BUILDING VIBRANT LOCAL ECONOMIES

Eight miles to the south east of Edinburgh, Dalkeith grew up in the Middle Ages as a baronial burgh under the successive control of the Douglases and Buccleuchs.

Today, it is the largest town in Midlothian and is twinned with Jarnac in the south west of France – home to international cognac brands.

In Dalkeith’s town centre, Jarnac Court is just one of several local improvement projects in Midlothian to have been given the go-ahead for funding from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Capital Fund.

Situated along the Dalkeith high street, ex-council offices at Jarnac Court are now a multi-use development consisting of local businesses and residential apartments. When built in the 1960s, the Jarnac Court redevelopment was considered by many to be innovative – its odd shape and the immediate area were based on the phased demolition of the existing buildings and followed their street pattern to cause minimum disruption.

The Town Centre Fund 2019-2020 enabled local authorities to stimulate and support place-based economic investments, encouraging town centres to diversify and flourish and creating footfall through local improvements and partnerships. Specifically, this fund contributes to transformative investments which drive local economic activities and re-purpose town centres to become more diverse, successful and sustainable.

The regeneration of Jarnac Court aimed to revitalise the Dalkeith town centre and included paintwork, improved lighting, new seating, and paving repairs.

Wayne Clarke, Operations and Asset Manager at Midlothian Council, explains, “Jarnac Court was highlighted as an area for development under our economic development masterplan. The strategy was to create better usable spaces for people. We wanted an inviting area that would encourage the use of the space for events and gatherings such as night-time markets. The lighting was a key part of the