East Lothian is laying the ground for fairer, more effective ways to link renewables benefits to the priorities of local communities.
The East Lothian Climate Hub (ELCAN) is supporting East Lammermuir Community Council coordinate a series of events across the region. These will help developers match community benefits to the priorities of the communities they work in.
Funded by SPEN, transmission owners for the EGL1, the project paves the way for a £4m programme of benefits.
The first workshop was held on 9 October at Innerwick Old School, delivered by Energy Saving Trust. 30 residents attended along with local councillors and guest experts to discuss energy and heat issues.
Energy efficiency is one of four regional priorities to be workshopped with local communities – along with biodiversity, active travel and community transport. These were identified from the Local Place Plan, developed by East Lammermuir residents.
East Lammermuir’s Community Priorities
Each priority has formed strategic goals, or specific asks to developers by the community to “leave our area better than they found it”.
- All properties within one kilometre of construction works, haul roads or access routes on public roads should be brought up to a minimum of EPC band C, with any appropriate micro renewables included.
- A useable, effective Active Travel Network of segregated paths should be planned, designed and built – to include at least one safe crossing over or under the A1 and mainline railway towards the coast and Dunbar
- A public or community transport service should be re-introduced to link the villages with Co’path and Dunbar
- An ambitious biodiversity gain plan should be devised, agreed and implemented with maximum use of developer support for local volunteers and other relevant aspects of the plan.
While the goals are clear, input is needed to shape key decisions on how funding will be used to achieve them.
These village hall events are being used to discuss possible outcomes. Do local residents have urgent needs requiring quick solutions? Or should this extraordinary funding be used for more ambitious goals?
From regional heat networks to the local challenges of improving energy efficiency ratings, the first workshop on energy produced valuable feedback from the Innerwick area.
The Climate Hub will be working closely with ELCC and the Energy Projects Partnership Manager, Beth Landon, on the delivery of these four workshops between now and the start of 2026. The Hub will also produce a final report on efficiencies and shared objectives between these goals, to maximise the impact of any benefits.
East Lothian seeing a windfall in renewables community benefits
With over 14 renewable energy projects proposed in this concentrated part of East Lothian, we hope to identify best practices that can be carried forward. The findings from this exercise will help any future community benefits make the most difference on the issues the community say matter to them:
More efficient homes, better connections between communities and thriving local nature.
Timeline of future workshops
Active Travel workshop – November
The second workshop will be all about Active Travel (walking, cycling, horse riding etc) and will focus on the community priority of delivering a safe active travel network across the A1 corridor. The session will be facilitated by Walking Scotland (formerly known as “Paths for All”) and will bring together developers, transmission owners, community members, councillors and representatives of key local groups working in active travel in the area, such as Walk, Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly known as Sustrans).
Biodiversity and Community Transport workshops – December
East Lothian Climate Hub will be facilitating the biodiversity workshop and they are liaising with the East Lammermuir Biodiversity Community Liaison Group to shape this. The date will be confirmed soon, but will likely be late November or early December. Please get in touch if you would like to take part.
Community Transport – January
East Lammermuir Community Council have become a member of Community Transport Association Scotland and we are working with them to develop a workshop around mid-January. If the issues with public transport are important to you and you would like to get involved in shaping this workshop please get in touch.
If you live in the area and are interested in attending please email beth@elep.scot . Places are limited, and will be allocated to allow the widest representation from the community.
