This page contains ELCC meeting records for 2024. Key points summarise significant decisions, developments and actions where published minutes are available; the linked minutes remain the historical meeting record.
Meeting years: Earlier year: 2023 meetings · Meetings and decisions · Later year: 2025 meetings
Meeting records
3 December 2024 — Oldhamstocks Village Hall
Key points
- Belhaven Community Garden: ELCC agreed to submit a letter supporting the group’s effort to retain the garden through community asset transfer. The NHS had not yet agreed a process or sale basis, so community ownership was not settled.
- Active travel and the A1: Members warned that energy-project work and separate path plans were not aligned with the Local Place Plan’s aim of connecting routes across the A1. ELCC agreed that an active-travel subgroup should steer the infrastructure work and invite key organisations to discuss it.
- Biodiversity and the Local Place Plan: Members supported developing a locally supervised biodiversity programme linked to the council’s strategy. Chris Bruce was to invite the Biodiversity Community Liaison Group to prepare a proposal.
- Public transport: East Lothian Council was preparing a supported-services tender for January to March. It was still unclear whether East Lammermuir would receive a demand-responsive or timetabled service, and ELCC was to request involvement in the early planning.
- Community-benefit priorities: ELCC planned to invite small local groups to a February 2025 meeting and review the criteria for using future benefits, including whether some funding should support wider East Lothian priorities.
- Energy-project coordinator: Foundation Scotland had reduced 27 applications to nine for consideration. Shortlisting and interviews were planned for December, with a community-involvement stage still to be designed.
- Branxton Substation conditions: East Lothian Council’s Planning Committee had approved the substation with two additional conditions requested by ELCC concerning biodiversity and traffic groups. ELCC intended to seek similar or stronger conditions on later applications.
- Construction traffic: Following the Lorries in our Lanes meeting, BEAR Scotland had brought developers together and they had indicated willingness to engage with the local traffic group. This was an engagement development, not evidence that traffic impacts had been resolved.
- Temporary-worker accommodation: The meeting heard that local projects might require 600–700 temporary workers, but contractor numbers, timing and accommodation needs remained incomplete. ELCC intended to ask whether the council’s project link could lead further work.
- Springfield Solar: Voltalia had asked the Energy Consents Unit to determine the scope of environmental assessment for a proposed development of up to 50,000 panels. ELCC was to draft a response; no support, objection or consent decision was recorded at this meeting.
- Newlands Hill Windfarm: East Lothian Council had objected and the developer expected a public inquiry. ELCC anticipated being invited and intended to prepare its case; the inquiry had not yet taken place.
- Torness: The meeting heard that a possible two-year life extension could move the start of defuelling to 2030. EDF was also considering options for its own small or modular reactors on the site; no extension or new reactor decision was recorded.
- Heat-network feasibility: ELCC agreed in principle that about £95,000 of Aikengall 2a community-benefit money could fund a feasibility study, while requiring written clarification that ELCC would not carry the liability if Community Windpower withdrew.
29 October 2024 — Innerwick Village Hall
Key points
- Insulate Innerwick: ELCC agreed to modify the existing thermal-camera grant because cameras had been donated from another source. The proposed alternative use was to progress the project further, but the minutes do not record the final revised spending detail.
- Torness and village resilience: The meeting heard that Torness was expected to close around March 2028, subject to review. ELCC agreed to contact the council officer responsible for resilience planning about village plans.
- East Lothian community benefits: A new East Lothian body had held its first AGM and was expected to handle benefits from Newlands Hill and other future energy developments at county level. No developer award or distribution was recorded.
- Heat and energy strategy: East Lothian Council had approved its Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy. The meeting heard that ELCC’s letter on waste heat, community ownership and benefits had helped the application, and discussed protecting any purpose-specific contribution for a heat network.
- Community-benefit engagement: A SPEN workshop aimed at people who were difficult to reach did not run after only two registrations. ELCC concluded that more work was needed to involve the community in future-benefit discussions.
