The journey so far. The new masterplan for Dargavel Village

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1 The journey so far Our vision for Dargavel Village began over ten years ago when the original masterplan for transforming the former Royal Ordnance Factory site into a thriving community was established. Since then, we have worked closely with the local community, Renfrewshire Council and developers to bring the vision to life and establish Dargavel Village as an aspirational place to live. Since work began on Dargavel Village we have: Prepared and received regulatory approval on 479 acres of land equivalent to 272 standard football pitches Constructed main access roads and a new link road, creating a continuous 3.5km route through Dargavel Village Improved infrastructure in and around the local community Made first payments of 100,000 to Bishopton Community Development Trust Created new shared spaces, giving pedestrians and cyclists priority Improved the overflow car park at the train station creating a well-lit, safer parking area with 60 additional car park spaces Planted trees, created new grassland, laid footpaths and built stone walls using reclaimed stone as part of the landscape work around Dargavel Village View over Dargavel Village from the north The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 1

2 The natural habitat Ecology thrives on Dargavel Village and it has become home to a significant number of mammals, amphibians and birds, some of which are protected. We carefully plan our activities with nature conservation in mind, helping to preserve and protect the wildlife and habitats of Bishopton for future generations. We work closely with Scottish Natural Heritage to ensure that the wildlife and their habitats are preserved or, where necessary, repositioned in the right way. The design of the development is sympathetic in its approach to sustain and encourage wildlife. There are already a number of areas dedicated to wildlife, including the Community Woodland area. These sustain and facilitate the movement of wildlife. Protecting the site s existing natural habitats is a priority and that s why we have a separate Ecological Design and Management Plan within our overall vision. Some of the specific activities we have carried out include: Relocating badger setts Undertaking annual bat surveys Reporting bird sightings to the Scottish Ornithologists Club and Scottish Natural Heritage Rescuing abandoned ducklings Building over 20 bat boxes Installing wildlife friendly kerbs on Craigton Drive ur ecologists regularly monitor wildlife and nature on Dargavel Village Just one of the dedicated bat boxes we have installed Birds flourish on Dargavel Village and we have over 100 different species on site The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 2

3 Building community spirit Community is at the heart of Dargavel Village and we are committed to creating new, and improving existing, community facilities as well as supporting the wider local community. Some of the key initiatives include: Bishopton Community Trust We have pledged 300,000 and nine-acres of land to the Bishopton Community Trust for the provision of sport and recreational facilities for use by all Bishopton residents Community Woodland Park Around 1,100 acres of Community Woodland Park will be created, in phases, to provide an extensive network of footpaths and cycle routes linking Dargavel Village and Bishopton with the surrounding countryside. Play areas Two new play areas Newton Road and Wester Rossland Woodland are due to be opened in this winter providing play facilities for local children, alongside other open space around the development We recognise the importance of regular engagement with the local community and its role in the continued development and future delivery of Dargavel Village. We regularly engage with the local community through our quarterly newsletter, monthly bulletins, a dedicated freephone hotline and by participating in meetings with the Community Liaison Group and Dargavel Village Residents Association. We have also supported the community through setting up the Bishopton Community Trust, our sponsorship of the Bishopton Annual Fun Run and through the delivery of our planning commitments. Looking to the future, we recognise the need to continue to work with the local community and are looking at how we can further our community activities to support the development of Dargavel Village and Bishopton and as a whole. We were proud to have sponsored this year s Bishopton Annual Fun Run In the summer, we made our first payment of 100,000 to the Bishopton Community Trust to support sport and leisure in the community The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 3

