We want to hear your thoughts on the work done to date, and help to build the next steps of the Plan for Peebles.
Building upon the first draft of the Peebles Town Action Plan, shared with us by the Peebles Placemaking Team and publicly available on the Scottish Borders Council website, this consultation will look at stress-testing the initiatives brought forward by the Peebles Placemaking Team to gather feedback from the public and key stakeholders, and to investigate whether there are any gaps in the initial findings and proposals.
On this page you can find details on how to get involved to share your thoughts and visions.
We have planned a series of in-person events, workshops and High Street pop-ups - scroll to the bottom of the page to find out how to talk to us. In case you can't meet us in person, we have prepared a series of digital questions to allow you to look at the intiatives and share your thoughts with us!
Projects & Initiatives
Based on the above themes and strategic ambitions, the Peebles Placemaking Team identified a number of initiatives for inclusion in the Plan for Peebles. When assessing these initiatives, New Practice noted how each responds to similar issues and noted patterns. Looking at the themes, ambitions, and the actions each of the project responds to, New Practice have catalogued the initiatives into Four Streams: A Fair Community; Sustainable Growth; Getting Around; and, Open for Business; which group overlapping proposals.
Each Stream includes the project themes and the project strategic ambitions, based on the initiatives they represent. Together, the Four Streams encompass the whole of the goals and priorities set by the Placemaking Team, based on Peebles community needs and visions for future developments.
In the following sections, you will have the opportunity to dig deeper into each of the four streams, commenting on the initiatives that interest you, and to highlight whether you think something else should be included in the Plan for Peebles!
For each of the four workstreams there is a set of questions which will open when click on 'Share your Thoughts' button below the short descriptions of the projects, and cover all of the projects presented under that stream.
In the final tab: 'About You & Final Thoughts' you will find a series of demographic questions, which are based on the Scottish Government guidelines, please fill this out as it allows us to confirm that we have heard from a representative sample of the Peebles community. This is anonymous and cannot be linked to any of your previous question responses.
In this final tab you will also find an open question box in which you can share any final thoughts, concerns or any edits/changes to previously submitted questions for the projects.
To improve happiness and wellbeing in Peebles, mental and physical, by promoting an equal, fair and resilient community.
The ‘Fair Community’ stream focuses on building a shared sense of community for every person in Peebles. Directly addressing inequality in the town by improving access to services for all, developing the social and economic infrastructure of Peebles, and offering new opportunities and spaces for learning, upskilling, and socialising - for everyone.
A 'Far Community' reflects the Key Themes of: Empowerment, Place and Quality of Life; and, the Core Strategic Ambitions of: Re-balancing and Improving Access to Services for Everyone.
The following projects and initiatives have been identified under the 'Fair Community' stream, responding to the overarching goals and working towards creating a safer community. You can click into each one to find out more and give us your thoughts:
Town Centre Regeneration
Reimagining Peebles Town Centre for everyone, regenerating public spaces, refurbishing and maximising the use of surrounding cultural and public buildings.
Fields sports infrastructure upgrade
To maximise the use of existing amenities in Peebles and upgrade sports facilities at Whitestone Park and Violet Bank to enhance the experience for visitors and athletes and increase community participation.
South Peebles social and economic infrastructure
To rebalance the expansion of Peebles, planning for more provision of social and economic infrastructure south of the river, making it easier to get around, and creating a social hub where all generations can meet and socialise.
Peebles Community Hospital
The creation of a Community Hospital to provide additional services and to cater for an ageing and growing population. The Community Hospital would complement / add to the services provided by the Hay Lodge House Medical Centre and Hospital.
Life-long learning skills development and training
To provide the community opportunities to train and upskill in disciplines which will lead to local jobs, and to provide local groups with learning opportunities to build capacity.
Green and food security
Provide more allotment space to support community growing projects with a focus on tackling food poverty and biodiversity loss while supporting conservation efforts.
Review of public and community indoor space
To develop a vision for the reuse and refurbishment of buildings, to ensure a variety of services (sporting, cultural and retail) is provided, to avoid duplication and to foster collaboration, so that investment decisions are better informed.