- Energy-project coordination and Branxton: The council had designated Graeme Marsden as its link, while the proposed local coordinator post had not yet been advertised. Branxton Substation was due before Planning Committee on 5 November, with Chris Bruce to present ELCC’s position.
- Construction traffic: Developer estimates suggested a worst case of up to 400 SPEN/SSE lorries a day, plus 25–35 Fred. Olsen vehicles. BEAR Scotland was due at a Thurston Junction meeting; these were planning estimates, not measured traffic.
- Temporary-worker accommodation: Employers’ information suggested more than 600 additional workers at peak times, but phasing and long- versus short-term accommodation needs remained unclear. A further briefing with the council link was requested.
- Community facilities: Innerwick was progressing village-hall work and exploring community acquisition of the Outdoor Centre, while Oldhamstocks Village Hall had received planning permission. Neither acquisition nor building work was described as complete.
10 September 2024 — Spott Village Hall
Key points
- Springfield Solar consultation: The meeting heard that 102 people attended Voltalia’s Oldhamstocks event and that many questions were unanswered. Oldhamstocks Community Association intended to arrange a technical question-and-answer session and establish a working group.
- Home heating and village feasibility: Around 35 people had attended an Innerwick home-heating meeting. Members discussed local information sessions and seeking a feasibility study covering all four villages; no study had yet been commissioned.
- Innerwick Outdoor Centre: The centre was discussed as a possible longer-term community facility while the council Estates Department was considering sale. Suzie Fletcher was to contact the relevant council officer.
- Branxton Substation: With a Planning Committee decision anticipated, ELCC discussed cumulative impacts and said that, if permitted, the developer should be required to engage with biodiversity and traffic groups and deliver a net community gain.
- Traffic and council coordination: Fred. Olsen was to issue information about Crystal Rig access, BEAR Scotland was to be invited to discuss the A1 junction, and a council project manager was expected to become the information link for major developments.
- NnG community benefits: Members discussed proposing that half of NnG’s benefit money go to the East Lothian Community Benefit Fund, including support for heat-network feasibility. Chris Bruce was to outline what might be acceptable, but the allocation depended on wider agreement.
- Crystal Rig III benefits: The deed transferring future Crystal Rig III payment rights from ELCC to East Lothian Community Benefit Fund Ltd had been signed by Fred. Olsen’s board. Release of funds was still to follow the account process.
- Digital-phone resilience: Members discussed risks to emergency calling during power cuts after the analogue switch-off and possible backup equipment for vulnerable residents. ELCC also sought volunteers to develop village resilience plans; no equipment programme was agreed.
20 August 2024
No published minutes have been located in the historical ELCC archive.
16 April 2024 — Stenton Village Hall
Key points
- Local Place Plan: The final draft, supporting reports and maps were being prepared for submission to East Lothian Council in mid-May. An Oldhamstocks map item that had drawn 13 objections was to be removed, and separate June launch meetings were proposed for community groups and developers.
- Developer traffic communications: Members said communities should be consulted on traffic management and wanted every developer to use a notification approach similar to Fred. Olsen’s text alerts and contact number.
- Demand-responsive transport: The trial had recorded 140 journeys, with 112 registered accounts and 106 people using the app. The minutes report usage only; they do not evaluate the trial’s success or continuation.
- Eastern Green Link: ELCC intended to support the proposed community-benefit element while advising that it opposed the overall plan. The project remained subject to final Ofgem consultation.
- Pitcox battery storage: ELCC expected to be asked for an Energy Consents Unit response and identified land access and soil-traffic impacts for further scrutiny. Kelvin D’Arcy-Burt was to raise the traffic point.
- Energy-project liaison post: Sustaining Dunbar had costed a proposed three-day-a-week community liaison role at £23,000 a year including on-costs. SSE had been approached; no funded appointment was confirmed.
