BORDERS leaders have presented the Scottish Government with an ambitious project that promises to further develop the area’s growing worldwide reputation as a centre of excellence for mountain biking.

The moves comes after a £300,000 mountain bike centre was opened at Glentress.

And last month the TweedLove cycling festival brought 10,000 people to Peeblesshire from all over the world, generating an estimated economic windfall of an estimated £1m.

The project is part of an ambitious Rural Regional Economic Development Programme for the south of Scotland.

It was presented by the South of Scotland Alliance to the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, when he visited the Borders on Tuesday.

The Alliance met Mr Swinney in Hawick last December when they were tasked with bringing forward an economic programme for the South of Scotland. The idea is to build on the key strategic opportunities in the area and links with Scottish Government and the Community Planning Partnership Economic Strategies.

Tweeddale East councillor Stuart Bell, the chairman of the South of Scotland Alliance and Scottish Borders Council’s Executive Member for Economic Development said: “We have developed our Rural Regional Economic Development Programme as a practical partnership response to enable national and local partners to work together to take those opportunities forward. We believe that the programme is ambitious in the current institutional and financial context, and consider it is a starting point for new, larger strategic initiatives in future.” The other three significant projects presented to Mr Swinney were: the Borders Railway and Central Borders Business Park; an economic development strategy for the M74 corridor area and the Stranraer waterfront. The programme builds on major investments underway in relation to the Borders Railway and Next Generation Broadband, together with the recent designation of Assisted Area Status.

The aim is for greater and more sustainable economic growth in the South of Scotland and for the area to play an increased role in the Scottish economy. The projects seek to boost the economic production of the area and strengthen the tourism sector across the South of Scotland.

Gareth Baird, chairman of the South of Scotland Economic Forum said: “Scottish Enterprise, together with local authority partners in the South of Scotland Alliance, looks forward to developing these proposals into significant investable projects over the coming months.

“The South of Scotland is one of Scotland’s hidden assets, just look at the growth of mountain biking in recent years, and these projects have tremendous potential to make significant impact for Scotland as a whole.” MrSwinney said: “I welcome the Rural Regional Economic Development Programme and the key role it can play in driving the economy of the South of Scotland.

“The programme sets out an ambitious programme for economic growth in the local area including the opening up of important gateway routes including the borders railway and M74 corridor, consolidating the reputation of South of Scotland as a mountain biking centre of excellence and the regeneration of Stranraer Waterfront.

“I greatly appreciate the work undertaken by the South of Scotland Alliance, an excellent example of public sector partnership and co-operation, to develop the Programme, which represents a significant economic opportunity for the area.”