Sustainable Growth
The development of a 20 year plan to steer and direct Peebles’ rapid expansion, mitigating the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss, so that Peebles of the future is a place we all want to live.
The ‘Sustainable Growth’ stream’s initiatives promote a socially and environmentally sustainable expansion of Peebles. It includes housing, energy, and infrastructural initiatives to ensure any future developments in Peebles are for the people of Peebles.
Sustainable Growth reflects the Key Themes of: Net Zero and Place; and, the Core Strategic Ambitions of: Re-balancing, Build Housing for Everyone, and Improve Energy Efficiency.
The following projects and initiatives have been identified under the 'Sustainable Growth' stream, responding to the overarching goals and working towards creating a 20 year plan for the settlement of Peebles. You can click into each one to find out more and give us your thoughts:
Low cost, low rent housing
Overcome the lack of affordable housing in Peebles, supporting the provision of a mix of housing and accommodation which are accessible to all, to rebalance community wellbeing and to build a sustainable and resilient future for the people of Peebles.
Energy generation, reducing demand and energy efficiency
Reduce energy use and better manage energy demand in Peebles, reducing fuel poverty, advancing energy savings and achieving community owned energy generation.
Peebles second bridge
Build a second bridge to reduce traffic pressure and cater for future expansion.
Flood defence scheme
Develop a flood defence scheme to reduce the intensity of flooding events in Peebles, safeguarding the town’s future, mitigating the effects of the climate crisis while enhancing biodiversity.
Getting Around
To create a safer, healthier town, improving connectivity and making it easier to get around.
The ‘Getting Around’ stream focuses on improving accessibility by creating new connections, and improving existing ones, to facilitate people’s everyday journeys, with a focus on promoting walking, wheeling, and cycling.
Getting Around reflects the Key Themes of: Net Zero, Place and Quality of Life; and, the Core Strategic Ambitions of: Improve Access to Services for Everyone.
The following projects and initiatives have been identified under the 'Getting Around' stream, responding to the overarching goal. You can click into each one to find out more and give us your thoughts:
Active Travel
Continue to implement active travel infrastructure to make walking, wheeling and cycling a more attractive and safe experience for all.
Hay Lodge Park / riverside active travel
Improve access to Hay Lodge Park, upgrading existing paths and providing new routes, to enhance connection to the River Tweed.
Open for Business
To support economic development through the creation of new enabling infrastructure, assisting local people to participate and benefit.
The ‘Open for Business’ stream includes initiatives which focus on supporting employment growth by attracting new businesses, whilst catering for the existing home working community and small businesses in Peebles.
Open for Business reflects the Key Theme of Economy; and, the Core Strategic Ambitions of: Re-balancing and Create Local Jobs.
The following projects and initiatives have been identified under the 'Open for Business' stream, responding to the overarching goal. You can click into each one to find out more and give us your thoughts:
Expand Peebles economic footprint including the new business park / light industry estate
Promote major investment in the economic infrastructure of Peebles, incorporating the newly proposed commercial business site in the Eshiels area, and ensuring this is well serviced.
Open for Business
Marketing Peebles as a business destination, to attract more businesses, providing the supporting infrastructure and spaces to encourage the creation of start-ups and the relocation of businesses to Peebles, whilst catering for small local businesses and the home working community.
Peebles Creative Industries Cluster
Develop a Creative Industries Cluster, to be located at the proposed new Eshiels industrial estate, to promote Peebles as a Creative Hub and to complement and expand on the existing cluster of people working in the creative arts.
Want to speak to us in-person?
We will be hosting workshops, drop-in sessions and outdoor pop-ups in late April and early May.
You are welcome to join us at these sessions to discuss the projects and initiatives above in more detail. Outdoor pop-ups and drop-ins are informal sessions you can attend at any point within the given time. The community workshop is an in-depth event, and you must register to attend as spaces are limited. Follow the link in the event to Eventbrite where you can sign-up! We look forward to meeting you!
Drop-In, Monday 29th April, 5 - 7pm School Brae Hub
Outdoor Pop-Up, Tuesday 30th April, 11am - 1pm High Street [outside]
Drop-In, Tuesday 30th April, 2.30 - 4.30pm Drill Hall Lounge