4 The original masterplan and the expansion land The masterplan which has guided and shaped Dargavel Village so far was published in This set out a number of important principles for the Community Growth Area. One key principle was to define an outer edge for the development and a Core Development Area. Since 2006, the masterplan has evolved. In 2015, we consulted the community of Bishopton on a proposal to extend the North Western housing neighbourhood up to the Core Development Area boundary. This is the expansion land which is shown on the plan below, (H20, H21 and H22). Many aspects of the original masterplan have already been realised including: Completion of the 2.2mile (3.5km) road through Dargavel Village and new roundabouts on the A8 to the north and south of Bishopton Installation of drainage, gas and power infrastructure to support new development Housing neighbourhoods to the north and south of Dargavel Village and the start of the central housing neighbourhood Design of the first 100 houses by the Council for social rent The first stages of structural landscape around the new housing such as the village squares. Works around the railway station and routes to and from it, which improve access for pedestrians and cyclists Improvements to roads in Bishopton including traffic signals at Greenock Road and Kingston Road Expansion and upgrading of the overflow car park, creating an additional 60 spaces Setting up the Bishopton Community Development Trust (BCDT) and improvements to Holm Park, allowing the transfer of nine-acres of land to the BCT Full design and completion of the tender process for the new M8 junction at the intersection of Greenock Road and the M8, together with enabling works which include vegetation removal. The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 4

5 Changes to the masterplan Dargavel Village is ever evolving. The way it is being delivered is under constant review which is vital for the continued success of the project. As part of this review, we are taking the opportunity to look again at the masterplan which is now over ten years old. A number of changes are proposed including: Housing on land currently reserved for industrial development. This could create around 975 houses, including affordable houses, instead of up to 1.5million square feet (138,000 square meters) of industrial development A new site for a two-stream primary school and an accelerated programme for delivery with a projected opening date four to five years earlier than previous planned A multi-purpose Central Park, providing leisure facilities for the community, which is to be built earlier than originally envisaged The phased release of land in the Community Woodland Park to give early access to the countryside around Dargavel Village A central location for new shops near to the railway station with land reserved for a new health centre A clear programme for the construction of the new motorway junction with an expected opening of 2020 Village square under construction Perspective image of village centre Drainage pond and the surrounding landscape The most significant of these changes is the designation of industrial land for housing. This has been influenced by two trends: There has been no substantial interest in industrial development at Dargavel Village. This is not likely to alter as there are significant opportunities at established employment locations which are in a stronger position to attract investment There is a strong push by both the Scottish Government and Renfrewshire Council to deliver more high-quality housing. The priority is new housing on brownfield sites in sustainable locations like Dargavel Village instead of on Green Belt land The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 5

6 The proposed masterplan We have maintained the overall shape of Dargavel Village. This is based on a series of housing neighbourhoods set in a strong framework of greenspace, and supported by new infrastructure. This provides an opportunity for around 4,000 houses overall. The majority will be family housing but we will look to incorporate more specialist housing for older age groups and will continue to provide land for affordable housing. The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 6

7 The supporting infrastructure The new masterplan is a reflection of the lessons that have been learnt over the last ten years. It brings a significant opportunity to review how, and when, the infrastructure to support Dargavel Village is delivered. Some important parts of this infrastructure include: Primary school: The new location will accommodate a larger, two-stream primary school with community facilities. We propose to open it in 2021, four to five years earlier than originally planned Retail and leisure: A retail and leisure zone near to the rail station is included as a focus for local shopping and leisure activities Health care: We will reserve a site for a new health centre and continue a dialogue with the Health Board about how primary health care is provided in Bishopton Recreation, sport and play: Parks, play areas and village squares are an integral part of each phase of Dargavel Village. We will continue to support the Bishopton Community Development Trust in its ambition to improve formal sport facilities at Holm Park Pedestrian and cycle routes: We will continue to roll out pedestrian and cycle routes to ensure that, as new housing is built, it is well integrated into Dargavel Village. We will also build new paths to form links from the housing areas to the surrounding countryside RAILWAY STATION Roads and transport Key Roads Dedicated Cycle / Pedestrian Paths Strategic Pedestrian Routes Countryside Routes Primary School Health Centre Recreation or Sport Facility Park and Ride Equipped Play Area New roads will be built as the development is progressed in phases. We will also support and encourage new bus services at Dargavel Village. A new transport strategy for the site will be tailored to the changes brought about by placing housing on the industrial land. This strategy will be based on the infrastructure that we have already built and the new infrastructure to come, including a new motorway junction where the A8 crosses the M8. The complicated process of constructing the new motorway junction has reached a critical stage. A contractor is about to be appointed and there is a programme for building the new junction with an opening date early in The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 7

