IT is good that the central area of Lochgelly is to be given a fresh look under the regen plans and the important aspect of it all is that the people of the town are to be given a say in what the new town square will look like.

When the Queen’s Hotel was demolished many years ago and the east corner of Main Street area was given a fresh look it created a civic area which the town had lacked for decades. Now there was some controversy about the shape of the statue of a miner that was erected, but all in all it was a good addition to a town under regeneration.

Now we are at the next stage. With St Andrews Church and the former town house having new roles in the regen plan the area behind Bank Street and High Street is going to have an exciting new look to it.

And Fife Council are determined that the people of Lochgelly will be able to make recommendations on what the new town square will look like.

A series of workshops are to be held early in 2015 to allow people to put forward their ideas so over the next few months the public and organisations in Lochgelly should be putting their minds to what this welcoming part of the town should look like.