Fresh plans revealed for Mountain Bike Innovation Centre
Fresh plans have been shared with the local community aimed at taking forward the Mountain Bike Innovation Centre project at the Caerlee Mill site in Innerleithen.
If approved, the revised proposals would see the removal of the main building on the Caerlee Mill site - with a demolition application due to be submitted - which will then allow a new building to house the Mountain Bike Innovation Centre on the same site to be created.
The commitment was shared with the local community at the latest public meeting we held in the town on Thursday 5 December. We are delivering the Centre - a key project in the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal - with support from Scottish Borders Council and Edinburgh Napier University.
Next steps
If the demolition application to remove the main building on the site is approved, a planning application would then be submitted in 2025 for a new Mountain Bike Innovation Centre in its place.
The revised proposals have been agreed following public meetings on 23 September and 5 December and a community survey, with the demolition of the mill and construction of a new Centre in its place being the most popular of the available options.
Drop-in session - 11 December, 5pm to 7pm, Memorial Hall
A further drop-in session will take place on Wednesday 11 December from 5pm to 7pm in the town’s Memorial Hall, when the local community will have the chance to hear more details from SOSE and architects Oberlanders, to look at early designs for the new Centre, and provide feedback on plans for the Caerlee Mill site.
Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal
The £350million investment in the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, from the UK and Scottish Governments, is made up of £150m for Scotland (£85m from the Scottish Government and £65m from the UK Government) and up to £200m for England from the UK Government. This will be supported by over £100m of funding from local partners.
The Mountain Bike Innovation Centre will be funded by a £19m investment from the UK Government as part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, including £4m to be allocated towards the Tweed Valley Bike Park and Trail Lab. This funding is available, subject to the Full Business Case being completed and approved.
What benefits will the Mountain Bike Innovation Centre bring?
The Mountain Bike Innovation Centre will become a hub for the cycling sector and support Scottish, UK and international companies to develop innovative products and services and train and test athletes within the mountain biking and wider cycling industry.
It will provide a series of benefits for the Scottish Borders, including a predicted £138m contribution into the local economy and creation of over 400 jobs in the region over a ten-year period.
Background
- The Centre was earmarked for the former Caerlee Mill building after we purchased the site, with planning permission secured in 2023 for a renovation.
- However, the public meeting on 23 September heard that thorough investigations carried out at the site earlier this year had discovered significant additional structural issues with the building.
- While the site has been fully decontaminated and made safe, these new issues were much more substantial than the initial surveys indicated, with the technical advice being that the majority of the historic structure needs to be replaced.
- This work would have pushed the costs of the original project plans significantly above the available budget.
- Following the 23 September meeting, SOSE has looked at all options for the site, with the demolition of the mill and build of a new Centre the most effective way forward. This will allow the project to be delivered as planned by 2027.
- It also ensures the Caerlee Mill site has a viable future, which the local community have made clear is a priority.
How do I keep up to date with the project?
Regular updates and FAQs on the Mountain Bike Innovation Centre project are available at www.southofscotlandenterprise.com/mtbcentre.
Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of SOSE, said:
“Since our first public meeting in September, SOSE has been engaging with the community and partners to explore all options for the Mountain Bike Innovation Centre and the Caerlee Mill site.
“Throughout this engagement, the community have made it clear they want the Mountain Bike Innovation Centre to remain in Innerleithen, and for a positive solution to be found for the Caerlee Mill site.
“Our revised proposals tick both of these requests, and we will now press ahead with our plans to create a facility which will allow high value jobs to come to the local area and make use of key industries like textiles to shape the future of mountain biking.
“We thank the community for their engagement so far, and look forward to receiving further feedback at our drop-in session on 11 December, as well as another public meeting due to take place in 2025.”
Councillor Euan Jardine, Leader of Scottish Borders Council and Borderlands Partnership Board member, said:
“I am delighted that with the support of the community the partners are now in a position to kick on with the project and work towards the development of a facility which will bring significant investment and jobs to the Tweed Valley.
“Whilst it is undoubtedly disappointing that the original plans for the Mountain Bike Innovation Centre cannot be delivered as originally envisaged using part of the Caerlee Mill building, what is most important is that an internationally significant facility is developed within budget and that this important site in Innerleithen is regenerated.”