Developments at Dundee Waterfront

[The Boy David]

That looks great! Thanks for posting

Has it been submitted for approval yet, or is this still just a proposal?

[M_Riaz]

Oooooooooooo a 360 degree backflip on that one for definite.

COWABUNGA

[jeff_h]

That looks great! Thanks for posting

Has it been submitted for approval yet, or is this still just a proposal?

Full planning was granted in December 2005.

Client FM Developments residential Phase 5b
Project cost £13 million
Expected on site Summer 2007

www.youngandgault.co.uk

Construction has started on phase 5a however I can't quite see if they have started on the tower I'll try and get pics over weekend!

[The Boy David]

Nice one, thanks jeff!

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Mo - you're in quite the random mood today, eh?

[jeff_h]

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In 1910, Dundee city architect and engineer, James Thomson, created an integrated 50-year vision to make Dundee the Venice of the North.

The vision included new plans for the city's central area - from the High Street to the shoreline of the River Tay:
i) widening and realigning streets to open up new vistas and spaces
ii) a new covered public market behind the old town house in the High Street
iii) a Christopher Wren style Civic Centre and 60 acres of parkland on reclaimed land at the foreshore
iv) a road bridge over the River Tay on the foundations of the old rail bridge.

After the First World War, post war inflation together with shortages of men and materials shifted the prevailing mood to other priorities.

Winston Churchill - the then Member of Parliament supported Dundee’s seafaring traditions, and posted a flotilla of small submarines to Dundee Harbour in 1912.

Consequently Dundee Harbour Trust chose to retain the dockland area Thomson needed for his improvement plans. Thomson's amended plans for a civic hall, municipal offices and underground market hall, attracted the interest of Sir James Caird who had gifted the Caird Park to the city. The result is Dundee's Caird Hall and city square as it exists today.

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Taybridge (1965) being built. Dental Hospital(left) Old Med Building(centre) Belmont Hall Residence, being constructed

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Victoria Arch (1963) before demolition, Caird Hall; St.Paul's Steeple in background

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Victoria Arch (1964) View of demolition of Arch large crane behind, view of No 7 bus

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Overgate (1964) foundations of new centre, City centre, St.Paul's Steeple and new Imperial Hotel(later demolished)

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City Square (1960) Monk's Tower; and other buildings before demolition

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View from Old Steeple (1958) Showing ferry boat Fifie on river and Dundee West Station

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I recently attended Lesley Riddoch's film about who made the mess of Dundee Watrefront and the audience sense of anger at the demolitions in the 60's specifically the Overgate, Royal Arch and Dundee West Station which destroyed the heart of the city were obvious. James Thomson's ideas would have been amazing but Winston Churchill got the blame for puttin pay to his grand plans, large murals of which can be seen in the Queens Hotel Dundee.

[crusty_bint]

Excellent stuff Jeff! Always thought the demo of the Victoria Arch was tragic - why was it done, was there a specific reason do you know?

[jeff_h]

There didn't seem to be a particular reason but I can't believe nobody at the time tried to take a stance and say hang on a moment you can't demolish that...can you imagine that happening nowadays? Apparently there was alot of corruption in the council at the time selling off parcels of land at a profit and they didn't care if they demolished buildings which if still standing today the majority would be A or B listed. If I win the lottery I will pay for a replica to be rebuilt as part of the new waterfront!

[crusty_bint]

It's baffling really, at the very least they could have moved it! Anyway, I could imagine it happening today, in this city anyway!

If I win the lottery I will pay for a replica to be rebuilt as part of the new waterfront!

name and address please - I'll hold you to that haha

[jeff_h]

Or I will strategically remove the ones at Royal Exchange Square and John Street behind the City Chambers and re-erect them in Dundee!

[crusty_bint]

over my dead online-persona!

take the contents of the Chambers aand erect them where you like tho!

[jeff_h]

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A MAJOR pre-let has been achieved on a landmark development on a city centre site in Dundee. Grosvenor Casinos, part of the Rank Group, has taken space on the ground, first and mezzanine floors at phase two of the £20 million Marketgait development, which will also include a bar, restaurant, shops and serviced apartments.

