Selkirk - Conservation areas

Conservation Area
Selkirk
Conservation Area Statement
The Conservation Area of Selkirk includes the historic core of the town, including the ruins of the 18th century church where for centuries a church stood, the Market Place and Halliwell’s Museum, as well as the many plaques, monuments and statues around the town.

Selkirk was until the 19th century only a small settlement when it then expanded extensively due to the introduction of the woollen mills.

The Selkirk Conservation Area retains many distinctive townscape characteristics.

Main streets within the Town run in a radial pattern and centre on the Market Place. Around the Market Place, buildings are made-up of a rich assortment of commercial properties.

A variety of different building styles and types are present throughout the Conservation Area and these all add to the uniqueness of the place.

Both the statues and the monuments as well as the larger detailed properties such as Sheriff Court all provide a significant contribution not only to the amenity of the Town but also to its attractiveness.

Many of the properties are built hard to the footpath but on the whole they all tend to follow the streetscape.

While all of the features highlighted above are important and contribute greatly to the character of Selkirk they do not do so in isolation.

The use of building materials and architectural details are just as important. Red and cream sandstone, whinstone, render and slate all help to form the character.

Architectural details such as the traditional shop fronts, sash and case windows, transom lights with a few examples of fanlights, crowsteps, quoins, rybats and margins all add greatly to the Conservation Area.

Any new development must therefore aim to contribute to the existing character of the Conservation Area.

There are currently 84 listed properties within the amended Conservation Area.
Designation, adoption and boundary information
Alterations to the Selkirk Conservation Area boundary from that shown in the Ettrick & Lauderdale Local Plan 1995 consist of the exclusion of properties 1 – 6 (inc) East Port; Nos 5,7,9, 11 Kirk Wynd and land at Mungo Park Court. Whilst the inclusions to the Conservation Area consist of the Selkirk Bowling Club on Scotts Place, Oakhurst along Ettrick Terrace and Nos 1, 3, 5, 7 Viewfield Park, other alterations consist of general tidying of the boundary so that it follows elements on the ground.
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