North Berwick Harbour trust launch bid to install Bass Rock mural made of waste plastic from beach

An eight-metre long mural made up of 27,000 pieces of plastic waste collected from local beaches could be installed at North Berwick Harbour.

The town’s harbour trust has applied for planning permission to install the mural, which will depict a view of the beach and famous Bass Rock landmark.

The trust added that as people get up close to the work by local artist Julie Barnes, they will realise it has been made of rubbish – bringing home the impact of waste on the environment.

In a statement on the project, lodged with the planning application it said: “Made entirely from around 27,000 pieces of waste plastic, collected by local Lil Vischer over 100 days off a 200m2 area at Longniddry Bents, the mural will not only be both visually breath taking, but will also send a clear message about the real harm that waste plastic is causing to our seas and beaches.

“It will be inspiring, attention grabbing and educational. But through materials by which it has been made it will very quickly become a local talking point and quite possibly a tourist attraction in its own right.”

The trust is working in partnership with local businesses Caledonia Horticulture and Jerba Campervans to draw up plans for the mural.

Artist Julie is “passionate about this new project at North Berwick harbour and sees it as an exciting way of engaging wider audiences to appreciate the very real problem of plastic pollution.”

The trust has applied for planning permission to put the mural which will be made up of eight individual panels all one metre high on a wall at the harbour.

The planning statement said the project cost was estimated around £6,000 with the mural expected to take two months to create.

The application is available to view on East Lothian Council’s planning portal.