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Resounding
backing for land purchase
The
community of Newburgh has given resounding backing to a proposal
to buy land along the waterfront of the town.
In a ballot conducted under the "community right to buy"
scheme, 95% voted in favour.
Secretary
of the Newburgh Trust who conducted the ballot, Maureen Burgess,
described the vote as proof that the town wanted to take control
of one of its prime assets.
"The piers and seawall adjoining the river Tay have suffered
neglect over the past two decades. Now we hope the liquidators of
the estate currently owning the property will release it so that
remedial work can be carried out.
The chair of the Trust, Andrew Arbuckle, paid tribute to the residents
of Newburgh on the result. "Newburgh folk always use their
democratic right to vote and this is an excellent response. It is
especially so in light of the very short time scale the Trust were
given to hold the ballot.
"The Land Reform group in the Scottish Executive set out the
tight time scale and this meant that Trust members had to spend
a lot of time ensuring we got a positive result."
The long term plans of the Trust providing they gain ownership of
the piers is to create a riverside walk and improve access to the
River Tay.
The work will link into the recent creation of a recreation park
on the former linoleum factory site.
Newburgh
shows what can be achieved
 Residents
of Newburgh have shown what can be achieved by working together
with public bodies and funding organisations.
Several
groups in the small town on the River Tay embarked on successful
projects – notably by creating parkland along a long redundant
factory site – and, as a result, Newburgh Community Trust
was set up to continue this good work.
The
Trust is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee,
with membership drawn mainly from the surrounding area. There are
seven trustees.
The Trust's status allows it to gain access to funding for community
land purchase and to a variety of other funding sources not necessarily
available to other local groups.
Main aims and objectives
The Trust's main aim is to work alongside other community groups
and agencies to protect and improve Newburgh for the good of the
townsfolk, present and future.
More detailed objectives are:
1. To maintain and
enhance community spirit
2. To protect and
improve the environment
3. To take advantage
of the history of the town
4. To improve community
facilities and services for all age groups
5. To assist businesses
to thrive
6. To improve sustainable
transport links
Work in progress
 Currently,
the Trust plans to purchase the Robertsons Pier (where old boats
sit) and three smaller piers, between West Shore Road and East Shore
Road.
The piers are in a perilous state and deteriorating fast. To save
them from being washed away and endangering the shore area from
serious erosion, costly major renovation work is required.
Grants are only available if it can be shown there is a need and
a use for the piers.
The Trust has registered an interest in the piers and will have
first refusal on them if the community wish to purchase them (see
top story).
Other projects
 Other
projects undertaken in Newburgh include:
•
The
restoration of the fountain in East Port and placing of a tiled
plaque on the structure.
•
The
upgrading of the car park and recycling centre situated at the primary
school.
•
The
opening of a skatepark and BMX facility.
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