[jeff_h]

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For over 130 years the Clocktower has been a landmark dominating the waterfront of the port of Dundee. Built in 1877 so that its clock was visible to any vessel alongside the harbour or in the mouth of the Tay, the clocktower provide unparalleled views across the city and river. The Clocktower served as a huge warehouse, a cathedral of commerce, built in Victorian age. Arcing barrel vaulted ceilings and stout, case iron pillars throughout bear witness to the craftmanship and care that went into the building of this unique landmark. Unicorn Proprty Group are to create 12 luxuriously appointed apartments and penthouses in a beautiful Scottish landmark. The Clock Tower converted to an exceptionally high specification will afford discerning buyers an excellent investment opportunity in the Waterfront location.

[jeff_h]

Green light for £30m council HQ



Proposals for a new multi-million pound headquarters for Dundee City Council have been approved.

The local authority has granted planning permission for the development in the city's North Lindsay Street.

Construction work is expected to start in May next year, with the £30m offices due to open by 2010.

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The decision means Tayside House, the council's current headquarters which was once has voted Dundee's most unpopular building, can be demolished.

The council's development quality committee unanimously approved two applications for planning permission for the North Lindsay Street site.

They were recommended by planning and transportation director Mike Galloway, who called the proposals "an exciting design solution to the development of this visually important and prominent city centre site".

About 1,000 staff will be accommodated in the new offices, which will be known as Dundee House.

http://www.stv.tv/system/modules/com...907council.wmv

[jeff_h]

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Jet Garage West Marketgait Dundee

Outline Application for Mixed Use Development of Ground Floor Retail, Student Accommodation (152 Beds), Access, Parking and Associated Ancillary Development

[jeff_h]

Project Summary submitted to Scottish Government

An overall twelve-year master programme of works has been prepared for the delivery of the infrastructure to support this project. Within this programme there are identified a number of individual projects which are required to be carried out in a phased manner to allow a sensible implementation of the programme whilst at the same time ensuring that development plots are brought forward in a phased manner.

The first section of construction work commenced on site in April 2005 with the Western Road Re-alignmentproject. Some remaining minor works and landscaping relating to this were completed in 2006-2007. The last remaining piece of the station footbridge will be demolished by end of 2007.

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An Asset Protection Agreement was signed with Network Rail and the contract to strengthen the Dock Street rail tunnel started in November 2006. This Is expected to be complete in November 2007.

The detailed design work for the next phase of works, the demolition and replacement of the Tay Road Bridge Ramps and the associated boulevards, was awarded to White Young Green after a tendered process. This will include detailed estimates and is due to be completed by October/November 2007. Acquisition of most parcels of land that will be surplus to the requirements of the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board and necessary to implement the Central Waterfront proposals was concluded in March 2007.

Private developer interest has been notified in respect of the main site shortly to be available and in some future sites.

It is noted that the Interim Evaluation Report in respect of the Cities Growth Fund 2003-2006 favourably commented on Dundee's approach of concentrating on a single major project. It is Dundee's intention to continue to implement the Central Waterfront proposals and that the continuation of the Cities Growth Fund will be key in this regard. The overall infrastructure development is programmed to be provided over a 12 year period. The overall cost of these works is estimated to be £57M at September 2004 prices.

It is assumed that central funding will be provided over this period to support this investment programme. Although the Cities Growth Fund awards have been made for 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, there currently exists a funding gap of approximately £11 million to carry out the next required phases of works of the Central Waterfront project, over and above the £4.53m carry forward indicated in the analysis of expenditure and funding. This phase is now expected to take until 2011.

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The major part of this is associated with the removal and replacement of the Tay Road Bridge approach ramps and associated road works. The Tay Road Bridge Joint Board have confirmed that all funding for these works requires to be in place before permissions can be given to start. To commit (tendering) to this element of the project in 2007/2008 as programmed, will require certainty over future funding.

Other necessary items in this period include major demolitions and other acquisitions from Tay Road Bridge Joint Board. While funding for this phase as described will complete reconfiguration of the Tay Road Bridge ramps, being unable to continue to the next phase of work immediately thereafter would lead to an unsatisfactory traffic circulation system and would not result in the creation of many new development sites, nor resolve the pedestrian access situation. If this gap cannot be filled then the Partnership may be forced to radically downgrade its plans to ensure it remains within the overall budgetary constraints. This would be to the detriment to the project as a whole and would undermine its benefit to the local and national economy.

The Dundee City Council has spent and is committed to spending substantial funds to facilitate the redevelopment of the Waterfront by:

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a) building a multi storey car park at Greenmarket to enable the closure of car parks required to make way for the proposed road network (£6.87m);

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b) committing to building new council offices, Dundee House, to replace Tayside House, demolition of which is fundamental to the Waterfront proposals (demolition £0.7m,construction £30m).

