ABOUT LERWICK OLD TOWN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 

On 31st March 2005 a public meeting was held in Lerwick to discuss Lerwick’s Old Town and Waterfront, and to determine how best to secure its future. Forty-five people attended, representing a cross section of the community: - residents, members of the wider local community, and community groups interested in the future of the area.

Organisations represented included Shetland Islands Council, Lerwick Town Centre Association, Lerwick Port Authority, Lerwick Community Council, Visit Scotland and the Shetland Civic Society.

The meeting which provided opportunities to reminisce and discuss possible ideas for the future, concluded with agreement that a community based group working in partnership with a range of organisations, could provide a valuable vehicle through which to take forward many of the ideas generated.

Twenty-two of the forty-eight attendees signed up to get involved, and a steering group “Lerwick Old Town and Waterfront Group” was formed.

The group met periodically to agree priorities, prepare a draft constitution and more recently worked in partnership with the Planning Service to prepare an Action Plan. 

The Steering Group was constituted in July 2008, the “Lerwick Old Town Development Association” the community group formed to work in partnership with the Community, the Planning Service and other key organisations in the area to take forward this vision for the area.

After a period of public consultation in 2009 the draft Action Plan was finalised and subsequently adopted by Shetland Islands Council. A copy of the Action Plan can be downloaded from this website.