Four options have been put forward for the future of Civic Square, after the charrette in Tranent last week.

Four options have been put forward for the future of Civic Square, after the charrette in Tranent last week.

The charrette was arranged to look at the design of the town centre.

Those involved have come up with a quartet of proposals for the Civic Square area.

The first option would see a building on the eastern portion of Civic Square retained, while a link road would be created between Loch Road and High Street.

Making Civic Square pedestrianwas also discussed, while creating the link to Loch Road, in a bid to re-route traffic away from the town's already busy High Street.

There is the option of leaving the area, in the heart of the town, largely as it is just now, but the charrette has also proposed creating a larger open space, with shared surfaces extending across the street towards Winton Place.

And town residents are being asked for their feedback via the Tranent Charrette Facebook page.

Tina McAvoy commented:'The two [options] with opening the road don't make sense as you will be creating a rat run to miss High Street, increasing traffic past [Ross] High School and bringing traffic out onto a mini roundabout which already can't cope.' While Helen Spencer, a member of Tranent and Elphinstone Community Council, said:'I think the [best] idea may be to make it a one-way system, rather than a rat run. Looking forward to hearing the different options in detail.' But there was plenty of confusion about the proposed options, with many unclear as to why they had been proposed.

Alex Borthwick, Tranent Belters chairman, said:'None of them make sense to me, don't see the point in any of the options, what is the objective?' But Robert McNeill, who was involved with the charrette and is a member of both TECC and Fa'side Area Partnership, said:'These are only initial drawings from the process, there will be another meeting on April 30.' The charrette, a period of planning or design, was held last month to discuss the future of the town centre, and a meeting has been arranged to allow members of the public to find out about what is now being done.

Members of the community worked alongside officials to outline prospective plans for the town centre, including how to solve long-standing parking issues.

A meeting will be held as a follow-up to last month's charrette.

Ross High School is the venue for the April 30 meeting, which gets under way at 6pm, and all are welcome.