WORK has started to deliver a three-court tennis centre at the new Galashiels Academy, with the centre due to open early in 2027.
The £3.8 million community facility will provide the first covered courts in the region. The project received just over £1.5 million from the Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis (TSIT) Fund, alongside a £2.3 million investment from Scottish Borders Council.
Featuring smart-access control and LED floodlights, three artificial clay tennis courts under a canopy will provide a further addition to the sports provision at Galashiels Academy, which already features a 25m six-lane swimming pool, gym facilities and is due to include 2G and 3G multi-purpose pitches.
Stakeholders and officials from the LTA, sportscotland, Tennis Scotland, Scottish Borders Council and Live Borders visited the site this week to see the progress and discuss plans to make the most of the venue.
Galashiels Academy will become the fourth TSIT site, following new facilities at Oriam in Edinburgh, Moray Sports Centre and the King George V sports complex in Dumfries & Galloway.
As well as the tennis centre, the new facility will also feature two canopy-covered padel courts.
The £64 million Galashiels Academy community campus opened to pupils in January 2026.
Leader of Scottish Borders Council, councillor Euan Jardine, said, “It is tremendous that just a month on from the funding being approved we’re able to start work to deliver this fantastic facility alongside the development of the outdoor sport facilities at Galashiels Academy. This is a long sought after facility within the local tennis community and it will provide so many opportunities for people of all ages to take up a racket and get active all-year-round. It will also provide the facilities to support our rising stars to train and play locally in perfect conditions.”
