Will Borderlands bring us closer to Scotland?

Like the whole border region, Gretna is a place in between.

Being far from any seat of government makes it easy to feel neglected and forgotten.

An ambitious attempt to strengthen the region could take a big step forward with Chancellor Philip Hammond’s Budget today.

The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal - Borderlands for short - is driven by a cross-border alliance of five councils: Carlisle City, Cumbria County, Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, and Northumberland.

Carlisle MP John Stevenson and his Dumfriesshire counterpart David Mundell are also involved.

Mr Stevenson is the UK government’s Borderlands champion. As Scottish Secretary, Mr Mundell is leading the project north of the border.

These men personify Borderlands. Tory MPs with neighbouring constituencies, they have much in common.

But they are separated by a border which both are determined should mean less than it currently does.

Borderlands has some broad objectives for the region: improving transport and broadband; providing clean, cheap energy; expanding the economy by developing skills and creating better-paid jobs; increasing cross-border collaboration.

Potential projects include extending the Borders Railway from Tweedbank to Carlisle, developing the area around Carlisle Station, and creating a business park at Annan’s former Chapelcross nuclear site.

The proposals have been considered at Westminster and the Scottish Parliament.

Supporters hope Philip Hammond will give a nod of approval in three days’ time. Borderlands will need large-scale government backing.

Costings have not yet been revealed: nor has the extent of any public funding.

Meeting at the First House in Scotland - or the last house, depending on your standpoint - Mr Stevenson and Mr Mundell are happy to discuss the principles of Borderlands, even if some of the specifics remain unclear.

“In terms of an economic area, it crosses the border,” says Mr Mundell. “Carlisle is the regional economic centre for south west Scotland. If we’re going to improve economic prospects locally, the best idea is to do it on a cross-border basis.

“There’s a recognition that we’ve got a lot of things in common. The border had become a barrier. In the south of Scotland we were always looking to Edinburgh for deals. In the north of England they looked to London. Actually, the best outcome was just next door.”

“There’s an awful lot more that unites us than divides us,” says Stevenson. “There might be political divisions. But economically we are very similar.”

Both men are keenly awaiting today’s Budget.

“What I’m hoping the Chancellor will confirm is that we can move to the next stage,” says Mr Mundell.

“The partnership has submitted a proposition. What we would want to happen next is, the five councils, the UK government and the Scottish government sign a heads of terms [a document setting out the terms agreed in principle].

"The process then moves forward through a funding package. We want to bring forward as much private funding as we can.

"But we recognise this is a largely rural area dominated by small businesses. What we don’t have is a lot of large companies who might be able to provide investment.

“Both governments have announced that there will be funding over 10 or 15 years.

"The announcement of the figure will come at the time heads of terms are set out. That could be early in the new year. Funding is the catalyst to make it happen. The challenge is how to make it happen with local businesses.”

Mr Stevenson says: “Borderlands will hopefully deliver private sector funding. It’s not just about what the government puts in.

"It’s what that creates in terms of allowing businesses to develop and grow.”

Private funding is likely to be essential for at least some proposals. The cost of extending the Borders Railway 70 miles to Carlisle is estimated at £650m-plus by the Campaign for Borders Rail.

If Philip Hammond says Borderlands can progress, a feasibility study into extending the line could be announced soon after heads of terms are signed.

As for the Carlisle Station Gateway project, Stevenson says: “It’s looking to develop the rear of the station.

"If The Pools moves to The Sands Centre, that creates a gap. It’s to make the station more accessible with more parking. Potentially the bus station could be moved there, to make the station more of a hub. And there’s potential for locating businesses within the station.”

Developing adjacent areas, including the Citadel, could also be part of the plan.

Both MPs say Borderlands is not all or nothing: some projects could happen even if others do not.

Could Borderlands protect this region against any negative effects of Brexit? “This was initiated before Brexit,” says Mr Mundell. “It’s essential for this area, regardless of Brexit.

"We’ve got to build an economy suited to the 21st century so we can provide jobs, increase prosperity, keep younger people here and have diverse communities.

"It’s essential we rebalance our economy. Agriculture and tourism remain important. But we’ve got to keep moving our economy forward.”

Mr Stevenson believes that just discussing the possibilities raised by Borderlands has boosted confidence.

“People have said the Northern Powerhouse is about Manchester and Leeds. Borderlands is our Northern Powerhouse. I hope that the councils will continue to work together. We might see a Borderlands 2 or Borderlands 3 in future.”

Mr Mundell adds: “I think Borderlands has put this region on the map in a way it hasn’t been for some time.

"It’s galvanised the Whitehall machinery to say ‘People have come forward with an innovative, credible proposal.

"They’re not just asking for money.’ Government investment here could benefit the economy of a huge area: 10 per cent of the UK land mass. There’s an excitement about that, and the novel way that it’s cross-border.”

Mr Stevenson sees Borderlands as just one part of Carlisle’s regeneration, along with projects such as Kingmoor Park Enterprise Zone, scheduled flights from Carlisle Airport, and the prospect of a southern bypass and St Cuthbert’s Garden Village.

But only one of those things has happened so far. This area has a history of grand plans dying on the drawing board. “Inevitably people have a degree of cynicism,” says Mr Mundell. “It’s always about delivery.”

He mentions projects at Annan and Gretna, as well as Kingmoor Park and Carlisle’s western bypass, as evidence that some ideas do spring to life.

Mundell says: “The border’s not an issue. A lot of people from Carlisle work at Gretna Gateway. People from Pinneys [the Annan seafood factory which closed last summer] have gone to work in Carlisle at Cavaghan & Gray and McVitie’s. It’s an inter-connected economy. Since devolution [in 1999] we haven’t given that enough recognition.

“There are huge areas where we can see the countries working together. Tourism: rather than Visit Scotland and Visit England, we want Destination Borderlands. We face many of the same challenges, particularly in relation to demographics and depopulation. People here have more in common with people just across the border than they do with people in Glasgow or Manchester.”