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How Elgin might look in the future


By Alistair Whitfield

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Images of what the cultural quarter in Elgin might look like have been published by Moray Council this morning.

The draft Elgin City Centre Masterplan contains proposals to:

  • build a water fountain in Cooper Park.
  • extend the café at Elgin Library.
  • build a 100-seat outdoor performance area in Cooper Park.
  • completely modernise the existing pavilion in Cooper Park.
  • replace the play equipment in Cooper Park.
  • extend the skatepark by 2030.
  • Remove both the pedestrian bridge across the A96 and the underpass by 2032, and replace them with surface level pedestrian crossings.
  • Re-landscape the area outside the town hall.
  • Introduce a small cinema space for alternative films and a restaurant inside the town hall.
  • Refurbish and extend Grant Lodge by 2026, turning it into a high-quality food and drink heritage centre which will attract 50,000 visitors per year.
  • Develop a high-quality 4 or 5 star hotel by 2030 to support the Cultural Quarter project and fill a gap in the current market. Following a site search, the Lossie Green car park has been identified as a potential location.

Other proposals contained in draft masterplan also include:

  • making South Street more 'friendly' for pedestrians and cyclists.
  • completing a mixed-use development at Poundland by 2025.
  • promote 'café culture' by introducing seating, art, lighting and potentially canopies on Thunderton Place by 2023.
  • Introduce seating, art, lighting and potentially canopies on Batchen Street by 2023.
  • make Moss Street one-way by 2030.
  • make Elgin's lanes more attractive by putting in new paving and planting by 2030, starting with Harrow Inn Close and City Arms Close.
  • relocate the Wolf of Badendoch sculpture which is ‘lost’ in its current location.

A booklet outlining the draft plan can be viewed here.

An online exhibition regarding the objectives of the draft masterplan is also available here to view until June 14.

The public are being encouraged to give their comments and opinions.

The plans are part of the Moray Growth Deal, towards which both the Scottish and UK Governments are contributing £32.5million each.


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