Eyesore town centre to get £1.2m facelift

DALKEITH is set to be given a new lease of life as part of a £1.2 million improvement plan to help turn the town centre from an eyesore into a shopping destination.

The High Street will be closed for more than four months as part of the revamp, which is expected to get under way at the end of the month.

It follows the town's nomination for the Carbuncle Awards last year, which highlight Britain's worst architecture.

The Dalkeith Environmental Improvements Project, which will last six months, will create widened pavements and new parking bays. Some roads will be closed to traffic to make the area more pedestrian-friendly and attractive to shoppers.

Closes, street lighting and the road surface will also be improved under the scheme, which is part of a 3.3m project to improve the town.

Councillor Russell Imrie, Midlothian's strategic services spokesman, said: "Over the next few months we will be seeing massive progress in the plans to regenerate Dalkeith.

"This work will bring new life to the town's historic High Street shopping area, making it much more attractive for residents, shoppers, businesses and tourists."

Midlothian Council delayed the work until the New Year to avoid disruption in the run-up to Christmas.

Funding for the project includes 800,000 from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, up to 354,146 from the Townscape Heritage Initiative and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme Common Fund, and 123,750 from Midlothian Council.

While the improvements are carried out, North Wynd will be permanently closed to through traffic and the section of Dalkeith High Street from the corner of Buccleuch Street to the corner of South Street will be closed to through traffic for just over four months, but access will be maintained for business deliveries. Old Edinburgh Road and Edinburgh Road will be used as diversion routes.

Shoppers will still be able to access all shops on the High Street, with car parking behind Eskdaill Court and WHSmith - known as the North Wynd car park - remaining open during the works.

All residents and shopkeepers will be kept informed of the works and meetings will be arranged with individual shopkeepers to address any concerns.

Dalkeith town centre was nominated for the "Plook on the Plinth" Most Dismal Town award in the 2010 Carbuncle Awards.