Paisley and Renfrewshire Development

[schemie]

Development in Scotland's largest town and the surrounding towns of Johnstone, Renfrew and Erskine. Any major goings-on in the villages I'll try and cover as well.

[schemie]

New luxury hotel at centre of £30million development proposal for Paisley

press release 6th sept 2007

An innovative £30m development proposal for Paisley could provide the heart of the town with its first four star luxury hotel.

Construction firm McGarvey Construction (Scotland Ltd) has submitted its plans to Renfrewshire Council which include the development of the132-bed hotel, 70,000 sq ft of new office space and 26 luxury apartments with private parking.

The landmark development would transform the wasteland at New Sneddon Street into a smart cosmopolitan area overlooking the White Cart River.

The existing public car park provision on the Council land would be retained as part of the new development through basement parking.

The new proposals would also mean a potential employment boost bringing hundreds of new jobs to the area.

Paisley based developer James McGarvey said:

“We think this is a really exciting development which could change the face of Paisley. Bringing together the hotel and luxury apartments alongside some brand new office space would really encourage people into the heart of the town.

“Our plans include a range of facilities including an attractive roof top bar area, a restaurant and gym. Given the town’s great transport links I thought it was ideally placed for this development. Paisley is an attractive and vibrant town and I am confident in our investment.

“I have been really impressed with the way the Paisley Vision Board and its partners have been working for the last year to improve the town centre and I am confident this development could be the jewel in the crown for future years.”

One of the main strands in the strategy for regeneration and transformation of the town centre is for stronger public and private sector partnerships.

The Paisley Vision Board, which is driving forward the plans for the rejuvenation of the town, today welcomed the proposals.

Councillor Derek Mackay, Chairman of the Paisley Vision Board, said:

“These are incredibly exciting proposals and are definitely in the spirit of what we are looking for in terms of increased public private sector partnership. The future of our town is not the responsibility of one body but of everyone working together for the benefit of the area.

“I welcome these proposals and I think they have the potential to make a real contribution to the regeneration plans for Paisley. I think this proposition also sends out a good message to other potential investors that Paisley is very much open for business.”

The planning application has just been submitted to the Council and is due to be discussed later this year.

[schemie]

Cotton Street
A major residential and commercial development is set to be created in Paisley town centre.

Plans have been announced to develop 117 flats in four apartment blocks with associated car parking spaces and 890 square metres of commercial space at ground floor level.

The proposals are being taken forward as part of the redevelopment of the headquarters of Renfrewshire Council. Currently the Council HQ occupies two office blocks in Cotton Street, Paisley. Later this year, the 4500 council staff located there will begin the move into a refurbished £13.5million headquarters on the site of the existing south block.

Having found that repairs to the 1970’s built headquarters buildings would have cost between £18 and £20 million, Renfrewshire Council opted to refurbish and expand one of its HQ blocks. The move will bring about a modern working environment for staff and be more accessible for customers. A customer service centre will provide a ‘one stop shop’ approach to deliver council services.

Renfrewshire Council has now completed a tendering process for the disposal of land currently occupied by the north building section of the HQ. Councillors accepted the proposal from Westpoint Homes Ltd which is now the preferred bidder for the acquisition and redevelopment of the site.

Subject to contracts being concluded and planning permission being granted, the site will be made available to the developer in 2008.

Councillor John Kenny, who has the general management remit at Renfrewshire Council, said, “We were particularly keen to secure a high quality development given the importance of the the town centre location. The refurbished council HQ will deliver better customer service. Alongside that, the programme has created this option for development which will contribute to the regeneration of Paisley. All the presentations to the Council’s HQ selection panel were of a high calibre. The proposal from Westpoint should enhance the area and compliment the Council’s substantial investment in our headquarters programme.”

[Boards]

A few links to some developments in this area,

http://www.renfrewriverside.com/

http://www.ferryvillage.com/

http://clydewaterfront.com/renfrew_t...eneration.aspx

http://www.braehead4business.com/

http://www.xscape.co.uk/snow/braehead/

[schemie]

Cotton Street

Providing high quality, attractive housing is a major objective of the action plan. Aflagship scheme will transform the eastren arc of the town centre (from Gilmour Street Station , through the former Arnotts site and into Cotton Street/Bridge Street) into a mixed-use urban quarter comprising a high quality residential development, student housing, shops, office space and new transport infrastructure.

Following a competitive process, Westpoint Homes, one of Scotland's leading bespoke homebuilders, have been appointed to redevelop one of the town centre's prime sites.

Westpoint's proposals will replace the Council HQ North Building with 117 luxury apartments, all with private parking and 890 square metres of commercial space in four new buildings.

[schemie]

Enterprise in Paisley

Investement is palnned for the Town Centre with new office buildings developed for existing and new businesses in the area.

Currently investigating the scope for a new business centre to house 'knowledge-based' ventures, including university 'spin-outs' (business taking Uni research and developing it for commercial purposes).

[schemie]

Paisley Retail

Action plan in place to stop decline of Paisley's town centre retail. Practical measures are in place to assist landowners in finding new uses for their property and identifying occupiers for vacant properties like the Littlewoods store. financial assistance will be on hand for businesses refurbishing outlets or building new shop fronts.

More unusual retail planned adding to the Farmer's Market, a German Market is planned for this month (September) in the County Square and a Christmas Market is planned for December.

[schemie]

Housing Regeneration in Paisley

The three 15 storey high flats at Millarston - West, Woodneuk and Millarston Courts - are currently being stripped for demolition which will be undertaken by the long reach method as opposed to implosion. this is due to close proximity to the Glasgow/Ayr railway line. The demolition will be the 2nd phase in the regeneration of Millarston East which began in 2002 with the demolition of John Neilson High School, on which new a new housing estate, Ashview, is nearing completion. The tenements on Millarston Drive and Millarston Avenue will also be demolished in phase 3.

