WORK on a £300,000 scheme to improve a Dunbar play park should be complete by early spring next year.

Construction work to renew and improve the play area in Lauderdale Park started yesterday (Tuesday).

The play area will be cordoned off while the works are carried out but access to the rest of the park will be unaffected.

The project aims to enhance the facilities to provide "a challenging, exciting and inclusive play space for toddlers to teens, with a range of abilities, to play and hang out".

The final designs were created following community consultation, including with local children and young people, and include references to local landmarks such as the John Muir Way, Dunbar Castle and Belhaven Bridge (also known as the Bridge to Nowhere).

READ MORE: Play area at Dunbar's Lauderdale Park to be transformed

Councillor Norman Hampshire, who is leader of East Lothian Council and represents the Dunbar and East Linton ward, said: “This will be a fantastic upgrade for Lauderdale Park play area as it includes accessible equipment and some really clever nods to familiar local landmarks.

“I’m sure the local young people will be really excited to watch the progress and will be looking forward to being able to use the new facility in the spring.

“The fact the designs have been based on feedback from local consultation means that it will be a true community facility inclusive of age, from toddler to teen, and all abilities.”

Weather permitting, it is anticipated that the play area will be ready to reopen by early spring next year.

The timing of the works was planned to ensure it minimised the impact on the popular park.

READ MORE: Hopes that Dunbar's Lauderdale Park will remain green space

Meanwhile, the existing equipment in the park will be “reused or recycled depending on condition on removal”.

The project is being funded by the Scottish Government’s Play Parks Renewal funding allocation.

East Lothian Council teams will be removing the old play equipment and the new equipment will be installed by Kompan.

Plans to refurbish the park were given the green light earlier this summer.

At that time, Pippa Swan, chairwoman of Dunbar Community Council, welcomed the news.

She said: “It seems a huge amount of thought has gone into the design.

“We are particularly thrilled the design team has taken such a lot of thought on how to integrate play to make it as accessible to as many children of all abilities as possible.

“That is just fantastic.”