are still looking for homes, and we're all doing what we can to make sure we can supply more in the future."

Scottish Borders Council declared a housing emergency in the region in May last year in the face of "significant challenges" in ensuring people could access properties which met their needs.

A Freedom of Information request revealed 359 households in the Scottish Borders were registered homeless in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Councillor Carol Hamilton, the local authority's Executive Member for Housing, said: "We need new homes for families moving into the Borders; for families who want to stay in the Borders; we need people to stay and work, and so to be able to offer them new homes is really good news.

"We have been looking at empty homes, and that's been really successful - turning empty homes into sustainable homes for people; we've been looking at turning garages into homes, and supporting RSLs - along with the Scottish Government - into building more developments."

Eildon Housing Association has revealed it hopes to build 800 new homes, after securing almost £19 million worth of funding from the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Lynn Mirley, Director of Business Support at Eildon Housing Association, said: “Our goal is to always provide the highest quality, affordable and sustainable properties and care possible especially amidst this housing crisis we are seeing in the Scottish Borders and beyond.

“Securing this deal with Royal Bank of Scotland allows us to help alleviate some of the pressures the current economic climate is placing upon local communities."

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