Category Archives: Announcements

Christmas Craft Day – Thanks

Thank you to everyone who came along and supported the Christmas Craft day in the hall yesterday!

We had a very good turn-out and lots of appreciation for the goods available on the stalls and the all different craft activities taking place.

The Christmas Tree lights were switched on and so now we can officially start Christmas!

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making yesterday a success; setting up the hall, decorating trees, home baking and manning of stalls – all very much appreciated!

Walk around the Donolly reservoir and Danskine Loch

Core Paths around Garvald

Last week our local paths warden Dave Hapgood, from Snawdon, escorted a group of Garvald walkers on a wonderful walk around both the Donolly reservoir and Danskine loch. The aim of the excursion was to have a look at the state of the paths and to see if any improvements were possible or desirable.

In case you are new to the village, the way to reach this walk is to take the bottom road heading west out of the village, sign-posted Carfrae. Just before the road starts to climb up the hill there is a left turn to Garvald Mains Farm, and then about 30m along this road a right-hand track leading to the reservoir. Dave has attached core path signs at various points to show the way.

Thanks to Dave’s work in thinning out self-seeded trees there is now a good path right round the Donolly and this makes a very nice circular walk from Garvald. There is a bit of mud on the south side of the reservoir and the path winds around in and out of trees on the north side but it’s a lovely walk, with occasional feathered company. The circle can be completed in approximately one and a half hours.

We would like to hear comments from other walkers so please take advantage of the mild autumn weather and report back via the website.

A core path leads from the west end of the Donolly through a very muddy field, across the road and then around the Danskine loch. It is then possible to walk on core paths all the way to Gifford. The path round Danskine loch is good, but the intervening muddy field presents a bit of an obstacle. We would be keen to hear any creative suggestions about how to improve this part of the path.

So, dig out your boots, your camera and go walking, but don’t forget the chocolate biscuits like we did!

Dave’s description of the walk to Gifford
https://www.elcv.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/DH-walk-garvald-to-gifford.pdf

Other core paths in East Lothian
https://www.elcv.org.uk/library/path-descriptions/

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Community Emergency Plan

A message from Penny Short, Chair of Garvald and Morham Community Council:

Following the severe weather we experienced last year I have been working on a Community Emergency Plan to better prepare us for any similar emergency events. Villagers will recall how we were completely cut-off due to the roads being closed by snow and the situation could have become extremely difficult had the extreme weather continued, especially if we had also lost power. I was very proud of how the community came together, particularly the valiant villagers who kindly sourced some milk and bread.

It is sensible to formalise arrangements should such a situation arise again. I have been consulting with the Council’s Emergency Planning & Risk Manager on what the Council can do to help, but we must also take steps to improve our own resilience – the severe weather in February highlighted how little the Council could actually do to help once we were cut off and not everyone was fully prepared.

The main threats to our community include severe weather, such as snow, ice, flooding and high winds, which can cause falling trees and other hazards including first aid emergencies, fires and children/vulnerable people going missing.

Do you have any skills, tools or other resources that could help in any of these situations? For example, local farmers or tree surgeons may have equipment or expertise they are willing to offer. People may be trained in first aid or happy to be called upon should a search party be required. Maybe you have a 4×4 vehicle and could offer transport to pick up supplies in snowy weather, when other vehicles cannot get out of the village.

Would you be happy to be called upon in an emergency? If you would like to be added to our list of local skills and resources please respond using the form below.

Many thanks,

Penny Short

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Temporary road closures

Please note the following temporary road closures in the next week:

Road restrictions during Edinburgh RC Cycling Club race on Sunday 7th October (Gifford and Duns Road) – details attached 309_Road Closure.

Road between West Lodge and Papple Farm to be closed on Friday 12th October 8am-5pm, for tree felling – details attached 308_Road Closure.

Windfarm proposal

Notification has also been received from ELC Planning department regarding the following:

THE ELECTRICITY WORKS (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) (SCOTLAND) REGULATIONS 2017

ELECTRICITY ACT 1989 SECTION 36: APPLICATION FOR THE PROPOSED CRYSTAL RIG IV WIND FARM WITHIN THE PLANNING AUTHORITY AREAS OF EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL AND SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL

East Lothian Council have been consulted by Scottish Ministers on an application under Section 36 of the Electricity Act for construction of a windfarm. The proposed development is in the Lammermuir Hills, immediately to the south of the existing Crystal Rig Wind farms. All the of the proposed turbines are within Scottish Borders Council area however the access to the development will make use of the existing tracks to the north, which is within East Lothian.

