A PEEBLESSHIRE church is selling land it owns after “a range of events” halted its plans to create a new permanent home.

Peebles Baptist Church started building the new community facility at Cleland Avenue, adjacent to Victoria Park, in 2019.

Work began in January of that year and saw groundworks undertaken, foundations laid and a steel frame erected.

However, the COVID pandemic in 2020, combined with other events – including the reduction in people participating and the loss of full-time leadership – all had a negative impact on the church.

The building project also took a hit.

The church fell victim to fraud which saw it lose more than £22,000 and resulted in the building not being completed.

Gordon Marshall, from Motherwell, was found guilty of obtaining £22,743.60 from the church by fraud.

He was ordered to repay the cash by sheriff Robert Carr at Selkirk Sheriff Court in July this year.

The fraud, in addition to rising labour and material costs caused by the pandemic, Brexit, and the cost-of-living crisis, led to a significant funding gap which the church struggled to close.

A spokesperson for Peebles Baptist Church explained that they did not see a prospect of securing additional funds to complete the project, which brought about the decision to sell the Cleland Avenue site.

The spokesperson said: “We are obviously extremely disappointed that it has not been possible to complete this ambitious project, begun with great optimism and expectancy.

“We nonetheless want to thank all those who have supported the project in whatever capacity over the past few years.

“Looking to the future we are confident that God will do new things in our church and in our town.”

The sale process for the land is due to commence in the coming weeks, and the church hopes the sale will be a “tangible benefit for the local community”.

The church also extended its thanks to the community for their “tolerance” of the building works which caused “disruption and inconvenience”.

The spokesperson added: “We appreciate that the building process caused disruption and inconvenience to neighbours.

“The site in its undeveloped state has become a source of concern, and we want to record our thanks for their tolerance, and for the contribution several local people made to our community garden on the same site.”

Peebles Baptist Church currently holds its Sunday services in the Scout Hall, and is in the process of searching for a part-time or interim pastor.