Burgh Beautiful

Progress Report - August 2008

Burgh Beautiful volunteers have not entered the Beautiful Scotland competition this year, giving us the opportunity to try out new projects and new planting, such as the non-stop begonias recommended to us by last year's judges. We started them rather late, but they are now looking good and standing up to the weather. They will be stored and started up early for next year.

The Group is very concerned about the proposal for a supermarket and possible hotel and care home at Blackness Road and will be objecting when the planning application comes in on the following points. Firstly, the impact on the Eastern Town Entrance of such a development with minimal landscaping and associated signage, litter and traffic would change the whole initial impression of our town for visitors. It would also compromise the rural approach to the town and view of the Palace and Church that has been so carefully preserved for many years by West Lothian Council. We have done much to make this approach welcoming with new flower beds and barrels, and planting of daffodils, crocuses and snowdrops.

Of course, Burgh Beautiful is not all about floral displays and the Beautiful Scotland guidelines reflect this. On the town furniture front, the finger posts and town notice board that we had suggested for last year's share of the town improvement funding should go ahead soon. We were disappointed with the troughs on Linlithgow Bridge, which were quite different from the ones we thought we had agreed on at a freezing cold site visit in the winter. There is also discussion about improving the banner pole at the Cross.  Poles for hanging baskets for the High Street are still under discussion, but await decisions on parking in the town.

Unfortunately the combined objections of Highways concerning sight lines, pavement width, under street cables and services, lighting engineers and effect on light levels in the road and in adjoining houses make trees in the High Street a remote possibility.

On the Community front, Eileen Murray and Tommy Peake continue to make the Water Yett a pleasure to walk through and we have helped make a second community border at the flats on the corner of High St and St Ninian's Road. They have done so much to improve the area and are well worth a visit. These are perennial borders with a few hardy annuals added to promote sustainability, and where possible we are working along these lines.

The schools are again involved in a sunflower competition and bulb planting.

Our efforts at encouraging Biodiversity by selling wild flower seedlings at the summer plant sale went very well. There will be bluebell and cowslip planting in the autumn.

The Spring Litter Clean Up went very well with excellent community support and we shall be organising another one in the Autumn. Details of both will be in the District Diary. We hope LCT members will turn out as usual to support us.

On the fund raising front, we were again lucky with good weather and attendance for the very successful Fun Dog Show held in conjunction with Historic Scotland. We shall be selling forced hyacinths at the Advent Fair, so please look out for us and put them on your shopping list for Christmas.

• Burgh Beautiful Homepage