The THI/CARS Project Team have awarded a grant to 104-106,108-110,110a-114 High Street. These are three tenement, three storey priority 1 buildings in the High Street opposite the junction with the Edinburgh Road. They are in poor condition and the grant is for repair and restoration of roofs, walls, front and rear, renewal/replacement of rainwater goods, repairs to chimneys, repair of existing windows and new timber sash and case windows where the existing can't be repaired.  The important shopfront to 106 will be restored as part of the scheme.  All three buildings are listed as being of architectural and historic importance. The Project Team felt that the scheme would achieve a significant improvement to this part of the street, opposite the main entrance to the town centre from the north along the Edinburgh Road.

104-106,108-110,110a-114 High Street.                        Architect's drawing of scheme

The first and second set of training courses arranged for Midlothian Training Services (MTS), building professionals and contractors held at Telford College in Edinburgh have now taken place and they were a great success. The second phase of courses took place over Sept, Oct and Nov.

A presentation ceremony was held in Midlothian Council Chamber on the 1st December where the trainees received their certificates from Colin Tennant, Head of Skills and Materials at Historic Scotland and John Laing, Head of Development (construction) at Telford College in Edinburgh. Councillor Russell Imrie, Council Member for Strategic Services at Midlothian Council officially presided over the event and was very pleased to see young people taking the opportunity to gain training in historic building repair and restoration techniques. 

A number of home owners seminars were also held in Oct, aimed at helping the owners of historic buildings understand and appreciate the need for regular repair of historic buildings using the appropriate materials and techniques. (See home owners guide as a PDF download)

The next set of free training course and seminars will be held in the spring and early autumn next year. (See training courses booklet as a PDF download)

Telford College have prepared a special heritage training centre  at their campus  with specially constructed walls where the trainees can practise their skills in relation to traditional stone walling, repair and conservation work using traditional mortar mixes with lime.  Traditional render and harling application techniques will be on the programme together with the relevant health and safety training.   

Some photos of the presentation ceremony:

The Dalkeith Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) has awarded grants to the following buildings in the High Street: 75,77,79-81, 87-89 and 41.

All these properties are priority buildings in the scheme.

Nos 75,77,79-81 High Street involve 8 owners who have come together to share the costs of repairing and restoring their buildings. These are 3 storey stone tenement buildings with shops on the ground floor and flats above. They are located in a prominent position in the High Street opposite the junction with South Street. The repair and restoration work involves roof repairs, repair and replacement of stone work, refurbishment of the shop at 81, new windows and the restoration of existing historic windows, new rainwater goods and chimney and associated leadwork repair.  No 77 has a rendered front which will be repaired and repainted. The building contractor is G .Griggs and Sons from Musselburgh and work starts the week of 10th October for a 26 week contract, finishing at the end of April 2012.

Nos 87-89 High Street is a 3 storey stone, mid terrace building with shop on the ground floor with a flat above. This property is further along from 75-81 on the same side of the street.  The 2 owners here and the shop tenant have got together to repair and restore the character of the property. The work comprises, new roof, new windows on the front elevation, repairs to the stonework, new rainwater goods and a new shopfront designed to be more in keeping with the character of the building.

No 41 is a 3 storey double fronted building, on the same side of the street as 75-81 but further south. The building has a large shopfront on the ground floor with office and flat above. The work involves the repair and repainting of the front rendered elevation, new windows, repairs to rear walls and a new shopfront designed to be more in keeping with the historic character of the building.

The work to all these properties will be carried out using materials and techniques that will restore the character of the buildings.  Where new stonework is proposed this will be carefully selected to match the orginal as will the roofing slate. Lime mortar will be used to repoint and repair stonework and lead will be used in roof and gutter repair. The new shopfronts will make a significant improvement to the appearance of the buildings and will enhance their historic character. The Dalkeith Shopfront Design Guide launched earlier in the year has influenced the design of the new shopfronts and the refurbishment of the original shopfront at 81 High Street.

An important part of the Dalkeith THI/CARS is training and education and the contractors involved in these projects will be encouraged to participate in the training programme. There is the opportunity to involve trainees in the repair and restoration of rear boundary walls along the rear of properties along this side of the street.

The work will compliment the recently completed High Street enhancement and improvements to the Vennels

75,77,79-81 High Street.                87-89 High Street              41 High Street                                        Work Starts

The Midlothian Advertiser teamed up with the THI/CARS project and launched a shopfront competition in the paper back in the summer. Readers were asked to nominate their best kept shopfront in the town centre.A number of nominations were received and judging took place at the beginning of June. The results were then published in the paper on the 23rd June 2011, see attached article

To celebrate the results a presentation ceremony was held in Midlothian Council Chamber on 1st Dec 2011 as part of the training plan presentations. Councillor Russell Imrie ( Midlothian Council Member for Strategic Services) presided over the event and certificates were presented to the following shops by Jo Robinson Editor of the Advertiser:

Overall winner: Flowers by Lamb in Eskdaill Court.

Runners up, "With Love "and "Cancer Research" in the High Street.

Nominations:"The Cheque Centre", M&Co", "Oxfam", in the High Street and

Hononary mentions by the judges, "The Parliamentary Advice Centre", "William Purves funeral Directors ", "Eskbank Flowers" and "Michelle Mowat hair dressers"