MORE than 30 acres of land to the south of the railway line in Dunbar have been gifted to a local group.

The land was presented to the Dunbar Community Development and Heritage Trust (DCDHT) for the sum of £1 by Ken Ross, CEO of Hallhill Developments, on Friday.

The Trust plan to create a path network, a woodland classroom for local schools, a children’s play area, and a football pitch and changing rooms.

Also planned, subject to approval, is a skate park and pump track, alongside a community café.

A Woodland Management Plan will also be developed to benefit the community of Dunbar and its local wildlife.

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Councillor Norman Hampshire, leader of East Lothian Council and chairman of DCDHT, told the Courier: “I am delighted on behalf of the Trust to accept this further gift of land for the people of Dunbar.

“This project is a perfect example of how a partnership of the community, council and a developer can work together to create a strong sustainable community.

“The community will produce a Woodland Management Plan to improve the woodland for the benefit of the Dunbar community and its wildlife.

“We will have a quality path network and a woodland classroom that will be an asset for the school.

“The open space area in the middle of the woodland already has planning consent for a football pitch and changing rooms, along with a children’s play area.

“The Trust have applied to also deliver a skate park and pump track, along with a community café alongside the football pitch.

"This will complete one of the best community sports and recreation facilities in Scotland.”

Hallhill Developments previously gifted 15 acres of land, which now hosts Hallhill Healthy Living Centre, which is home to a number of community sports clubs in Dunbar.

Land was also provided to East Lothian Council at a subsidised cost to deliver the neighbouring primary school campus.

In addition, over 50 acres of woodland has previously been gifted by Hallhill Developments to the Trust.

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Hallhill Developments has been involved in the Dunbar area for more than 30 years.

An independent economic assessment in 2018 by Mackay Consulting identified that more than 600 jobs have been created in the area.

To date, over £40 million is now being contributed to the local economy every year at Hallhill and 1,700 homes have been built or are under construction in the area.

Mr Ross added: “Hallhill is now an area where people want to work, live, and play.

“Creating sustainable developments that will help to address climate change and the wider healthy living needs of the community is extremely important and is part of the wider vision of Hallhill Developments.

“This land is a gift to the local community of Dunbar, via the Trust.

“We want to see local people having access to this land and utilising it for a variety of active lifestyle purposes.

“I’m delighted with the plans the Trust have for the land.”