Tuesday August 15th 2023
How the Bog Burn open space in the centre of Bathgate will look after restoration.
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Plan to regenerate the Bathgate Burn have been renamed after a successful bid for lottery funding.
Launched last year as the Bathgate Water Regeneration Project the multi partner project plans to revitalise the area around the Bog Burn, as Bathgate Water is known locally as it flows through a former industrial area to the south of the town centre.
The town’s Local Area Committee heard this week that the plan has attracted almost £300,000 worth of development funding from the National Lottery.
And with that it has a new name of Bathgate Meadows Nature Park.
Delivering a report on behalf of Ronald Fisher, the Design Engineering Manager, the council’s Roads Network Manager Gordon Brown outlined the latest developments.
Bathgate Meadows Nature Park project lies north to south between Bathgate town centre and Wester Inch housing development and east to west between Blackburn Road and Glasgow Road.
The report said: “Funding support had been provided through SEPA and Sustrans from WEF and PfE funding respectively. However, to achieve the overall vision of the project and maximise the benefits of its delivery further funding was required. This was achieved through the successful bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund with an award of £285,611, towards the development phase of the project.
A Project Board has been set up to provide direction, leadership and support. The Board consists of representatives from the partnership group of West Lothian Council, SEPA, Sustrans (Scotland), Forth Rivers Trust and Green Action Trust, with the Council taking on the lead partner role.
Mr Fisher’s report added: “It is the aim of the project to put the community at its heart. A Community Board is therefore being set up, which will be kept informed throughout the project’s development and delivery. The Community Board will also provide input to the Project Group meetings, which will include representatives from the partnership group and other key stakeholders attending as necessitates the delivery of the project.
“The Community Board will be representative of organisations and individuals from the community. It will be directly engaged during the development stage of the project to ensure the project’s delivery reflects community needs, wants and hopes.
The report concluded: “The Bathgate Meadows Nature Park project is an exciting environmental project with aims to improve the biodiversity of the Bathgate Water and bring life back into the area to the benefit of the wildlife and the community. It will improve connectivity through the project area to the town centre and raise awareness of the natural and cultural heritage within the area.”
Chairing the meeting, Councillor Harry Cartmill said: “It’s excellent news that we have secured these monies. It’s very welcome. Very welcome indeed.”
Congratulated by Councillor Willie Boyle for the excellent report Mr Brown said he had only delivered it on behalf of colleagues. He added: “It’s the other officers who have done the hard work. It’s an excellent project”.
Councillor Pauline Stafford said it was “brilliant” to build the community into the decision making.
Councillor Cartmill said: “Whoever secured that give them our sincere thanks.”
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