Present: Mrs J Priest, Mrs A Cosgrove, Mr R Russel, Mr E Martin, Mr D Wight, Mr I Young Mr J Orr, Mrs Shaw-Stewart
In attendance: Ms A Hunter (minutes), Cllr L Jardine, Cllr D Collins, Morag Haddow (ELC Roads Department), Anthony Jeffries, John Kinnaird, Verity Sinclair
1. Apologies: Mrs V Hoban, Ms A Pearson
2. Minutes of meeting and AGM held on 7th December were agreed.
3. Police Report
The police advise registering your bike for free at Bikeregister.com. For a cost you can also mark your bike as a deterrent to thieves.
st December 2023 and 31st December 2023 police recorded 5 crimes in the area:
• 3x theft
• 1x theft shoplifting
• 1x careless/inconsiderate driving.
4. Matters Arising
4.1. Vacancies
There are two vacancies for members on DCC.
4.2. Active Travel
Morag Haddow is the ELC Road Services point of contact for East Linton and can be contacted on issues relating to roads, electric cars and the Active Freeway proposed to facilitate commuting by bike between Dunbar and Musselburgh via the A199. This will provide a 2.5m wide high quality surface separated from the road by a 1m buffer grass verge. It will not be lit in the countryside. The carriageway will remain at a minimum width of 7.3m to allow buses and HGVs to pass at speed. In the section between Dunbar and East Linton where the existing carriageway doesnít allow for this discussions with landowners are underway. Sustrans are interested in funding the section between Haddington and Tranent and construction is expected to start this summer. Sustrans are also interested in funding the section through East Linton from Phantassie and up Lauder Place. The existing N76 route to Haddington via Hailes Castle has had quiet road signs installed and is being monitored. Designs for East Linton to Haddington are being developed but there is no funding at present.
The design for East Linton includes widening the pavement to create a 2.5m strip on the north side of the road between Phantassie roundabout and Lauder Place, a raised table crossing at the current 20mph sign, a footway on the south side of the road to Lauder Place (cyclists to use the road at this point and in Lauder Place) and widening the pavement on Lauder place to 1.2m, the width recommended for wheelchair access. Concerns were expressed about narrowing the road in Lauder Place and whether the route should follow the A199. A route through East Linton was considered but ruled out due to the difficulty in crossing the bridge. A suggestion was made, based on feedback from the LPP consultation, to reduce the speed limit to 30mph on the entrance from Phantassie.
The difficulty in crossing the A199 at the top of Lauder Place with the current 60mph speed limit was also discussed and the difficult junction at the west entrance to the village from the A199. Morag Haddow will circulate the final drawings next week and the subject will be discussed again at the February meeting.
4.3. Station
Cllr Jardine consulted Peter Forsyth regarding the lack of signs highlighting the location of the station. The issue is currently with the roads department. Network Rail did not install them as this was not in the planning application.
Mr Russel will provide Cllr Jardine a map showing the location of the bus stop at the Mart which used to have a both sides sign. Itís removal has meant some buses are not stopping on the south side of the road.
4.4. Roads
4.4.1. Preston Road
This has been with Ian Lennock (ELC ñ Roads) since November to provide costs so that an application can be made to the Ian Findlay Path Fund. Cllr Jardine will chase.
4.4.2. Road signs on Hailes/Traprain roads
The issue of new signs on the Haddington / Stevenson / Traprain road was raised and questions on how the new 40mph is being monitored. Cllr Jardine confirmed the limits were put in place under an experimental order which will run for 6 months from 8th January. Morag Haddow confirmed that speed would be monitored using cables on the road over the course of a week. Feedback from DCC is that there are too many signs cluttering a country road.
4.4.3. Streetlights
Mr Russel reported failures in October, November and December. Cllr Jardine suggested raising the lack of response via the ELC complaints procedure.
4.5. Local Place Plan
Mr Wight reported that views had been collected from P6/7 pupils at East Linton Primary School. This will be added to a draft document to be presented at a public meeting in the community hall at the end of February.
Morag Haddow will be invited to present plans for the Active Freeway at the meeting.
4.6. Footpaths
4.6.1. Pencraig
Ms Pearson provided an update from Nick Morgan. Robert Hamilton of Garvald Mains is now farming the land and is happy for work to go ahead and to meet on site to discuss what sort of fence goes up. A further update will be provided after the meeting.
4.6.2. Kerb at Mart
Cllr Jardine will request a date for the work to remove the grass.
