LOSSIEMOUTH RESIDENTS ARE being invited to give their views on plans to create a £750,000 Tourism and Community hub on the site of the town’s former railway station.
The Lossiemouth Community Development Trust (LCDT) commissioned an options appraisal report for the Station Park site currently taken up by a bandstand and community garden on the popular seafront in the town.
The appraisal looks at several options for development on the site, ranging from doing nothing at all to the creation of a multi-purpose tourist and community hub with integrated Café, Information Centre and area for exhibitions, concerts and other events throughout the year.
An expression of interest by the Trust to take over the site from Moray Council under Community Asset Transfer arrangements has already been made, with discussions between the Trust and Moray Council taking place over the last year.
Now the Trust will present their proposals to the local community at an open event being held in Stotfield Hotel from 4pm until 8pm on Tuesday, April 18.
Chair of the LCDT, Donna Milne, said: “There are several options for Station Park in the detailed report ranging from doing nothing, making some repairs to the existing bandstand to completely redeveloping the site.
“At our previous community meetings it became clear that the two sites that hold most importance for people living in the town are Station Park and the Seatown Bridge. We are now very close to establishing who owns the Bridge with a view to the Trust looking more closely at plans for its future.
“However, we are a bit more advanced in our formation of plans for Station Park, and this appraisal provides us and the community with a look at the possibilities for what is a very important but also under-used part of Lossiemouth.”
The options being considered address the collective needs of the local community as well as those of visitors to the town, ensuring that any new building would result in year-round use.
Mrs Milne added: “When we have gathered the views of people in the town we will turn our attention to a more detailed plan – and, at that point, will look at the various funding options open to us.
“Lossiemouth has perhaps been under-funded when compared to other similar communities in Moray and throughout Scotland, so there is a feeling that it is time this was addressed.
“The Station Park project has potential to be far and away the largest community-led project ever undertaken in Lossiemouth – and along with our plans for the Seatown Bridge we hope that more members of our community take an active interest.”