A SCHEME designed to offer residents a voice in how their community could be shaped has been given the thumbs up by East Lothian Council.

Communities throughout East Lothian were asked to provide a Local Place Plan, which will then feed into the Local Development Plan drawn up by planners at the local authority.

Local Development Plans aim to show how places will change in the future, including where development should and should not happen.

East Lammermuir Community Council has now had its community-led Local Place Plan validated by East Lothian Council.

Through a series of community-based information gathering events, action-marked maps have been drawn up to advise community groups, council officers and energy developers of residents’ ambitions for East Lammermuir.

Chris Bruce, chairman of East Lammermuir Community Council, which covers villages including Stenton, Spott and Innerwick, said: “The process of gathering views, promoting conversations, and debating how residents wish to see East Lammermuir develop has given this community council its best ever understanding of people’s aspirations for our area.

“Now we need to make this happen!”

East Lammermuir Community Council’s Local Place Plan can be found by going to elcc.scot

Anyone who feels they can help can email info@elcc.scot

Urban designer Sarah McLeary, of Smith Scott Mullan, was commissioned to write the plan with East Lammermuir Community Council, thanks to funding from the locally operating energy development companies.