4.6.3. Smeaton
Flooding on the new path will be addressed in the summer.
4.6.4. Tyninghame
The gates on the path to Binning Wood are expected to be installed by ELC amenities team in the next couple of months.
4.7. Meetings Attended
No meetings.
5. Finance
Mr Martin reported a balance of £1565. £245 was paid for new pads and batteries following use of the defibrillator at the surgery. Room hire costs for The Stables will be claimed back by the end of March. Mrs Cosgrove has been encouraging groups to apply for remaining DELAP funding.
Mr Russel will replenish the walks leaflets in the phone box. The need for revision of the leaflet was raised. Mr Orr will pursue the installation of a noticeboard in the station car park which could be used to display the leaflet and a suggestion of a QR code linking to the leaflet on the East Linton website.
6. Traprain/Markle/Whittingehame
Nothing to report.
7. Tyninghame/Whitekirk
Nothing to report
8. Planning Matters
8.1. Belltown
Mrs Shaw-Stewart sought views on the proposed Belltown Newlands Hill wind farm details of which can be seen on the Scottish Government Energy Consents website - https://www.energyconsents.scot/ApplicationDetails.aspx?cr=ECU00004603
The application description is for 17 turbines, 15 to have max height 200m and 2 to have max height 180m, battery storage, associated access and infrastructure. The height of the turbines is twice the height of existing turbines and they will have aviation lights. They will dominate the skyline and be visible from East Linton. The landscape capacity study for wind turbines in East Lothian states that turbines on this site could affect the perceived vertical scale of the Central Lammermuir Plateau and larger numbers of
turbines may also affect the appreciation of the landform of the north face. While only considering turbines up to 120m it concludes there is limited scope for accommodating large scale development in this area.
https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/downloads/file/24470/landscape_capacity_study_for_wind_turbines_in_east_lothian.
The access route is available in the Design and Access statement and includes a ëtemporaryí slip road from the northbound carriageway of the A1 to the east of East Linton for turbine transport. Turbine access will involve the creation of new roads through fields and woodland, widening of existing roads, creation of turning circles and new bridges. Access roads will remain in place for the 40-year lifetime of the project and for decommissioning. HGV construction traffic will take a separate route and at peak construction an estimated 130 two way trips a day by HGV vehicles are expected.
There was a discussion over the conflict between protecting our current environment vs the need to address climate change and whether this was the correct location for these turbines. The preference for offshore wind was also discussed.
Cllr Jardine highlighted an upcoming meeting in East Lammermuir concerning the number and scale of projects proposed in the local area which have mixed determination of either ELC or the Scottish Government.
While members were, in principle, in favour of wind farms there were questions over the location of this one. Mrs Shaw Smith will draft a document detailing concerns of Whittinghame residents for discussion in February.
Individuals can respond to the Scottish Government about the application.
9. Projects
9.1. Fountain
Mrs Priest will try to speak to Sean Govan about the pump.
10. Correspondence
10.01 06/12 Keep Scotland Beautiful programmes
10.02 06/12 Ciara Jamieson SSE: Berwick Ban Wind Farm PP approved
10.03 11/12 F Elliot: Kerb at Mart in next 2 months
10.04 13/12 L Jardine: Land at Markle crossing
10.05 14/12 L Wark NHS Lothian: Volunteers needed
10.06 18/12 ELC J Fleetwood: Winter message
10.07 19/12 CCouncils: Devt of Council evidence re Housing land requirement
10.08 21/12 L Jardine: Local Development Plan - information and progress info
10.09 29/12 CMcMeeken: Gala committee plans 1
0.10 02/01 L Jardine: LDP Children and Young People Engagement (ELC)
Cllr Jardine reported that ELC had purchased the land for Markle Bridge and work should start in the spring.
11. Any Other Business
Mr Russel has recovered the top half of the depth gauge which was damaged in recent flooding. A £50 cost for metal bars to repair the gauge was agreed.
Mrs Cosgrove contacted the Educational Trust with a view to becoming DCC representative but has had no response and questioned how the current funds are being allocated. Cllr Jardine reported that ELC are looking to outsource management of all trusts currently administer by ELC. She will ask if there are timescales for this.
Mr Young will contact Pippa Swan to determine if there is any documentation regarding the good neighbour scheme. It was agreed this differs in each community.
Mrs Priest will contact ELC about electric car charging points following news from BT about using redundant green boxes for this purpose.
12. Date of next meeting: Thursday 1st February 2024