EXPANSION is on the agenda at a Borders engineering company after a planning bid was submitted.

Elder’s Yard is a former agricultural engineer’s yard located immediately to the north-west of Travis Perkins at Newtown St Boswells.

Oliver Engineering (Borders) Ltd is a leading steel and metals fabrication and engineering firm, based in Elder’s Yard, where they have operated since 2000.

The company has submitted a planning bid to Scottish Borders Council for the construction of new portal frame building for steel fabrication and engineering. Retrospective permission for erection of metal palisade fencing to 2.4m high on three elevations has also been submitted.

The yard has two early 1950s buildings, located at the north-west end of the site, the remainder is a curtilage yard area, with a road leading through.

A report with the application says: “Currently, the buildings on-site are restrictive to the engineering and fabrication operations, predominantly because of their size.

“The proposed new building will facilitate the business to operate more safely and efficiently, allowing the majority of works to be carried out inside a workshop, designed to accommodate the various machines and larger materials.

“At present a number of larger fabrication jobs require to be undertaken externally. It is proposed that the new building will be located to the south-east of the existing yard buildings, along the yard’s south-western boundary.

“The current buildings are no longer suitable in size or layout to accommodate the everyday works undertaken by Oliver Engineering. It is proposed that these buildings are re-purposed for storage of mobile machinery and plant which is currently stored outside, in the yard.

“Both of these factors will create and improve both levels of efficiency and safety for the existing workforce, thereby allowing them to continue to expand.

“The business currently employs three full-time employees. The rationalisation and modernisation of the new building will allow further expansion of the business and therefore potential job creation.

“Locating the existing engineering operations into the new building will reduce the noise generated from everyday.”