Huntly lamppost plan ‘could save’ the treasured features
The public are being asked to back a plan that could save heritage lampposts in Huntly.
Taking place in The Stewart’s Hall on Thursday, January 9, at 7.45 pm, a meeting will see the community hear new plans for how ten streetlights could come into the hands of local residents.
The future of the traditional-style lampposts in the Square has been uncertain since February 2024, when Aberdeenshire Council announced that they would be removed over safety fears.
However, the news was met with anger by local residents who launched a campaign against the plans.
Thursday’s meeting will be hosted by Councillor Jeff Goodhall (Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford, Liberal Democrat) and Councillor Gwyneth Petrie (Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford, SNP).
After a meeting last year, the Huntly Museum and Heritage Group was set up through Huntly Community Council (HCC) to support a bid to take ownership of, refurbish and retain the lights.
However, HCC chairman Tony Gill said preventing the “travesty” of the lampposts being removed could require £20,000 of funding.
Mr Gill has set up a crowdfunding page online, and hopes to get sponsorship from local businesses and to secure grant funding.
Cllr Goodhall said that with safety concerns and local feeling at odds, the situation has been stuck “between a rock and a hard place”.
“Huntly residents don’t want the posts to be removed at all, but officers think they could come down in a storm and cause damage to cars or people,” he added.
The councillor described the new compromise as a “good first step”.
Those at the meeting on Thursday will be asked to vote on whether to go along with the plan.
Under the compromise, the Huntly Heritage and Museum Group would take ownership of the streetlights.
The council would then remove the posts, but leave electrical connections in place for them to be replaced.
Cllr Goodhall said local engineer Colin Forsyth has already fabricated new sections to replace existing corroded parts of the posts.
A report will be sent to the original manufacturers of the lights, to certify whether replacement parts will be acceptable.
When this is confirmed, and subject to funding, the lampposts could then be reinstalled in their current locations.
Aberdeenshire Council would retain responsibility for the electrical fittings, and would pay for the power usage.
However, the heritage group would be liable for the lamposts and their upkeep.
Mr Gill said the meeting offer people a chance to get more detail about the situation, and “get a plan in place to replace them as soon as possible”.
“The big problem is the funding, it’s going to cost a fair bit of money to do that,” he said.
“We are accepting that the Council doesn’t have the funds these days.
“But we are going to see if we can find a way of funding the replacement to keep and retain them.
“We have got a fair way to go to show the Council that it can be done, to give them another 40 years of life.
“But we’re optimistic that we can get something done.”
Cllr Petrie said she shares many of the community’s frustrations about how the lamppost issue had been handled.
However, she said that Thursday’s public meeting may be an important step in finding the best way forward.
“Cllr Goodhall and I absolutely see the importance of the heritage lights to the Square,” she said.
“A decision was taken by Council officers, not by councillors, that the heritage lights in the Square aren’t safe any more.
“As I say, we are not engineers, so we can’t just overrule their operational decisions.
“I would encourage as many people to attend the meeting as possible.
“We are trying to find the best way forward for everyone.”
While admitting that Aberdeenshire Council “doesn’t have money” to carry out repairs to the heritage lampposts themselves, Cllr Petrie criticised how the decision was made and communicated.
“The decision was out of the blue,” she said.
“It has damaged relations between residents and officers, and it has added to the strains between the community and the council.”
