Willie Innes Way officially opened
The new road through part of the former Cockenzie Power Station site was officially opened and named after our former Council Leader, the late Willie Innes, with his daughter Gillian invited to come along and perform the official ribbon cutting.
Many colleagues will have worked with Willie, who was Council Leader from 2012 until he sadly passed away in October 2021.
Current Council Leader Norman Hampshire said: “It was an honour to meet Willie’s son Craig, daughter Gillian and granddaughters Hanna and Isla to officially open this new road. Under Willie’s leadership, East Lothian Council bought the former Cockenzie Power Station site for economic and community benefit and that’s why this road has been named after him as a lasting tribute to all he did for East Lothian.”
Willie’s daughter Gillian McEwan said: “I was really pleased to help cut the ribbon today on behalf of all the family. We’re very proud of what dad achieved during his time as a community councillor, local councillor and Council Leader and to have a road named after him is a real honour and something the family really appreciates.”
The new road links the Alder Road junction on the B6371 approach to Cockenzie with the existing B1348 Edinburgh Road. It has been built with the support of Hub South East by contractor Balfour Beatty on our behalf as part of the wider work to bring the industrial site up to standard for redevelopment. It largely follows the route of an original service road to the former power station coal plant and is designed to ease pressure on existing roads in the community in preparation for potential new commercial and other developments on the former power station and coal store sites.
We purchased the former ScottishPower site in 2018 to support ambitions to promote economic growth and create employment opportunities.
You can read the full story on our website.