July 6 2023

An Art Deco High School in the Borders town of Kelso has been successfully turned into extra care accommodation at the hands of Eildon Housing Association.

Poynder Apartments on Bowmont Street provide 36 flats for older people aged 60 and above together with communal facilities open to their families and broader community.

Extensive works to bring the building back to its 1939 heyday include transforming an old gym hall into a community hub.

Alasdair Rankin, managing director of Aitken Turnbull Architects said: "Housing needs to provide more than just shelter and security, it needs to give a sense of community, belonging and pride to those who live there as well as giving something back to the wider community. The renovation and rejuvenation of the former Kelso High School into the new Poynder Apartments does all of this.

"Opportunities like this are rare, the combination of a forward-looking client, a committed contractor and an engaged design team coming together to revitalise a much-loved local landmark preserving its heritage and securing its future for the residents and the people of Kelso.”

The £7.6m project was made possible with funding assistance from Scottish Borders Council and the Scottish Government. 

1 Comment

#1 Posted by Robert Leslie on 10 Jul 2023 at 10:46 AM

What a splendid use of taxpayers cash well done to the team.

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