8 Stages of construction Dargavel Village will continue to be built in stages. Housing neighbourhoods will be built in phases and roads, drainage, the landscape framework and other infrastructure will be rolled out in parrallel. The sequence of construction is shown on the plans below. Landscaping Development Central Park Key roads Central Park Central Park The parks, play areas and village squares will be built alongside each phase of new development. The focal point in the network of green spaces is Central Park. We aim to start the construction of Central Park in the next couple of years. It will act as an amenity space for the community with the potential to host a variety of activities ranging from dog walking to community events. We are also proposing a phased release of the Community Woodland Park which is described in detail on the next exhibition board. The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 8

9 The community woodland park We are committed to the creation of a Community Woodland Park across the significant area of the former factory outside of the Core Development Area. There is a long programme for the reclamation of land across the Community Woodland Park. However, we recognise a need to give the community access to the countryside at the earliest practical opportunity. We propose a phased approach to land reclamation to release significant parcels throughout the development of Dargavel Village. This will provide a unique opportunity to form recreational paths which run from Dargavel Village into the open land which surrounds it. RAILWAY STATION RAILWAY STATION DARGAVEL HISTORIC CORE RAILWAY STATION DARGAVEL HISTORIC CORE CENTRAL AREA BARRANGARY GATEWAY RAILWAY STATION CENTRAL AREA BAROCHAN MOSSHISTORIC CORE DARGAVEL BARRANGARY GATEWAY DARGAVEL HISTORIC CORE BAROCHAN MOSS CENTRAL AREA BARRANGARY GATEWAY CENTRAL AREA BARRANGARY GATEWAY BAROCHAN MOSS BAROCHAN MOSS YEAR Longer Term SUB TOTAL 2025 Longer Term Longer Term OVERALL TOTAL Longer Term HECTARES ACRES Dedicated Cycle/ Pedestrian Route Dedicated Cycle/ Pedestrian Route Key40.77 Pedestrian Routes Key Pedestrian Routes Parking Parking Dedicated Cycle/Pedestrian Dedicated Cycle/ Routes Pedestrian Route Key Pedestrian Routes Key Pedestrian Routes Parking Parking North and north west: The creation of recreational routes through open fields and woodland to link with the Formakin Estate, Houston Road and Reilly Road 2016 Dedicated Cycle/ ( ) Pedestrian Route 2019 South and south west: Routes and woodland 2021 through open grassland Key Pedestrian Routes which will be centred on the historic landscape around Dargavel House ( ) West: Controlled accesslonger to Barochan of importance for nature conservation (2019). Term Moss, an area Parking The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 9

10 Next steps To put the changes in place, which are described in this exhibition, there is a need to vary an existing planning permission and submit applications to secure new planning permissions. We will seek permissions from Renfrewshire Council in two stages. December 2016 We will submit an application to vary the trigger point for the opening of the new motorway junction. This was set some time ago at 651 house occupations. With the benefit of a fully designed scheme, agreements in place with Transport Scotland and a programme of construction from the appointed contractor we are confident that a realistic opening date is early This equates to around 1200 house occupations. This will be proposed as the new trigger. Summer 2017 With the benefit of feedback from this public exhibition and reaction from a wide range of other stakeholders we will continue to prepare the planning applications for the expansion land and the use of industrial land for housing. We aim to submit these applications in summer In parallel, a new planning obligation will need to be put in place to align with the new masterplan. This will include matters such as the earlier delivery of a larger primary school, the reservation of land for a health centre and the phasing of greenspace and links, including the gradual release of land across the Community Woodland Park. Perspective image of Slateford Road Housing overlooking areas of landscape Extract from design code for Dargavel Village The new masterplan for Dargavel Village 10