Moray Council seek views Buckie town centre seating plans
A local community are to be asked for their thoughts on new plans to help them sit back and enjoy the view.
Buckie locals are being asked for their views on new seating in the north east quadrant of the town’s Cluny Square.
The seating has been designed by S4 pupils at Buckie Community High School and is shaped like a herring in tribute to the town’s rich heritage and culture of fishing.
The project is being taken forward as part of the Buckie Town Centre Improvement Plan.
The existing telescope and plinth will remain in place and the seating is expected to be installed by June 2025.
An online consultation runs until Friday, February 21 with an in-person feedback session in Buckie’s North Church Hall between 2pm and 7pm on Tuesday, February 4.
Views are being asked for on how the seats should be arranged, incorporating cycle racks into the seating and what local phrases people would like to see inscribed on the seating and other street furniture.
Chairman of Moray Council’s Economic, Development and Infrastructure Services Committee, Councillor Marc Macrae, said: “This seating will help create a lovely space that reflects the town’s unique heritage, while allowing people to meet socially and enjoy the views across the harbour.
“It would be great to see the whole town get involved in giving their feedback on the plans.”
Among the views sought by the consultation will be on local sayings which could be inscribed into the seats and other street furniture, how they would like the seating to be arranged to enjoy the views across the harbour and encourage social interaction and whether they would like the seating to be used as cycle racks or whether they would prefer it to remain as seating only.
Feedback is also being sought on the designs featured on nearby bollards.
The launch of the consultation was welcomed by local councillors John Stuart, Sonya Warren and Neil McLennan.
Councillor Stuart said: “It is great to see the consultation being launched for the seating area in the north-east quadrant of Cluny Square.
“I would encourage all to get behind the consultation and share their views. I look forward to seeing the finished product which will add to the works already achieved in other parts of the square from Buckie’s Roots.
“It's great to see partnership between local businesses and our younger citizens from Buckie High. Thank you to them and all the hard work by officers.”
Councillor Warren hailed the progress of the project.
She continued: “I’m delighted to see the progress being made with this initiative.
“It’s now out for public consultation and I’d strongly encourage local folk to take part and share their views as to how we can make the best of this new facility in the centre of town.
“I hope we’ll get lots of local Doric sayings put forward for the seating inscriptions and it’ll be very interesting to see what ideas are put forward.”
Councillor McLennan added: “It is vital that public bodies engage, consult and listen to the public they serve; and then act upon evidence to help make improvements for people.
“This builds trust, confidence and sustainability.
“What is encouraging in this project, is that young people are also directly involved. Their voice is key, not least the fact that they will both inherit and drive what our areas look and feel like for work, learning and life.”