A DUNBAR charity has purchased two sites in the town and completed East Lothian Council’s first community asset transfer.

The Ridge has bought Black Bull Close and Backlands Garden, a community garden run by the charity that is found off Dunbar High Street.

The council received £25,000 from the sale, which was made possible through a grant from the Scottish Land Fund.

The Ridge provides training in rural skills and construction, in particular traditional stonemasonry and joinery.

The skills are used by trainees, including eight modern apprentices, to restore historic boundary walls and the ruined Black Bull Close buildings to bring them back into use and save their heritage for local people to enjoy.

It also provides support, for example through employment training, helping people to develop new skills and promoting personal health and wellbeing.

The Ridge has leased land and buildings at Black Bull Close from East Lothian Council since 2015 for its activities, during which time it has engaged with the local community to regenerate a neglected waste ground into a garden.

Work on the garden and the clearance and restoration of the Black Bull Close buildings has been financially supported by several groups, including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Foundation Scotland, the local area partnership, Dunbar Community Council and East Lothian Council.

The community asset transfer allows the community to take full responsibility for the land and buildings to deliver greater community benefit. Ownership also allows The Ridge to attract external funding for future projects and development.

After two community consultations, The Ridge’s plans for the site include enhancing the landscape, improving biodiversity and public access to the garden, developing a support centre for local people, offices for core staff, a dance studio, workshops, artist studio and training kitchen.

It also intends to safeguard the heritage and historic-built environment of an area which, up until recently, was little-known by many.

Kate Darrah, managing director of The Ridge, said: “When we embarked on this process, we had a vision of a place that would become a valuable asset for all of our community and a place from which to deliver The Ridge’s core aims and services.

“Taking ownership of the site allows us to secure access to those opportunities for our community into the future.”

Councillor Norman Hampshire, depute council leader and a local ward councillor, said: “This is great news for The Ridge, the people it works with, Dunbar town centre and the council.

“The Ridge do fantastic work to support people in getting into or returning to the workplace.

“The Community Empowerment Act gives groups greater opportunity to take on suitable assets where they have a strong reason to do so and it will develop the services they provide.

“The Ridge has demonstrated a clear case that owning these buildings will help them to further develop their excellent services, provide job creation, skills and deliver economic and social development outcomes.

“Their plans will also enhance this area of Dunbar, which is a priority for our planning and regeneration teams, for the benefit of the wider community.

“It supports our desire to create pathways into apprenticeships and jobs and support businesses in securing qualified people.

“I’m delighted that the community asset transfer has been approved and look forward to seeing The Ridge’s projects go from strength-to-strength.”