Multi-million pound Borderlands deal signed

A multi-million pound investment plan for southern Scotland and northern England has been officially agreed.

The Scottish and UK governments have confirmed £350m towards the Borderlands growth deal.

Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Northumberland, Cumbria and Carlisle City councils and other local partners will add in more than £100m.

They carried out an online signing of the deal which it is hoped can deliver more than 5,000 jobs.

It has been described as "transformational" but where will the investment be made?

One key part of the deal is the delivery of a study to look at extending the Borders Railway.

Opened in September 2015, the line currently runs from Edinburgh to Tweedbank in the Borders.

However, there have been repeated calls to take it on to Carlisle.

The feasibility of that plan should be assessed thanks to investment available via Borderlands.

A further multi-million pound package would be required should it be decided it can proceed.

One flagship project north of the border is the creation of a Mountain Bike Innovation Centre in the Scottish Borders.

The south of Scotland already enjoys an enviable reputation for the sport thanks to its 7Stanes trails across the area.

The deal hopes to build on that and see the region recognised for its pioneering role in two-wheeled tourism.

It would aim to make the Tweed valley a "European capital" for the sport as post-Covid recovery efforts begin.

Another site set to secure major investment is the former Chapelcross nuclear plant near Annan.

Its famous cooling towers came down in 2007 and the lengthy decommissioning process is ongoing.

It is now hoped a green energy park can spring up where once the nuclear facility stood.

The site already enjoys excellent network links and the goal would be to take advantage of those with renewable sources.

Across the border in Cumbria, the Carlisle station gateway has been chosen as a key scheme.

An investment of £20m has already been agreed ahead of the final signing of the deal.

It aims to improve the station environment, enhance connectivity and stimulate investment in the regional capital.

In neighbouring Northumberland, a new Berwick Theatre and Conference Centre is part of the plans as is investment in the Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery.

Funding will also go towards the building of Lilidorei, a large-scale play village to enhance the visitor offering at the Alnwick Gardens.

A major landmark on the Scotland-England border could finally go ahead thanks, in part, to the Borderlands deal.

The Star of Caledonia project at Gretna missed out on Creative Scotland support in 2014 and looked like it might not go ahead.

However, a £5.5m funding pledge from Community Windpower has put it back on track.

It is hoped backing from the growth deal can complete the package needed in order to see the giant artwork constructed.