Bowling club to convert to a nursery

Monday November 18th 2019

/Poltonhall-Bowling-Green.

Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp

A bowling club which has sat unused for over two years will be turned into a children’s nursery by day and community centre at night.

Plans to convert Poltonhall Bowling Green in Bonnyrigg into a nursery have been given the go-ahead by Midlothian Council.

That will see Bonnyrigg After School Club open a new nursery at the site on Eskdale Drive. with plans to create a community facility for evenings and weekends.

A report by planning officers on the proposal revealed that the bowling green itself was last used in October 2017, when membership had fallen to just 17 people, and sportscotland had confirmed there were plenty of alternative bowling clubs in the area to allow it to have a change of use.

The report said: “Having consulted with Bowls Scotland, sportscotland is satisfied that there is an excess of provision in the area and the loss of the facility can be justified.”

The existing pavilion will be used by the nursery, with the green itself providing an outdoor play area.

Bonnyrigg After School Club took ownership of the club as part of a community asset transfer earlier this year.

Midlothian Council agreed to hand over the site after the club presented a successful business case for its plans to increase childcare capacity in the town.

It received £50,000 in funding from the National Lottery-funded People’s Projects competition which will be injected into the new facility.

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