North Berwick residents to have say on town’s future
Residents in North Berwick are being given the chance to ensure their voices are heard as a plan for the town’s future is drawn up over a series of community events starting this weekend.
The town’s community leaders have called in independent consultants Planning Aid Scotland to help them draw up a Local Place Plan which will be submitted to East Lothian Council.
It is hoped the plan will be accepted by the council and incorporated into the county’s Local Development Plan with those behind it keen to ensure the town’s residents voices are heard.
Don McKee, from the steering group driving the project, said the local place plan will ensure that North Berwick’s unique needs and vision is taken into account in future planning.
He said: “While the council’s Local Development Plan can be ubiquitous with policies across the whole of East Lothian we believe this way, with a local place plan, will give the council a more nuanced approach. We have until the end of May to submit our Local Place Plan and with the help of Planning Aid Scotland, who are experienced in working with communities, we hope to produce a plan which is accepted by East Lothian Council.”
The town is the first in East Lothian to undergo the council’s proposed parking management review which includes introducing parking charges and permit zones. The local authority proposals have sparked objections from local businesses and saw the council this week agree to withdraw the original Traffic Order brought in to introduce the changes and draw up a new one to address some of the concerns.
Comments made by local people can be viewed
The local authority proposals have sparked objections from local businesses
on a Placecheck map of the town here (www. placecheck.info/app/maps/ northberwick) where areas for improvement or enjoyed have all been listed.
Now the steering group is preparing to hold community conversations with residents with the first two sessions in the town’s community centre on Saturday, at Abbey Church on Monday and online on Thursday next week.