A free gutter cleaning scheme has been launched in Hawick to help protect the High Street’s historic buildings.
The project, being offered through the Hawick Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) for properties within 1-85 High Street, aims to prevent costly repairs by addressing blocked gutters - one of the leading causes of damp, mould, and building decay, which can lead to serious deterioration.
Information on the gutter cleaning scheme will be provided to householders and business owners in the project area. The agreement of all owners of a property/block will be required to ensure the works can be undertaken.
Find out more
The Hawick CARS project team can be contacted for more information, on HawickCARS@scotborders.gov.uk or 01835 825215.
Councillor Simon Mountford, Executive Member for Planning and Community Assets
“Regular maintenance is a first line of defence for any property, and is especially important for historic buildings.
“Blocked gutters can cause water to saturate stone facades, causing serious structural issues and driving up heating costs to help with drying out, which in turn has a detrimental impact on the climate. By preventing this, property owners can help buildings stay resilient and energy efficient.”
About Hawick CARS
Hawick Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) is a partnership project developed by us with a community-based CARS Steering Group. The project has an overall budget of £1.5m, with funding from Historic Environment Scotland, ourselves, and South of Scotland Enterprise.
The overall Hawick CARS programme comes to a close in March 2025, having offered grant support towards traditional repairs for pre-1919 buildings to conservation standards and delivered complementary initiatives working with the community to increase the understanding of the town’s rich heritage and promotion of traditional skills.