GO-AHEAD has been given for a major upgrade at a crematorium in Eyemouth.

A planning application submitted to Scottish Borders Council (SBC) for a series of improvements at Houndwood Crematorium has now been rubber-stamped.

The crematorium is located within the category B-listed former Houndwood Church, at Houndwood in East Berwickshire.

The application sought planning permission to install new 1,400mm high coolers within the fenced enclosure to the rear of the listed building

The work will involve the installation of a new filtration system, the replacement of external coolers and alterations to a wall to allow the new filtration system the space to function.

In his report approving the application, Paul Duncan, SBC assistant planning officer, says: “The proposed development would be located to the least sensitive rear of the building and would be contained and screened within an existing timber fenced enclosure, though may be visible from certain angles close to the enclosure, or from higher ground.

“The proposed development would have a negligible impact on the setting of the listed building.”

Houndwood Church was built during the mid-1830s to accommodate the Grantshouse and Reston communities.

The first service, at what was initially called Reston Chapel, took place in 1836, with Houndwood becoming a parish within its own right just 15 years later.

For 175 years, Houndwood Church was the religious heart of this beautiful part of Berwickshire.

But in 2003 the final Church of Scotland service was delivered at Houndwood before its closure.

The B-listed building was subsequently purchased by the Edinburgh-based Carlton Group and a rear section converted into a crematorium, with local carpenters, stonemasons, roofers and gardeners all used in the conservation and renovation work.

Houndwood Crematorium opened to the public in March 2015 and now has its own Garden of Remembrance where visitors can enjoy the solitude and reflect.

Facilities also include a chapel with seating for 120 people.

A report with the application said the proposed changes were “essential in the businesses function and statutory obligations to meet standards”.