- Battery-storage fire planning: The meeting heard that Scotland lacked equivalent guidance to that used in England and that only two of seven East Lammermuir battery-storage applicants had contacted the Fire and Rescue Service. Procedures were still being developed.
- Belhaven Hospital: Following the closure decision, members argued that the community should influence the site’s future and discussed health, social-care, assisted-living and transport needs. No redevelopment or community-transfer decision was recorded.
- Innerwick services and buildings: Progress on retaining local post-office access was described as incomplete, while ELCC was exploring relocation and a possible community buyout of the Outdoor Centre. Neither outcome was settled.
19 March 2024
No published minutes have been located in the historical ELCC archive.
20 February 2024
Key points
- Crystal Rig Solar: Fred. Olsen Renewables expected to submit a solar-farm application before the end of March, followed by validation and formal consultation. The presentation described habitat work and possible construction access; no application decision was recorded.
- Crystal Rig 1 repowering: The developer was considering replacing 25 turbines with ten larger turbines and adding solar and battery storage. Members raised prolonged disruption and asked the developer to examine reusing old foundation material to reduce lorry movements.
- Industrial-development accountability: ELCC was developing a timeline of permissions, promises and outcomes so that future commercial parties could understand local views and earlier commitments. The work was not yet complete.
- A1 cycle-crossing safety: Members heard that Sustrans intended to suspend the national-cycle-route status at Torness because the crossing was below standard. Signage and a safe crossing remained unresolved, with no funding identified for the proposed footbridge.
- Innerwick housing consultation: ELCC discussed mixed-tenure housing and village sustainability within the Local Place Plan. It agreed to progress door-to-door information for neighbours of the proposed housing area before the plan was submitted.
- East L Go bus trial: The demand-responsive service was expected to soft-launch online on 4 March and begin app-based service on 18 March, running weekdays from 7am to 9pm. ELCC would fund the first 100 fully charged journeys; delivery remained prospective at the meeting.
- Branxton Substation: A possible March Planning Committee decision remained dependent on process, and Ofgem had not given final approval. Members considered the substation pivotal to connected projects but no consent outcome had occurred.
- Community-benefit priorities: ELCC intended to discuss whether future developer benefits should support household energy costs and insulation, local infrastructure and some wider East Lothian initiatives. These were options for discussion, not an agreed distribution formula.
- Valencia fire response: ELCC agreed to endorse four Dunbar Community Council resolutions seeking emergency procedures, investigation reports, council learning and environmental testing following the site fire. The later investigation and any court action were not complete.
Read the approved minutes (PDF)
23 January 2024
Key points
- Newlands Hill Energy Hub: After discussion with Belltown Power and residents, ELCC agreed that its draft Energy Consents Unit submission did not need amendment at that point. Members could still comment before Chris Bruce finalised it for the 2 February deadline.
- Stenton survey: ELCC agreed that results of Stenton’s Newlands Hill survey should be published on its website. The minutes do not record the results themselves.
- Local Place Plan: Members were asked to comment on the draft action plan before the 10 February Innerwick meeting, with another Stenton discussion to be arranged before 8 March.
- Demand-responsive transport: A weekday 7am–9pm trial using Liftango was being planned, with an anticipated but unconfirmed February launch. Members wanted publicity and requested that the service include Spott where possible.
- Polling places: ELCC intended to submit a consultation statement supporting continued use of Oldhamstocks and Spott halls as polling stations. The meeting did not record the council’s eventual decision.
- Branxton Substation: The Planning Committee report had been postponed until at least March. Members regarded the substation as pivotal to connected developments and expressed a preference for a public inquiry; no inquiry or consent decision was confirmed.
- Richmond’s Hope: Peter Branfield raised possible ELCC underwriting if agency funding was insufficient. More information and a February funding meeting were required, so no underwriting commitment was made.
Read the approved minutes (PDF)
Meeting years: Earlier year: 2023 meetings · Meetings and decisions · Later year: 2025 meetings