Massive Theme park development in East Lothian

[Whatsgoingon12345]

https://keepeastlothianbeautiful.org/help/

hi, not content with covering East Lothian in swathes of unimaginative gulag housing, there are plans afoot to stick a theme park on a farm in east fortune causing massive traffic build up through surrounding villages- there’s no other transport than cars- and all sorts of other stuff that will affect north Berwick, tyninghame etc.
it’s a plan by the guy that owns east links theme park, just 6 miles away which gets 1000 visitors a day so about 800 cars.
if you’d like to protest please see the link above, if you’d like to share and spread the word please do.
East Lothian is still beautiful and green in a lot of places despite the best efforts and insane amounts of new housing of the town planners, let’s try and keep it!

Well I adore Scotland, I was born here and I am here now on a break, but if you don’t like walking or shopping there is very little to do. A Theme Park will boost the economy and attract visitors.
Scotland needs to be generating income, so many places look so terribly rundown, it’s a bit heartbreaking.

Are you sure it isn't where east links is moving to? The old site will close so no new traffic, just traffic travelling 6 miles more - or less.

www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/23879333.plans-family-park-east-fortune-farm-now-revealed-full/

OP. Some people can only afford "gulag" homes

The park looks great though. It's hardly Disneyland.

So basically East Links are moving due to their lease being up. So they won't be where they are currently based. It's not in addition to but instead of.

It's not exactly Alton Towers, is it.

I completely agree with this post. A north facing incredibly windy spot for an outing with kids next to a busy railway line, stuck in traffic getting there isn’t a great place to open up another theme park just 6 miles from a wonderful site next to the beach with trees all around. I doubt emergency services would get to this site if a kid had an accident.
also all the run off from thousands of tons of hard core and tarmac would drain into the Peffer burn and then down to Aberlady Bay which is a bird sanctuary. Why not build another Theme/animal park nearer Edinburgh where families would really appreciate a facility like this where transport is easier and not such a windy exposed dangerous spot.

There’s a very good existing Theme Park near Dunbar. Fab high street with great shops and cafes. Very easy roads and parking.. try East Links Family park, you can then have a great time on the beach.
another family park near Edinburgh would
be better all round.

It's East Links who are looking to move to the new site as the lease on their current site is nearly up.

How does 1000 visitors a day equate to 800 cars? No adults will be going alone or do they not count kids as visitors? I've not been since DC were nursery age but it definitely seemed aimed at young kids.

Its 400 cars there and back from East Fortune equals 800 journeys. The small roads either side of entrance to Brand Farm shop are so narrow I don’t know how an emergency vehicle would get to East Fortune on a busy day. Especially dangerous is the main railway line.

That's still not 800 cars, that's 400 cars or 800 journeys.

I no longer live in the area so have no axe to grind either way but areas need facilities and attractions and business and employment, the campaign should be focusing on where would be better to have it (if they aren't already).

I completely agree with this. There is so little to do in Scotland as a country.

I don't live far from here. The proposed 'new' location is in the middle of nowhere and has no public transport. It goes against East Lothian Council's own climate strategy, and very recently ELC also declared a 'nature emergency'. Apparently the existing theme park will also remain, albeit run by different owners. The existing park is well-served by public transportation and is close to the A1 for drivers; and brings welcome visitors to the nearby town of Dunbar which has good facilities - the proposed new site has none of those things. It would mean increased traffic and pollution through very small villages and hamlets, as well as being built on agricultural land and having a negative impact on the natural environment. It just doesn't feel like it aligns very well with local strategies at all, unfortunately. It will be interesting to see how the planning department manages this - on one hand, money very much talks, but it so clearly flies in the face of stated aims for East Lothian across a number of areas.

No that’s not correct that’s what’s so misleading reg this although the “lease” is up the current owner plans to keep the park and will be doing any improvements that need to be done-whilst the current tenant plans to open a whole new park just 6 miles up the road from it! east links at present is in a great location for everyone whether going by car or public transport-the is no public transport to where the new park is proposed and the current park brings visitors to dunbar along with jobs for local people-as someone stated the roads just wouldn’t cope with the new volume of traffic and it being so close to the main railway line is a real worry for kids and animals, whilst it will
boost economy for East Lothian (which it does already anyway) parks battling so close against each other won’t work and unfortunately one will eventually fail causing more job loses to local people-why spoil the area with another and let locals keep the current jobs they have. If you look at the plans for the “new” one it keeps everything in house meaning no extra revenue to nearby villages and won’t have the fantastic fortress that they currently have in dunbar and that many of our kids love. have a look at the article linked above its very interesting and explains a lot more than we are being told

The employment will be welcome.

East links is not really Alton Towers is it. It's a farm with a fort, some bouncy pillows and a little train that runs round it.
Still pretty rural even compared to say a supermarket. It would be a shame to see it move too far from it's original home.

This is what East Links posted in February.

It's right next to the museum of flight which I imagine gets even more visitors. It will use the same roads etc. This may encourage the bus companies to improve the public transport to both and ELC to upgrade the roads infrastructure. A new station is being built at East Linton which is close so a shuttle bus might be an option.

Quit with the NIMBYism.

Is no one allowed to have fun?

Can't we grow the economy with fun businesses?

It's a family park not Alton Towers

And there we go the quote that states; East Links Family Park will continue to operate as normal in Dunbar until a couple of months before the lease runs out.-the current “tenant” may be relocating but east links will still be there and stay open whether to the current owner or new tenant!

So little to do? Compared to what? Disneyland???

I can't believe the comments saying there's "nothing to do" in Scotland. The nature, the beaches, the history, the cities, outdoor activities, wildlife, museums... you mean there are no bullshit over-commercialised extortionate theme parks?

Yes everyone “should be able to have fun”can you tell me if you actually live in East Lothian, and have viewed the plans and actually understand them-it seem not!