Scottish Borders Council is proposing a 3G pitch on a site near Craigerne Lane and Victoria Park in Peebles.

But Peebles Community Council vice chairman Crick Carleton said: “The people living in the area feel very aggrieved about this - they feel there shouldn’t be one and don’t know why one is needed.

“There seems to have been no serious attempt to explain why it’s needed - Scottish Borders Council has been remiss in not providing a factual basis why it is needed.” However, Tweeddale West councillor Catriona Bhatia insisted the pitch would be a big boost for sport in the town. She said: “Peebles Football Club have to go to Edinburgh to train at present - so this would be good for them and for others.

“This should have been done when they put in new sports facilities at the High School - it’s been a missed opportunity.

“This will be a full-sized pitch and the SFA and the the SRU are looking towards playing at these facilities. It will be a great thing for the sporting fraternity in this town but I accept that not everybody wants it in their backyard.

“The Gytes was the preferred site but the flood risk assessment indicated that SEPA would have objected so it wasn’t feasible. It’s likely the pitch would have been washed away or caused flooding elsewhere if it had been at the Gytes.” Tweeddale East councillor Graham Garvie said the 3G pitch was an initiative from sporting clubs and sportsscotland. “They want one in every big Borders town.” Stuart Bell, who also represents Tweeddale East, said: “We are aware of residents’ concerns and there is a requirement for a better understanding of the proposals.” Third Generation (3G) pitches are becoming increasingly popular around the country.

The artificial turf is a surface created using synthetic fibres and rubbers, made to look like grass. The pitch does not contain sand, making it less likely to cause friction burns to the skin.

The main reason for its use is easy maintenance - artificial turf can stand up to heavy use and requires no irrigation or trimming.