Crumbling Cavers Castle near Hawick could be restored

Plans to restore a roofless, crumbling castle in the Scottish Borders look set for approval.

They would bring the towerhouse near Hawick back into use after much of it was demolished in the 1950s.

Parts of Cavers Castle, also known as Cavers House, are believed to date back to the 15th or 16th Centuries.

Objections have been lodged raising concerns over access, traffic and ecological impact. Councillors will go to the site before deciding its fate.

There is evidence of a castle known as Cavers being on the site as early as 1311.

By the 16th Century it was owned by the Douglas family and faced repeated cross-border attacks from English raiders.

The building was substantially extended in about 1750, followed by a "massive redesign and remodel" in the late 19th Century.

When one of the last owners died in 1949, a buyer could not be found for the property so its contents were auctioned off and much of it demolished by explosives in 1953.

It has been left in a state of "neglect and disrepair" for decades but there are now plans for its restoration.

Original proposals included the potential for use as a hotel or bed and breakfast but that has been amended to seek approval for its conversion to a house only.

More than 90 letters of objection have been submitted citing a number of concerns including:

However, supporters have said it could help to safeguard an important building and benefit the local area.

Scottish Borders Council have been advised to approve the project with a string of conditions.

They include measures to ensure the castle is only used as a residential home and also ensure that species protection plans are put in place for wildlife in the area.

Councillors described the project as "ambitious and quite exciting", however they decided that because of the scale of the project they needed to take their time over it.

It was agreed that a site visit should be made before reaching a final decision.