Moray Council and MBLA Designs want opinion on the future of Museum Square, Forres

The community has just days left to influence ambitious plans for a commercial and historic street in the centre of town.

Moray Council has appointed consultant MBLA Designs to progress design options for Museum Square outside the Falconer Museum on Tolbooth Street - the local authority is seeking the public’s views ahead of a finalised design being prepared.

Friends of the Falconer Museum chairwoman, Christiane Friauf, was at a public information drop-in attended by around 50 people including Matt Benians of MBLA Designs Ltd and Moray Council planning officer Keith Henderson at the Tolbooth last month, showcasing the two initial designs.

She said: “There was not much that the attendees liked. Complaints about non-functional and inappropriate design elements abounded, as well as suggestions on what to change.

“This might call for new designs rather than for improving what is regarded as little, if at all, feasible.”

She added: “It would have helped the discussion had there been three different options with corresponding budgets, ranging from a cheaper to a more costly option.

“The architect mentioned when pointing to one of his options that its implementation would come at a cost of £500k, however, Moray Council cannot cover any costs of the refurbishment; instead, funding would need to be applied for.”

Council planning officer, Keith Henderson, confirmed some funding has been secured through the Town Centre Capital Fund (TCCF).

He said: “We went for a minimalist approach - Option 1 - which allows the space to be used for functions and events. Option 2 could potentially incorporate street furniture.

“We have to be careful to manage expectations which is why we are emphasising that these are not council-funded projects.”

He added: “There was money attributed to this project a few years ago that was never spent, however, it would not have been enough to fund it in its entirety.

“It is important that we have a plan in place that has been consulted upon should funding become available. It also helps to attract funding when an agreed plan with costings is in place.

“Once we have an agreed design, elements could be delivered in phases dependent on the level of funding available”

Museum Square is a long-term project identified in Moray’s Town Centre Improvement Plan's. The outline proposals support the regeneration of town centres and create a framework for attracting external funding.

They state: “There is an opportunity to build on this to create a larger civic space that could host events/markets and provide opportunities for outdoor eating and entertainment.

“This would involve upgrading paving, seating and signage as well as making the area more usable for people of all abilities.”

Ms Friauf is keen to find out if the commissioned landscape architect was given a detailed brief, and if so, what this brief entailed.

She said: "We asked for the brief so that we could make educated comments but did not receive an answer. Maybe the very general sentences from the Town Centre Improvement Plan are all the two designs are based on? Given the importance of this central space for the town, that would be highly disconcerting."

Regarding the cost, she added: “It has been suggested that it may come from the £3.3million Forres Conservation and Heritage Scheme,” she said. “Would Moray Council consider the entrance to the Falconer Museum as part of the square so that restoring the entrance area could become part of the application? Refurbishing Museum Square without taking the museum into consideration - let alone the question of reopening it -does not make sense.

“What is the council’s budget for the landscape architect's efforts? Could we expect new design proposals including their financial parameters?”

She finished: “Museum Square lies in the heart of Forres and is thus a matter of the heart for locals, visitors and a wider audience concerned with our heritage.”

Email opinion on the preliminary designs to localdevelopmentplan@moray.gov.uk by 5pm on Friday, December 20.

Following the consultation end, all comments will be used to inform the final design.

See http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_100442.html and http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file144994.pdf for more information.