A new initiative in East Lothian is helping the community make a transition to clean energy in what is believed to be a UK first.
There are proposals for up to 14 new electricity infrastructure projects in the East Lammermuir area. The local community wanted to ensure that when all the new infrastructure is built and operational the area will be left better than it is today.
Some of the developers in the region recognised that there was a need for a more joined-up way of working. As a result, East Lammermuir is at the forefront of a new approach to community engagement.
The Energy Projects Partnership Manager is the person who leads this effort. It is a unique role to help balance the needs of the environment, local residents, East Lothian Council, and the energy developers working in the area. It is an approach that could shape how other communities and energy companies can work together more effectively in the future.
Beth Landon
Energy Projects Partnership Manager, Beth Landon, is at the end of the first six months in her post. She operates as a bridge between developers, residents, and East Lothian Council, helping all parties to navigate competing priorities and complex plans.
Beth said: “For the communities where these developments are taking place, the pace and complexity of change can be challenging. And where multiple projects are happening at once, communities can struggle to stay informed and engaged. The construction of substations, grid connections, wind farms, and transmission lines can feel overwhelming, even when residents support the principle of a greener future. As the much-needed transition to clean energy grows, it is vital we learn lessons from the past, bringing communities and developers together early on with an agreed, collaborative approach.
“I was attracted to this role because I saw an intention for all the partners to combine forces behind the implementation of a community-led vision for East Lammermuir, one in which the community is an equal partner and has genuine agency, which is articulated in their Local Place Plan. The potential to carve out a new approach together is incredibly exciting and I feel extremely privileged to be working alongside such a visionary community.”
Funding
SP Energy Networks (SPEN) and SSE Renewables fund the post, supported by a wider steering group of energy businesses, East Lothian Council and chaired by East Lammermuir Community Council.
Foundation Scotland, an independent charity also helps to support Beth’s post. The organisation is already familiar with the area and trusted by local partners, offering both independence and expertise. Foundation Scotland worked with the steering group to develop Beth’s role. As host, the body provides her with access to a broad national network of those who work on community benefit and other citizen-led funding models.
Community council
Chris Bruce, Chair of the local Community Council said: “The pace of change proposed in East Lammermuir has heaped lots of additional work on the eight members of the community council. Whilst we have tried to step up as volunteers and respond as best we can, having a reliable, almost full-time person working constantly has made a huge difference to what we can achieve in trying to make the best of the unavoidable developments that are happening around us”
Since starting in post, Beth has made significant progress in building relationships with local residents and ensuring that communication around the various energy projects is clear, timely, and accessible.
Engagement is improving with key local forums such as the Traffic and Biodiversity Groups which play a vital role in connecting community priorities with developer plans. Beth has also supported the Community Council in developing a strategy for managing incoming community benefit funds, ensuring that local investment reflects long-term aspirations.
Residents love the approach
Residents from the Community Traffic and Travel forum said: “In just six months, Beth’s calm and purposeful approach has transformed a community frantically battling with a complex tangle of energy development projects and proposals into a well-coordinated programme. Beth is an invaluable single point of contact holding regular meaningful meetings with developers and the community alike. Beth provides clear and timely updates that allow the East Lammermuir community to feel that they have a voice that gets heard. We are moving from firefighting to clear communication management and forward-planning of community benefit projects.”
There is already growing interest in and recognition of East Lammermuir’s model. In a national landscape where energy developments are expanding fast and public trust can be fragile, this small East Lothian community has shown that there is another way forward – one built on dialogue, partnership, transparency, and respect – quietly shaping how communities and industry can work together to power a fairer, greener future.
