A DESIGN team has been appointed in a bid to transform Haddington town centre into one of the best in Scotland.

Ironside Farrar will be working with the community over the coming months in a bid to boost the town.

The announcement comes on the back of the Vision for Haddington Town Centre report, which was developed five years ago to look at ways to improve the town centre.

During the summer and early autumn, the Edinburgh-based company will run a number of consultation and design events where members of the public can get involved.

The events aim to ensure everyone with an interest in the town centre is given the chance to contribute to the design proposals.

Douglas Proudfoot, head of service (development) at East Lothian Council, told the Courier: “We’re pleased to be working with partners from across the community to continue our support for Haddington.

“This project gives us all the opportunity to build on Haddington’s strengths and establish its town centre as a prosperous, accessible, safe and sustainable place for people to live, work and visit.

“In addition to contributions from the council and Haddington Community Development Trust (HCDT), we have secured funding from Sustrans to develop new design proposals for the town centre.

“Ironside Farrar have been appointed by the council as the design team and they will be working with the community over the coming months.

“They have been asked to develop options, priorities, and designs that will have the greatest positive economic and social impact on the town, ones that will support a flourishing economy and help build a prosperous, accessible, safe and sustainable town centre.”

East Lothian Council has established a project steering group to oversee the project.

This is made up of representatives from HCDT as well as Haddington and District Business Association (HDBA), Haddington and District Community Council (HDCC), Haddington and District Amenity Society (HADAS) and Haddington and Lammermuir Area Partnership (HALAP).

Design workshops are being held in Haddington Town House on August 1, September 14 and October 31, from 3pm to 7.30pm.

A statement prepared by HCDT, HDBA and HDCC said they were “delighted” to announce the new consultant team had been appointed.

The statement continued: “This project is very much a continuation of the Vision initiative, which led to the establishing of the community development trust in early 2013 and which set out a bold agenda to improve our town centre’s streets.

“The Edinburgh-based firm Ironside Farrar led a strong field interviewed at the end of March by the community development trust, represented by Andrew Robinson, together with representatives of the council.

“HCDT, Haddington Business Association and Haddington Community Council will assist the council as members of a steering group.

“An initial walk round the town centre with the consultants – represented by Julian Farrar, Jan Pope and Sam Shortt – took place on April 27 and we now await a programme of events over the summer and early autumn as the consultants develop their thinking and seek community response.

“This is a significant project for the town and those within the council who have secured the funding for this project should be congratulated.”