PUPILS across East Lothian are being given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to name a new town.

The search for a name for the development on the former Blindwells open cast mine between Tranent and Longniddry has been launched with local primary and secondary schools asked to come up with a shortlist – either chosen from a long list prepared by council officers or they can come up with their own creations.

However, the name Blindwells is not included on the ‘long list’ with council leader Willie Innes insisting that people wanted a “new name” for the new town.

Schools have been given ‘name cards’ to help inspire pupils.

These feature a variety of words stemming from old Scots names for surrounding geographical features or historical names and landmarks along with a guidance list of what the words and names of surrounding areas mean.

The pupils, if they wish, can join the ‘name cards’ together to create new possible names for the Blindwells site.

The list of words includes: wells, hame, riggon, strath, view, dale, drum, law, march and moss.

Members of the council, pupils from Preston Lodge High School and representatives from landowner Hargreaves and housebuilders Taylor Wimpey gathered at the construction site on Friday to launch the first stage of the consultation.

Schools are being invited to submit their top three favourite names.

Council officials will then come up with a shortlist of the most popular names to be put to the general public for consultation before a name is announced later this year.

Preston Lodge pupil Stephanie Skinner, S6, who was at the launch said: “It is weird that when I’m older this will be a town that I could, potentially, be living.

“It was really interesting to meet all of the people involved in making the development possible. I had no idea that so many people were involved.”

Kyle Rowley, S3, added: “I’ve never been on a construction site before, it was a good experience seeing a patch of land that will be turned into a new town. It’s pretty cool that it doesn’t even have a name yet.”Douglas Proudfoot, head of development at East Lothian Council, came up with the words on the cards and said: “It is a chance for the students to come up with something totally unique and new. This town is for future generations and, beyond that, it is up to them to choose.”

The council has stressed that the cards and list of suggestions are only for guidance to help give ideas and that the pupils will be allowed to put forward whatever name they want.

The top three names from the schools will be put to public consultation, with the name of the new town to then be announced at the end of the year after being ratified by the council.

Council leader Willie Innes said: “This is a truly exciting opportunity for our young people to come up with a name for this town.”

“We wanted all school pupils in East Lothian to be involved as they are the generation who are most likely to be living and working in this new settlement.”

There has been a rising controversy over the naming process as it has been suggested that the council did not want the the name Blindwells to become the official name of the new town.

At the consultation launch, Mr Proudfoot said: “I don’t really know where this is coming from.

“The pupils are free to choose whatever name they wish.”

However, Councillor Innes said in a statement to the Courier that there was a move to distance the site from its past.

He said: “In talking to local people there seems to be a strong wish to have a fresh new name for this important new town.

“And East Lothian Council’s administration were of the opinion that moving away from the name of the mine would better reflect the new opportunities that will be provided by the new town.

“However, we are also aware that some local people believe the name Blindwells should be retained. Schools have been asked to help us come up with a shortlist and Blindwells may well appear on that shortlist, if our young people feel the name should be retained.”