Midlothian Council is seeking input on a new vision for Dalkeith town centre.

As part of ongoing work to update the regeneration masterplan for the town, the Council is working with the People Powered Results team at the innovation agency, Nesta. Through a series of consultations in May and June, they will be listening to what local people have to say about the future of the town centre.

"Following the pandemic, we have started working in different ways and now want different things from our town centres," said a council spokesperson. "We want to build on what people said in the previous consultations in 2016, and to understand what people want from Dalkeith town centre today.

"This new vision needs to reflect these new priorities and the different ways of living that have emerged over the last few years. Above all, we want people who live, shop, and work in Dalkeith to have their say."


From Friday 6 May to Tuesday 14 June, people are invited to walk around Dalkeith town centre and draw or write about the changes they would like to see. They can do this by walking on their own, with family, a group or class, or they can do so virtually, online. More information on how to do this can be found on our Have Your Say Dalkeith web page.

On Friday 13 May, at any time from 1pm to 6pm, local people can drop into Dalkeith Library and Arts Centre and meet some of the project team for a cup of tea and a chat about the kind of town centre they want. They will also be at One Dalkeith (21 Eskdaill Court, Dalkeith) on Saturday 14 May from 9am to 1pm. This drop-in event will feature creative activities hosted by the Art Club.

People who live in Midlothian can also join an online workshop on Monday 31 May, from 12noon to 1.30pm, while on Tuesday 7 June there’s a virtual workshop from 12noon to 1.30pm for people who support Midlothian communities, such as staff from the council, voluntary sector, health and care and emergency services.

Finally, on Friday 10 June from 10am to 11.30am, people who work in businesses in Midlothian can take part in their own online workshop session.

All the workshops will take place on Zoom, and more information and joining details can be found on our Have Your Say Dalkeith web page web page.

People can also sign-up now to receive a summary of the consultation findings, along with draft proposals which will be published in July. The feedback received will be used to develop a final masterplan that will go to Midlothian Council for approval this autumn.