A BID to revamp “a focal point” of West Barns has been given the green light.

The team behind the village hall has been looking to extend the building, as well as revamp the kitchen and toilets.

Those proposals have moved a step forward, with East Lothian Council giving planning permission at the end of last month.

Ola Wojtkiewicz, chairperson of the West Barns Village Hall committee, was delighted.

She said: “We have submitted an application for a building warrant and are awaiting the response to that.

“We are also still waiting for the council decision regarding capital funding.

“I think we passed the first stage of the application and they want to see the building quotes, which we are to receive from three independent builders.

“Once we have got them, we will submit them to the council and we will be applying to Viridor for some additional financial support before the end of October.

“If that is successful, we will not only have the new kitchen but upgraded bathroom and storage facilities.”

About £50,000 could be spent on the scheme to enhance the hall, which dates back to 1901.

Already, nearly a third of the money has been secured.

Dunbar and East Linton Area Partnership has already pledged £5,000, with the Amos Trust adding £8,000.

Originally, Ola had been keen to see the new kitchen in place before the end of the year.

However, that could prove too tight a timescale, with the building industry “extremely busy”.

Currently, the kitchen is at the rear of the main hall.

Under the new plans, the kitchen would be relocated into a newly built extension between the main and small halls.

The full project would also see new storage created at the rear of the main hall, with changes in the layout of the toilets to introduce baby changing facilities and a changing places accessible restroom.

West Barns Community Council backed the plans when they were being considered by East Lothian Council’s planning department.

The group stated that the building was “an important focal point in the village and that it is widely used”.

Already, the hall is used by a wide range of groups, including Brownies, Rainbows, ballet and badminton, as well as several gymnastics classes and a weekly bingo session.

Ola was hopeful that the new kitchen would play a central role in increasing the number of people using the building, on the village’s Edinburgh Road.

She said: “It will give us an opportunity to work with the community in providing food-related activities and supporting people who would like to learn to cook their own food. We are inviting local caterers to do food events, vegan suppers or any kind of activity like that.”