Scalloway sets out vision for village

One of the first projects of its kind in Scotland is being planned and prepared in Scalloway.

The Scalloway Local Place Plan is a pilot project produced by the village’s community council, which could be a blueprint for other communities across Shetland and Scotland.

The community in Scalloway, which has been the driving force behind this, has set out their vision for the village, including improved walkways, pier restoration, improvements to Fraser Park, demolishing the youth club and connecting East Voe and Scalloway.

The plan, which is about “making the most of the assets in Scalloway”, was discussed at the council’s development committee meeting on Monday.

Simon Pallant, team leader for coastal zone management, who gave a presentation at the meeting, also said: “It really has been community led.”

There was a big emphasis on young people for the project, who were heavily involved in the consultation process.

This follows Scottish government funding enabling the ‘Re-Create Scalloway” consultation and workshops, which took place in 2018, alongside social media and press coverage, to engage with Scalloway folk.

Councillors including Stephen Leask and Alastair Cooper praised the community involvement in the project, while Allison Duncan said it set an example for other communities in Shetland, who he said would “hopefully” take notice of what was happening in Scalloway.

Six weeks of public consultation will now take place around the project.