Scottish Water has proposed the development of a new state-of-the-art Waste Water Treatment Works in North Berwick to help protect and enhance the local coastal waters.

The new works, which is currently estimated to cost around £55 million, will replace the existing works on Tantallon Terrace which has come to the end of its serviceable life.

If approved, the high-tech facility will be built in a field 2 miles south-east of the East Lothian town on an area approximately the size of a football pitch. It would feature cutting edge treatment technologies which reduce energy usage by half and treat wastewater more effectively when compared to traditional methods.

The current works needs to be replaced because it has come to the end of its serviceable life. It was built into the cliffside under the 18th hole of the Glen Golf Course in 1995. Since then the population of the area it serves has grown significantly, leading to a need for more layers of treatment.

Fraser Simpson, Project Lead at Scottish Water said: "The current works was an engineering marvel in its day. Unfortunately, by building it underground it has meant that there is no more space for expansion or improvements in treatment, meaning a new works at a new location is required.

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"This multi-million pound investment in the town is needed to ensure we can provide the high quality treatment needed to protect coastal waters and support this growing community.

"We plan to use award-winning Nereda treatment technologies which require a significantly smaller footprint, are quicker to construct and are far more energy efficient when compared to traditional technologies. This would be the third site of its kind on Scotland."

Scottish Water researched and investigated a number of locations for the new works. They selected the location based on the distance from the town and associated pumping requirements; constructability; whole life and operational costs and carbon impact; as well as accessibility and availability of the land. The preferred site selected is off Rhodes Holdings to the south-east of North Berwick.

The project is currently is scheduled to begin construction in the winter of 2025/26 and will take around three years to complete.

Once complete the works will be screened to help it blend in with the existing area.

The works on Tantallon Terrace will be converted into a pumping station to push waste up to the new works, the treated effluent will then be discharged via a long sea outfall.

Paul McLennan MSP for East Lothain said: "I am delighted to see this investment by Scottish Water replacing the existing works on Tantallon Terrace which has come to the end of its serviceable life.

"This recognises the growth of population in the North Berwick area and is a significant investment by Scottish Water into East Lothian.

I look forward to working with them and the local community in delivering the new treatment works."