UP to 11 playparks across Tweeddale are being stripped down and removed to make way for controversial facilities planned for Peebles.

A total of £225,000 has been earmarked by Scottish Borders Council this year to create a play facility in Victoria Park.

And a further £270,000 has been set aside for a proposed skate park nearby.

The decision to locate the facilities in Victoria Park has caused division within Peebles.

And the new equipment will come at a cost with smaller facilities across the region to be decommissioned as part of the same Play Facilities Strategy.

The proposals were put to members of the Tweeddale Area Partnership this week.

Neighbourhood operations manager Jason Hedley stated: "The investment in new facilities is estimated to create an additional pressure on resources to maintain the new facilities of approximately £12,000 per year.

"The risk assessment for these facilities will result in a requirement for the service to increase the frequency of inspections and experience also tells us that the amount of repairs will be greater as a result of the increased use, wear and tear of shackles and swing seats, etc.

"As no additional revenue resources are being provided to support the long-term management and maintenance of the new play parks being created, the removal of obsolete facilities is essential to ensure there is a cost neutral impact on established budgets with the service."

The smaller playparks which have been identified for decommissioning are at Caddon Court and the Memorial Hall in Innerleithen, Elibank Road in Eddleston, and at Caddonhaugh in Clovenfords.

In Peebles, the playparks at Provost Melrose Place, Kingsway, Kingsland Square, Glen Crescent, Eliots Park and Crossburn Farm Road, as well as the smaller facility in Hay Lodge Park, will also be removed.

All of the closure-threatened playparks were scored as having 'low play value' in a region-wide appraisal.

Mr Hedley added: "The evaluation has been undertaken to ensure that Scottish Borders Council retains and develops a network of values, well-equipped spaces for local communities."

The timescale for decommissioning the smaller parks will depend on approval being granted to the planned facilities for Victoria Park.

Tweeddale councillor, and leader of the local authority, Shona Haslam said: "Our investment means we will have better and bigger facilities but some smaller sites will have to close.

"We’ve carefully looked at playparks which aren’t used as much or are limited in what they can offer, that we will be looking to remove.

"We have lots of old equipment in unsuitable locations, for example on concrete standings or in areas that flood easily, are often vandalised, or in a poor state of repair - and we are discussing with communities what should happen to these.

“We want our playparks to be the best, but that may mean that some of the single swings or roundabouts may have to go."