PARISHIONERS at a Peebles church should soon be feeling the heat after an oil storage tank was deemed an insurance risk.

A planning bid has been submitted to Scottish Borders Council for external and internal alterations to enable the installation of a new heating system at St Peter’s Episcopal Church [pictured above] in Eastgate.

The church currently relies on a very old oil boiler, together with an oil storage tank and brick bund, all housed in a boiler house below the church, with an external chimney.

The oil boiler connects to a heated pipe and radiator system within the church.

The boiler and in particular the oil storage tank has been identified as an insurance risk.

It is now proposed to replace it with a gas fired boiler.

A report with the application says: “The oil storage tank, brick bund, and chimney will be removed. A new underground gas pipe will be installed together with a gas meter housing on the perimeter wall.

“A gas boiler flue will be installed in place of the oil storage tank fill pipes. There will be no changes required to the heated pipe and radiator system within the church.

“A new gas supply pipe will be installed, which will be underground and not visible.”