The two high rises at Cartha Crescent in Hunterhill are almost empty.

[schemie]

Doors Open Day
Annual Doors Open Day returns to Renfrewshire for the weekend.

Saturday - Paisley, Erskne, Renfrew, Bishopton, Inchinan

Sunday - Johnstone, Elderslie, Lochwinnoch, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Houston

One of the highlights is access to Castl Semple Tower in Lochwinnoch, where you can see views across the Semple Estate and look at a full-size copy of the estate plan from it's 1760's heyday.

[schemie]

Crime in Paisley Town Centre

Chewing gum patrols are already on the streets looking to 'hose off' gum from the streets.

After investing £40,000 in police for the town centre last December alone, Renfrewshire Council are now looking a employing town centre wardens who will patrol after dark to deter antisocial behavior.

[schemie]

Renfrew Riverside

One of the largest regeneration programs in Scotland, transforming 75 hectares of derelict industrial land for residential, leisure and business use. The scheme will link Renfrew to Braehead by redeveloping the land from the shopping centre to the Renfrew Ferry. It will take 10 years to complete and is costing £500m. 2000 new homes; 50,000 square metres of business space; a new public park; riverside walkway; and cycl path. It will create thousands of jobs over the next 7 years.

Phase 1

Xscape Entertainment Centre

http://www.xscape.co.uk
Work began 3 years ago and it opened for business in April 2006. The £70m complex has a snow slope, indoor bowling, rock climbing, high rise obstacle course, fan drop, mini golf and retail outlets. The 12 screen Odeon cinema will open 'towards the end of 2007'. Xscape has created 1000 jobs.

Riverside

This will bring a mix of flats, villas and townhouses to the area. The wetsren area - Ferry Village, containing 160 dwellings, has been completed.

Clyde View Park

7 acre site planned for the new park which will contain a wlkway along the suth bank of the Clyde.

Infrastructure

King's Inch Road will be increased to 4 lanes to deal with rise in traffic.

--

Phase 2

5 major housebuilders are now onsite. The business element that has been planned is now underway with 33,000sq ft of office space north of King's Inch Road and a 100 bed hotel adjacent to Xscape. The removal of electricity pylons west of the town centre will cost £4m to free up land.

[schemie]

Renfrew Town Centre

£4m scheme funded by the Council and Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire with additinal funding from the EU began in Sept 2006 and will be completed by Spring 2008.

*traffic management meaures to reduce speeds in town centre
*widening of pavements on Hairst Street and High Street with landscaping and on-street parking.
*retention of High Street flowerbeds
*new traffic lights at junction of Hairst Street, High Street, Paisley Road and Glebe Street
*War Memorial will be moved to a more prominant position in time for Armistice 2007
*key prposals are on display in the Town Hall. Bulletins are available from here and the library.

[schemie]

Johnstone Town Centre regeneration

80,000sq ft new Morrisons supermarket is now open for business on Napier Street, just off the A737. It is on the fomer site of the Barbush Spinning Mills and the Chemical Plant, both of which had lain in a derelict state for many years. It has created 300 jobs.

The Linenmill housing development, by Dawn Homes, is under construction nearby and contains 88 flats.

A new pedestrian bridge links Collier Street car park with Morrisons and Linenmill. The said car park will also be improved as will the banks of the Black Cart Water. A new health centre will also be built.

the derelict Paton's Mill, the world's first machine powered mill, is being converted for residential and commercial use. The council are currently discussing with developers a deveopment program.

Lidl have demolished the old Somefield supermarket on the High Street and are currently laying the founations for the new building.

[schemie]

Johnstone Housing regeneration


Johnstone Castle

the first residents have moved into the new terraced houses on Willow Drive. The development, built by O'Brien Homes is the first private housing to be built in the scheme, located on the site of low demand tenements which were demolished in 2004. Ther are as yet no plans to build on the other derelict sites at Maple Drive and Holly Place.

Corseford

The new Fordbank housing development on Ness Avenue is nearing completion, the first private development in the scheme, regenerating the area.

[schemie]

Education

Renfrewshire's schools are currently undergoing a major regeneration with the aid of PPPP. New schools have already been built over the past 2 years:

*St Benedict's High School, Linwood
*Gleniffer High School, Paisley
*Todholm Primary School, Paisley
*Fordbank Primary School, Johnstone
*Ferguslie Primary School, Paisley

Houston Primary and Gryffe High in Houston have both been extensively refurbished in the last year. new projects under construction are

*Castlehead High School, Paisley
*Linwood High School, Linwood
*St Peter's Primary School, Paisley
*An as yet unnamed primary school in Johnstone to replace Cochrane Castle and St David's

[schemie]

Bridgewater Shopping Centre, Erskine

A new Morrisons supermarkt will open on the 10th of September 2007

[schemie]

Royal Ordinance Factory, Bishopton

There are plans to demolish the factory and build housing on the land.

[cinosanap]

I've only been in Paisly once as far as I can remember. That was this summer when I dropped the car off at the airport parking place next tot he river and went to the airport. Looked a real dump of a place...

[schemie]

ah yes... it is unfortunate that an airport car park is located on the edges of scotland's most deprived neighbourhood, ferguslie park... not the greatest of adverts for the town but the rest of it isnt that much better

[crusty_bint]

I really feel sorry for Paisley, its has such great potential only let down by its LA and planning disasters It puts me in mind of a handsome uncle whose wife died early on in the marriage and he's never gotten over it and lives day to day all his life. Deeply saddening.