West Duns Masterplan
Duns, Berwickshire
Duns, the former county town of Berwickshire until 1975, is the successor of a burgh of barony that was burned during the English invasions of the mid C16. The new town of Duns was laid out on the present site c 1590 and consisted principally of a long street with a market square at its centre and the parish church just to its south.
Now, with a population of 2500, the town has a new PPP high school built just beyond the town’s west boundary only accessible along a busy trunk road. Scottish Borders Council have proposed that an area between the town and the school be safeguarded for longer term mixed use. This will bring many opportunities in particular, a green route for recreational amenity, pedestrian and cyclists that will connect the existing public park with the new school along the line of the ‘bluidy burn’.
This framework allows for the development of the proposals through ‘charrette’ studio workshops involving key stakeholders such community representatives, local housing associations, council officers, education, police, care, and social work professionals.
This should be done to create even more inspirational places where people can meet and interact. Districts should be characterised by a mixed functioning where residences, offices, cafés and recreational activities can all coexist within the same small area. The design of small public spaces should contain surprising elements. While biking or walking around, one should feel encouraged to keep delving into the area to discover more of its qualities.
The different areas should be linked together by connecting thoroughfares and sightlines. However, within the areas it is just as important to show that the streets do not align. Every building facing a main street or avenue should contain at least two of the following: residences, services or commercial activity.
These proposals are part of a response to the Scottish Borders Council Draft Local Plan Amendment. Comment is expected later this year.
