NB Environment & Heritage Trust

16/03/2023

Join us at our AGM on 6th April and find out more!

Each local authority has a statutory responsibility to produce a Local Housing Strategy every 5 years. This is the sole strategic document for investment in housing and housing related services across all tenures. East Lothian’s current LHS comes to an end in August 2023, by which time the Council will be required to have a new robust and credible LHS signed off by the Scottish Government. This talk will provide you with an opportunity to find out how the LHS impacts on your communities, and shapes East Lothian. It will also provide an opportunity to reflect on existing structures and feed into the upcoming LHS 2023-28.

04/01/2023

Urgent action required! 2 x planning applications were submitted for significant lighting on the Marine Hotel. The building is listed, in a conservation area - and we believe the extent of the lighting is obtrusive to the town, the neighbours and to wildlife.

Plans were submitted just before Xmas - and closes on Friday!!
Plans state only Cromwell Road - no mention of hotel so a little misleading. Please check for yourself and object if you think an issue.
Objections can be sent to [email protected] stating application ref 22/01350/P | Installation of lighting | 18 Cromwell Road North Berwick EH39 4LZ

04/12/2022

*You are invited to the North Berwick Environment & Heritage Trust Christmas social!*

Friday 9th December - 3-5pm - St Andrews Blackadder.

After a busy and successful year, North Berwick Environment and Heritage Trust is inviting members old and new - and interested members of the community - to a ‘drop in’ Christmas social gathering.

As well as festive refreshments, there will be the chance to talk to Trustees and committee members about NBEHT’s various projects, including the campaign to save St Andrew’s Kirk Ports and reinstate the bell-tower roof - as well as the innovative arts projects in the phone boxes on the High Street and elsewhere.

NBEHT’s new history leaflets about the town’s ‘hidden gems’ will be on display, together with the Trust’s recent report on the impact of short-term holiday lets on the town. There’s also an opportunity to suggest ‘what’s next’ for the Trust in 2023; all feedback is very welcome.

Entry is free, but donations are invited from guests wanting to support the Trust’s work.

28/11/2022

Calling all Artists! Would you like to make work to be displayed in the heart of North Berwick?
As part of NB Environment & Heritage Trust the pARTicipate arts project has received further grants which will enable us to commission four art installations, and complementary outreach activities, at the Art Kiosk phone boxes. These tiny spaces have been transformed and you can follow the phone boxes story by scrolling through our Instagram account, https://www.instagram.com/participate_nb/
INSTALLATIONS
Temporary art installations occupy the centre cabin of three; it has a lockable glass door and six spotlights; three walls each c.68cms x 2m, plus a 68 x 68 cms floor which can also be treated as a surface. Installations are permanently lit; no additional power outlet/socket
BRIEF
As a community-based arts project installations have three aims:
o To place visual art in the heart of North Berwick’s conservation area at the centre of North Berwick Coastal Ward
o To use form and content in ways likely to interest, intrigue, delight and attract the community
o To encourage reflection and comment on themes that engage with the varied shared interests, lives, and experiences of residents in North Berwick Coastal
Installations can use a wide range of materials and techniques including drawing, painting, or collaging on walls and floor; suspending elements from the ceiling; free-standing floor pieces; more complex construction or ‘still life’ elements; carved, modelled, or constructed elements requiring to be displayed on stands or plinths.
FEE
The fee for an installation is up to £700 for all surfaces. Smaller installations (requiring less input of time) can be discussed.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
Further funds are available to complement the main display. This might entail workshops; a supplementary display created by the community; the production of ‘multiples’ (postcards; colouring projects; small constructions). An installation might encourage the community to ‘engage’ by mark-making in the adjacent kiosk.
A SUSTAINABLE, LIVING INSTALLATION
Would you like to devise a sustainable installation, using a recycled or salvaged or repurposed container that would use drought tolerant plants that are also high on the index for carbon capture?
The budget is to be set but will be c£300. Please get in touch if you are interested in creating a sustainable, living installation.
TIMINGS
Slots are available during 2023 and timings are negotiable around existing programmed installations.
To discuss any of these options please email Geraldine Prince, [email protected] by 15 December 2022

29/10/2022

View & download our just launched information leaflet series. Find out more on the history of the Edington, the Curling Pond, the Balgone Windmill and more!

Know something about the history of NB you'd like to share? Why not write your own leaflet for the series?

Our information leaflet seriesOne of our former Trustees, Jonathan Best, has created this wonderful series of information leaflets for the Town. Do you have knowledge of our history or heritage you think would make a great information leaflet? Get in touch! Rev John Blackadder The leaflets have been...

09/10/2022

Have you stopped to check out this wonderful painting by Ukrainian artist Tetiana Hurn in the High Street? Just one of the projects supported by pARTicipate (NB Environment & Heritage Trust)

Check out our website and join the Trust for more info on this and other projects related to our community.

www.nbenvironmentheritagetrust.com

25/09/2022

Did you know - North Berwick town centre is 35% short term lets? Read our report for more details. What's your view?

Join us today (free!) for more information on this and other important town issues.

We recently conducted some research into short term lets in North Berwick. A full report is available for members (membership is free) but here are some of the headlines. Did you know there are 232 short-term holiday let properties in North Berwick, representing 538 bedrooms, mostly in one-, two-

05/09/2022

The Trust has recently completed a report on the issue of short term lets in North Berwick - with some staggering results. The report will shortly be available to members.

From today, Edinburgh has become one of the first cities in the UK to legislate on short term lets. What are your thoughts on the subject and the impact on the town?

The Scottish Government announced today that it will be capping the number of short-term lets in Edinburgh, making the city the first controlled zone of its kind in Scotland.

15/08/2022

Ponies on the Law. Thanks to Harry Jackson Photography for this fabulous shot. What image makes you think of North Berwick?

These "mowers" stick together in a gang of 8, and presently protect a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) at Berwick Law. They eat "gorse" away from tracks that lead to an ancient volcanic summit. Relatives of these Exmoor guardians, walked overland from Arctic. Then in groups, they inhabited highland zones 10,000 years ago

08/08/2022

Over 35% of the housing stock in central North Berwick are short term lets. This is our conservative estimate following our initial research on the subject (leading up to a possible ELC public consultation). Do you have a view on this?

Below or to [email protected]

05/08/2022

Short term lets in North Berwick. What are your views? On balance - good for business or problematic for house buyers and the community? https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/short-term-lets-account-for-7-of-total-housing-in-holiday-destinations/?fbclid=IwAR1WGFS2L5zN7szzQGCSgtvTb0y2dqehkesVQmup9UtcV_MqWGYTmB-Z7KU

Short-term lets are slowly taking up more of the property market in popular holiday destinations, accounting for as much as 7% of total housing stock across these areas. Research by estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, has analysed data on active holiday rentals in 15 of the UK’s holiday ...

01/08/2022

Event of interest? Planning for an Ageing Population – Eastern Communities event – 11 August 2022 - 11am to 12.30pm

To discuss the type of services that we need for older people in East Lothian now and in future. Via Microsoft Teams

If anyone is interested in attending and for the Teams Link, please email [email protected] to confirm attendance.