A POPULAR youth and community facility which closed in North Berwick nearly seven years ago could find a new home in Dunbar.

theSPACE, which featured a large skate park, music practice rooms, a cafe and more, left its home at the old Ben Sayers Factory in the town in March 2015 at the end of its lease and efforts to find a new home for the well-used facility proved unsuccessful.

However, now plans for a new thespaceDunbar, potentially featuring a skatepark, ten-pin bowling space, bouldering climbing wall, and cinema and performance space, are among the options being weighed up for a major development on the outskirts of the town.

Proposals for the 54.3-acre DunBear Park site to the rear of the town’s Asda store are continuing to be drawn up.

Already, Lidl and B&M have confirmed their hopes to move to the town and create 80 jobs.

At the same time, a new youth facility was proposed for the site, which is sandwiched by the A1 and the East Coast Main Line.

Now, thespaceScotland CIC has confirmed they are in active discussions with Hallhill Developments Ltd, which is at the heart of developing the site, on a shared ambition to create thespaceDunbar at DunBear Park.

Adrian Girling, of thespaceScotland CIC, told the Courier a range of options were being considered.

He said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Ken Ross and with Hallhill Developments Ltd on exciting plans for DunBear Park. We want to create a groundbreaking youth-powered social enterprise that has facilities and opportunities for the whole community.

“We can’t wait to work alongside young people, investing in and nurturing the power and potential of youth in our communities to make this ambitious plan happen.”

Mr Girling was keen to secure “an exclusivity agreement” on a site as part of phase two of the DunBear Park development.

That will allow the group to secure the necessary money and planning permission for the site.

According to Mr Girling, thespaceDunbar will be a vibrant and sustainable youth and community hub providing facilities, opportunities and spaces for young people, adults, children and families. Promoting active, social and creative lives will help build strong and diverse communities around shared interests and passions.

thespaceDunbar could provide the following:

  • An indoor skatepark;
  • A bouldering climbing wall;
  • A cinema and performance space;
  • A ten-pin bowling space;
  • A cafe and social space;
  • A health and wellbeing zone;
  • A learning and enterprise zone;
  • Workshop and retail units.

Mr Girling added: “thespaceDunbar will provide young people with employment opportunities; trade, hospitality and management apprenticeships; volunteering opportunities; work-based training programmes; partnerships to support school-based qualifications; short and long term work experience placements; transition support; skills training for youth groups; and much more.”

Drawings included with East Lothian Council for DunBear Park show proposals for two drive-thru restaurants, which would be created beside the already-established McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant.

Also included in the masterplan is space for an “electric transport hub” and “energy centre”.

Further retail units are planned, with space also for an extension to Dunbar Garden Centre, and other employment areas.

The proposals for B&M and Lidl remain with the council’s planning department.