Community / Multi-million pound proposals picked as priorities for future Scalloway development
IDEAS for developing the centre of Scalloway which come with an estimated total price tag of around £12 million have been drawn up following more community consultation.
They include regenerating the waterfront, enhancing Fraser Park and Main Street and renovating the hall.
More information on the ideas will be available at a meeting of the Scalloway Community Development Company at the village’s youth centre on 6 December at 6.30pm, with people able to attend and provide feedback.
Development company director Andrew Blackadder said projects would be dependent on securing external funding – but before that there needs to be agreement on what projects to prioritise.
It has been a lengthy process to get to this stage, with consultation on the future development of Scalloway spanning back to 2018.
Since then, a local place plan for the village has been created by Shetland Islands Council, which sets out a future vision, while consultants Ironside Farrar have been tasked by the community development company to bring forward a series of priorities.
This has resulted in a new ‘priority projects masterplan’ for what is being called the Destination Scalloway report. It aims to promote Scalloway as a “place of opportunity to live, learn, work, invest and visit”.
It sets out five priority projects, with a key focus being the waterfront. There is a phase one mooted which could see it being extended to provide a continuous waterfront walkway and protective seawall.
Repairing the old pier, extending the Burn Beach car park, building new commercial/cultural/business units at Garriock’s Station and making larger civic spaces have all been suggested.
A suggested longer-term, phase two for the waterfront could include continuing the proposed waterfront walkway from Burn Beach southwards, with a possible pontoon along Muckle Yard for a new berth for the Swan.
Other priorities include improving the Fraser Park pitch and providing a wider range of play and sports equipment there, as well as ensuring wheelchair access through the park.
Proposed Main Street enhancements include reprioritisation at the junction with Chapel Lane, carriageway resurfacing and creating raised table crossing points.
Renovations to the Scalloway public hall are also suggested.
Blackadder said there are no detailed costings as yet as there are only outline plans and “very ballpark figures”.
“The full report contains an overall estimate of around £12 million,” he said.
“There needs to be agreement on which bits of the proposals should be tackled first, followed by discussions with partners such as SIC and preparation of the case for funding and more detailed and costed designs drawn up and consents applied for; all before going out to tender and securing funding and actually delivering projects.
“We will also probably pursue one or two smaller projects that can be delivered quite quickly as the main works along the waterfront will take several years to realise.”
Smaller scale proposals which have remained popular with the community include a pedestrian crossing close to the school, reducing the speed limit to 20mph and a heritage trail.
The Scalloway Community Development Company has recent history with attracting funding for a projects – namely the caravan park at Asta.
It is hoped that the park will be open by early next year, but there are still challenges to overcome such as the installation of an electricity meter.
Despite the delays to the project a road sign pointing the way to the Scalloway Caravan Park are now up at the south junction to the Tingwall valley.
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