Abbeylands Residents – Page 23 – High Street Dunbar

Dunbar’s lost history in the making: Abbey Church

Previously on Abbeylands I wrote about the plans for the Abbey Church to be converted into a 5 bedroom, 3 story home. Listed Building Consent was refused earlier this year. At exactly the time I was writing, the architect Grahame Armet submitted an appeal (3 June 2012). The substance of Armet’s appeal is that planning took too narrow a view of the proposed development. Armet states that the decision was framed narrowly within the confines of Policy ENV3 and Policy ENV4 [1. The Local Adopted Plan is here. ENV3 states (1) The external or internal alteration of a Listed Building will only be permitted where it does not harm the architectural or historic character of the building; (2) The demolition of a Listed Building will not be permitted unless there are overriding environmental or practical reasons. It must be satisfactorily demonstrated that every effort has been made to continue the present use or to find a suitable new use; (3) New development that harms the setting of a Listed Building will not be permitted. It is moot whether the development would be harmful, it would certainly impose some changes. 2 just transposes SHEP guidance. ENV4 merely rehearses the usual constraints and permitted development in a Conservation Area] and preconceptions of what the development should have looked like. I paraphrase here, but I think he is saying that a proposal that left the exterior unaltered would have got the the thumbs up and that decision makers are locked into a view that Dunbar is a provincial town where modern interpretations and change have no place. Armet quotes Scottish Planning Policy guidance in support of his case:

SPP Para. 111 – “the historic environment can accommodate change which is informed and sensitively managed, and can be adapted to accommodate new uses whilst retaining its special character”

Armet states also that any consideration of the future viability of this building was missing let alone the wider implications for this end of the High Street, were it to fall further into disrepair.

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What do the residents say?

Callum Colquhoun, the East Lothian Council community warden popped round for some tea and chat the other day. I was keen to hear what sorts of problems – if any – he was having to deal with locally and exactly what the issues were on the High Street. It is easy to feel out of touch, even if you live on the High Street and it is too easy to make assumptions based on one’s prejudices.

I guess I should not have been surprised that dog fouling was the most prominent concern expressed. But I was surprised that cyclists on pavements was the second concern. OK this is not based on statistically valid sample, not even a survey, but the sorts of things that crop up at the Community Council and at CAPP (COMMUNITY AND POLICE PARTNERSHIP). Interestingly the last meeting pointed up that speeding continues to be a problem in places. I’ve noticed that people are speeding up now that a crossing has been removed on the High Street and I then wondered why it was that cyclists might be using the pavement instead of the road. Is the High Street as safe as it could be?

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Bedlam Theatre and Abbey Church Dunbar

What does the Bedlam Theatre in Edinburgh have in common with the Abbey Church in Dunbar? Not much you’d think. Bedlam is home to a thriving theatre company and is the oldest fully student-run theatre in Britain. It has a 90 seat theatre and the Fat Cat Café are open for performances at least two nights a week during the University term. During the fringe Venue 47 49 is open 24/7. Bedlam is getting major roof repairs, not cheap.

By contrast, Abbey Church has remained unoccupied and unloved for around 40 years, used transiently as a reception centre when Torness power station was being built. Apart from occasional use, the last was in the mid 1990s, it has lain empty and progressively fallen into disrepair. The Buildings at Risk Register considers it to be at high risk and in poor condition, owing among other things to extensive wet and dry rot in the roof timbers and damaged rhones. Some attempts were made to bring the building back into use in the 1990s including a feasibility study for an arts facility under public ownership, as the site was and remains still in private hands. [1. The Buildings at Risk website has a useful potted history.]

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Problem Parking? What Problem?

Every so often, there is a need to suspend parking in some place or another. Roadworks, essential maintenance, an emergency. That sort of thing. But on Tuesday 29th May 2012 a widespread suspension was in force on Dunbar High Street to ensure the smooth running of the annual gull control operations. A preposterously large cherry picker was in action. Parents and carers tore small children from their Play Stations and CBeebies to look on in awe.

I’m not sure whether it was lack of a prior announcement, but for some reason the parking suspension was simply ignored. The traffic warden on duty looked on seemingly powerless as the men in the cherry picker carried out the annual Herring Gull control regardless.