Community-led Designs For Wick Lanes To Be Revealed

23rd October 2023

Designs based on the community's ideas for transforming some of the lanes connected to Wick High Street will be revealed at an event in the town in November.

The Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council and The Highland Council successfully applied for Sustrans Scotland's Pocket Places Programme funding to improve the area. The project area is focused on Wares Lane, Tolbooth Lane and John Street, but the project partners welcome comments and ideas about other High Street lanes.

Following a successful launch event in August where residents, business owners and visitors were invited to learn more about the Wick Lanes Pocket Places project, the community is now invited to view and share their views on designs which have been created based on public feedback and Co-Design/ Community Outreach sessions.

The event will take place at Caithness House on the Market Square from 3-7pm on Wednesday, 8th November. Residents, businesses and community groups are invited to drop-in.

This is the second in a series of engagement activities during which the project partners would like to invite people to share their views and aspirations for the area to ensure that the future design meets the needs of those who use it the most.

Our collaborative design process puts the people who use the space at the heart of designing solutions to local issues. The purpose of the process is to produce an initial design which aims to:

Make the lanes more inviting and appealing places to use.
Support the pedestrianised High Street by maximising the opportunity for everyone to use the lanes.
Strengthen the historic and heritage character of the spaces.
Wick Lanes Pocket Places is supported by funding from the Scottish Government through Sustrans Scotland's Pocket Places programme and delivered in partnership with The Highland Council and Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council.

Robin Burns, Project Lead, Co-Design, Sustrans Scotland, said: "We are very pleased to announce the next step of this exciting project delivered in partnership with Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council and the Highland Council.

"The designs for Wick Lanes that will be presented in November have been created based on feedback received from the community at our engagement event in August.

"We look forward to hearing your views on the designs and vision for making the historic centre of Wick a more inviting place to spend time in or travel through."

Wick and East Caithness Cllr Willie MacKay said: "I hope as many people as possible take up this opportunity to come along on the 8th to take a look at the designs and give their feedback. So far the community engagement has been very positive and I want to thank everyone who has taken part.

“People's views are helping to shape this exciting project that will transform how people access the centre of Wick so everyone is welcome to drop in."

What if I can’t make it on the day?

Designs will be available to view online at https://www.wicklanes.co.uk from 8th November. Email your comments to wicklanespocketplaces@sustrans.org.uk
Your comments can also be submitted in writing, as we will be posting details of the designs to residents of the Lanes.
Contact

If you are a local resident, or work or travel through Wick, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch at WickLanesPocketPlaces@sustrans.org.uk to sign up to the mailing list or send in your ideas, questions, or suggestions. Alternatively, you can call us on 0131 346 1384 and ask for the Wick Pocket Places team.