New tennis centre aims to assist sport's 'rising stars'

Work has officially started on the first covered tennis courts in the Borders with a £3.8m facility at the new Galashiels Academy.

The project is being funded by the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis (TSIT) Fund, alongside Scottish Borders Council (SBC).

It will see three artificial clay courts built under a canopy adding to the sports provision already in place at the school.

The Borders already has a thriving tennis community with 12 registered clubs and more than 1,500 playing members.

Galashiels Academy will become the fourth TSIT site, following new facilities at Oriam in Edinburgh, Moray Sports Centre in Elgin and the King George V sports complex in Dumfries.

As well as the tennis centre, the new facility will also feature two canopy-covered padel courts, providing a further boost for the fast-growing sport in the Scottish Borders.

The £64m Galashiels Academy community campus opened to pupils in January.

SBC leader Euan Jardine said the new centre would allow people of all ages to get active while also providing facilities for "rising stars" to train and play locally.

Meanwhile, an official opening has also been carried out at the indoor tennis facility in Dumfries.

The centre opened to the public earlier this year with schools, clubs and players of all ages and abilities already making use of the three courts.