Regeneration projects at The Haughs, Turriff celebrated

A range of improvements which the community asked to see implemented at a popular park in Turriff have been unveiled.

Following feasibility work which helped shape project designs, the construction phase for The Haughs Improved Access Project has been completed.

Aberdeenshire Council contracted Hunter Construction to build a ramp at the underpass, install low-energy use lighting and upgrade several paths within the park to improve access for walking and cycling.

These improvements will allow more people to use this green recreational space all year round, particularly during the darker winter months which was a major ask of the community. A programme of monitoring and evaluation will now be undertaken to assess the impact of the project.

The project was identified through earlier community engagement activities in Turriff and, thanks to the efforts of the dedicated steering group, significant progress has been made to take the project from an aspirational dream to reality.

Council staff helped secure both internal and external funding which has supported the various feasibility, design and construction stages. This final phase of the project has been made possible thanks to funding from the Place Based Investment Programme, the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and the council’s own Environment and Sustainability budget.

Councillors also welcomed the news that the Friends of the Den have also completed a project to extend its CCTV coverage of the park.

This was made possible through funding including grant awards from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Formartine Area Committee and local donations. 

Since June, a catering van has taken on a council lease to operate at The Haughs which covers the revenue costs of the lighting and CCTV extension.

While the vast majority of visitors treat The Haughs with respect and enjoy the facilities on offer, it’s hoped that the addition of these extra cameras will help to reduce an element of anti-social behaviour in the area.

Cllr Iain Taylor, chair of the council’s Formartine Area Committee, said: “These tremendous improvements at The Haughs really emphasise all the great community spirit which is alive and well in Turriff and also the excellent community engagement work our officers have undertaken over recent years through the work of the Haughs Redevelopment Steering Group.

"It has been absolutely vital that the views and ideas of our community were front and centre throughout the design process and I really hope that residents of all ages and abilities will be able to enjoy the park to a far greater extent now that the improvements have been completed.” 

Meanwhile, an asset transfer approved by the area committee last year enabled the Turriff Town Pride Group and Turriff in Bloom to secure a 15-year-lease of the Station Yard depot. The dedicated volunteers now have a safe, secure storage facility for the equipment used to maintain the town’s floral displays.

Morag Lightning of Friends of the Den added: “We are delighted to see these projects completed. Having been part of the steering group from the start, it has been fantastic to see the various local community groups, local authority and local sports clubs working together for such a worthwhile cause. We hear nothing but compliments regarding the improvements, and it is extremely heart warming to have provided the community with something they asked for. The increased footfall from all generations speaks volumes and we are extremely proud to have been part of the driving force.”

Rose Logan, on behalf of Turriff Town Pride and Turriff in Bloom Group, said: “We would like to thank Aberdeenshire Council for granting the community asset transfer and lease of the Station Yard Depot to our group, which has been in operation for over 20 years providing floral displays around the town. In the past, plant and equipment has been held at members individual addresses and the depot will give us a secure base to operate from and continue our engagement with the community on many more environmental projects. The whole of the Haughs improvement project has been a huge success and shows just what working together can achieve.”