Huntly streetlight campaigners and Aberdeenshire Council agree ‘way forward’
Campaigners fighting to keep ten Victorian-style lampposts in the heart of town have agreed a “way forward” with Aberdeenshire Council after nearly a year.
At a meeting on Friday, January 17, the Huntly Museum and Heritage Group (MHG) agreed a plan with council officers which will see the group taking responsibility for the streetlights.
Aberdeenshire Council announced the removal of all ten lights in February 2024, over concerns that their corroded structure put the public at risk.
However, the news was met with outrage, with a campaign launched through Huntly Community Council (HCC) to save the streetlights.
After meetings between council officers and HCC members, along with local councillors Gwyneth Petrie (SNP) and Jeff Goodhall (Liberal Democrat), residents decided to form the Huntly MHG.
The group has now received permission to take on and refurbish the lights once they are removed, aiming to return them to the Square as soon as possible.
“Certainly, we have got a way forward,” HCC chairman Tony Gill said.
“We have had to accept that all the lampposts will be removed in February but, after refurbishing them, we plan to install them as soon as we can.
“But, basically, all the actual work of refurbishing and reinstating them will be down to our heritage group.”
Cllr Goodhall took to social media to describe the January 17 meeting as “very good news”, stating that the community and council staff had agreed a “positive way forward”.
Along with council officers, he also thanked Tony Gill, Colin Forsyth and Ian Little for their work towards creating a management plan.
However, Mr Gill added that the project now urgently requires funding with around £20,000 needed to bring back the lampposts.
A crowdfunding page, set up last year, has raised more than £2000.
In a bid to accelerate fundraising, Mr Gill said the group was hoping that local businesses may choose to sponsor streetlights.
“The public in general, townsfolk and visitors to the town, have said the lampposts make a big difference to the appearance of the Square,” he added.
“They are part of the tradition of the Square, so people have been very supportive of what we are doing to refurbish and reinstate them.
“We need to raise £20,000 and we’re not sure how that will go.
“We have got a plan together for what is going to be done, but we haven’t got a date for that yet.
“It’s all dependent on funding.”
The first phase of works will see the six most-prominent streetlights reinstated, including the four around the Duke of Richmond Statue, along with two near the fountain.
A second phase will then centre on the remaining four lampposts.
Foundation plates for the streetlights have already been made and are ready to install once the streetlights have been refurbished.
Mr Gill thanked Aberdeenshire Council for agreeing to retain power connections and cabling, and for committing to cover the cost of electricity once the lights return.
After the lampposts have been reinstated, the Huntly MHG plans to try and bring a museum back to Huntly.
The group is also considering how it can bring local history artifacts back to the town, which are currently looked after by Aberdeenshire Council.