The applicant is seeking consent for 35 years for 11 wind turbines, ancillary development including transformers, crane pads, tracks and borrow pits, as well as forestry felling. The turbines will be 4 up to 149.9m; 3 at up to 174.5m, and 4 at up to 200m. Aviation lighting is included. Access to the site from the public road network would follow the same route as used for the existing Crystal Rig Wind Farms. The route leaves the A1(T) north of the Innerwick junction in East Lothian and follows minor public roads past Thurston for 4.5 km up to a point midway between Upperhall Farm and Elmscleugh Farm. At this point the route leaves the public highway and continues on a private track adjacent to the 400 kV pylon line southwest wards. The access route then follows the pylon line onto the site.

The application documentation can be viewed at the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit website www.energyconsents.scot by:

– clicking on Search tab; then,

– clicking on Simple Search tab; then,

– typing Crystal Rig Wind Farm into Search by Project Name box then clicking on Go; then

– clicking on ECU00000607 and then click on Documents tab.

It is also available to view on the application website at https://fredolsenrenewables.com/windfarms/crystal-rig-iv/

If you wish to send any comments to me for consideration in compiling East Lothian Council’s response to this application please do so by by October 10th 2018. This will not affect consideration of any comments you have made or do make directly to the Scottish Ministers or the Energy Consents Unit.

Regards,

Jean Squires

Planning Service: East Lothian Council: John Muir House: HADDINGTON: EH41 3LH

Tel: 01620 827370

Website: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/ldp

Telecoms mast proposal

Tom Gallivan from WHP Telecoms Ltd is carrying out a Prior Consultation regarding a proposed telecoms mast just outside Garvald and advises the following:

This mast is part of the Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) Digital Strategy for Scotland which seeks to facilitate the deployment of 4G LTE infill coverage for areas where this does not yet exist and where it is unlikely that the commercial industry will invest in the near to medium-term future, given the economic challenges of doing so. These areas are often referred to ‘Not Spots’.

You may already appreciate the background to this. Funding has been committed by the Scottish Government and secured from the European Regional Development Fund (‘ERDF’) to support a plan to extend mobile service coverage across communities in otherwise hard-to-reach areas of Scotland or known telecommunication ‘Not-Spots’ where there is a local interest to do so.

WHP have been appointed by Scottish Government to build the new mast network and attract mobile operators to deploy sites in these Not Spots. Consequently, we would like to invite your feedback regarding the proposed mast at Garvald as per the documents below.

Garvald has a lot of transient visitors and a local population who have requested mobile phone coverage.

Scottish Government community consultation is open until the 8th of October 2018: https://consult.gov.scot/digital-directorate/scottish-4g-infill-programme-consultation/

For this site, however, we are not planning on moving forward until we have full community feedback and I have allowed 4 weeks for this (i.e. until the 30th October). Please let us have any feedback after you have read the documents below.

Many thanks,
Tom Gallivan FRICS (Registered Valuer) WHP Telecoms Ltd

WHP Telecoms Ltd, Office 44, The Bonds, 2 Anderson Place, Edinburgh, EH6 5NP
www.whptelecoms.com

Privacy: Your information will be used only in the gathering of community opinion about the installation of a telecoms mast in Garvald. Your data will be kept secure according to WHP Telecoms’ Privacy Policy: http://www.whptelecoms.com/privacy-policy/

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Knitting Night in the Stables – 1st October

On Monday 1st October there will be a Knitting Night – a chance for a knit and a natter as we try to produce a few more poppies for the Centenary Remembrance display.

As 2018 marks the centenary of the end of WW1 there will be a very special Remembrance Day in November. We will be decorating Garvald Church with knitted and crocheted poppies. If you’d like to help, a knitting pattern is attached here and crochet patterns can be found by searching on-line.

The Knitting Night is on Monday 1st October from 7 – 9 pm in the Stables (down by the church). Everyone welcome. Even if you can’t/won’t knit you could come and help attach poppies to the display. Thank you!