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The road re-alignment has created another very large site, temporarily in use as a car park benefiting city centre traders, but for which there is already interest from developers to create a very exciting mixed use development that will add to the city's cultural experience and prestigious office portfolio. An exclusivity agreement has been granted for a period for the interested company to develop its ideas and confirm occupiers. Interest has also been
expressed in three sites that will not be available until the remaining road infrastructure is in place.

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Although perhaps of lesser importance, the road works included removal of an unloved pedestrian overbridge from the station to the city centre and replaced it with a generously wide traffic light controlled crossing that is much appreciated by users, particularly disabled groups. As part of the early phase work are two consultancy studies that are significant in terms of
outcomes relative to the city vision.

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The first concerns the station and the potential for commercial development to support its regeneration and how to accommodate practicalities for servicing it. This dialogue with the rail companies is important in moving forward the Vision ambition of promoting a range of transportation improvements. The second concerns establishing the business potential for a marina to improve the services offered by the port, in this case on the eastern edge of the central waterfront area.

[jeff_h]

Doors Open Day 2007 and up the 232 steps of the Old Steeple

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Nethergate looking east towards City Square

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The Apex Hotel and harbour housing developments are visible above the Caird Hall; Tayside House will soon disappear and the Dundee Hilton Hotel is visible above former Tay (Mathers) Hotel which is awaiting re-development

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The former Green's Playhouse (once the largest cinema in the British Isles) has become the Mecca Bingo Hall. Recent redevelopment of the former railway yard and Riverside Drive is also evident

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The West Port looking towards what was the Blue Mountains

[jeff_h]

Princess reveals cash will rescue Unicorn

3/10/2007

THE PRINCESS Royal was in Dundee yesterday to declare funding will be made available to help conserve one of the oldest ships in the world, the frigate Unicorn.

The announcement was made on the Unicorn, during speeches after a naval mess dinner commemorating Admiral Duncan’s victory at the Battle of Camperdown.

Around 170 guests were on board at Victoria Dock to hear Princess Anne—patron of the Unicorn Preservation Society—deliver the good news.

The decision was made last week by the Heritage Lottery Fund to support the Unicorn Preservation Society’s application for a project planning grant, which will see the society receive £46,300 towards an £80,000 restoration package.

The remaining sum has almost been reached with the help of a variety of local services and charitable trusts.

The Unicorn is the world’s last intact warship from the days of sail, Scotland’s only representative of the sailing navy and is now considered to be the last major ship-preservation project in Britain to remain unresolved.

The grant will fund the project planning needed to develop firm designs and costs for the conservation work.

The Unicorn Preservation Society is keen to develop links between the ship, the Discovery and the new Dundee central waterfront, and for the Unicorn to act as the iconic cultural centrepiece for a major urban redevelopment.

Lord Dalhousie, chairman of the Unicorn Preservation Society said, “I’m hugely encouraged by this news.

“I think the success of this bid reflects two things—firstly, a recognition of the enormous national and international significance of HMS Unicorn, and the wonderful opportunity facing us for the long-term preservation of Unicorn in Dundee, in her own natural home, in her old age, and beside her sister Dundee ship, the Discovery.

“Secondly, the unanimous support it has received from the main interested parties.

“This bid was supported by a powerful combination of National Historic Ships, Dundee Central Waterfront Board, Scottish Enterprise Tayside and Dundee Heritage Trust, and Unicorn has been backed by very significant local charitable trust funding, so we are extremely pleased with the addition now of Heritage lottery fund backing.”

Lt Cdr Roderick Stewart, operations director of the preservation society said, “Unicorn’s been a bit like Cinderella these last few years, and now we’ve the chance to bring her to the ball.”

[LDN_EUROPE]

none of the Dundee pics are loading for me. Is it an internet connection with Chinese characteristics (are they blocked here) or is the same for everyone?

[The Boy David]

Originally Posted by LDN_EUROPE

none of the Dundee pics are loading for me. Is it an internet connection with Chinese characteristics (are they blocked here) or is the same for everyone?

It's loading up OK for me - perhaps it is your internet connection?

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Great pictures from the top of the Old Steeple - it just goes to show that Dundee has a lot going on and a lot to be proud of, but also has a lot of work to do.

However, as long as it stays being a great night out, it's a great city to me!

[jeff_h]

Cheers David, The Auld Steeple was great my first chance to have a look at it, by god it is a long 232 steps up, but hey you can see some of the good watering holes from up there!