LEARNING POINTS What has been learned? Delivery Principles Placemaking: A Resilient Dalmarnock Cross Neighbourhood The South Dalmarnock Integrated Urban Infrastructure Framework is a good starting point but there is a need for more details and clarity on what will make the Dalmarnock Cross neighbourhood a distinctive place. This could be based on the vision of a very sustainable higher density mixed use development focussing on the redeveloped Dalmarnock Railway Station. Encouraging building formats/structures that are more adaptable to different uses over time will be vital. It will be important to illustrate the ‘ground texture’ of this vision, in the context of 4/5 storey buildings. This ‘honed vision’ and the more detailed case needs to be articulated and publicised. Secondary factors are also important in determining economic strength and resilience such as local community and business networks, good transport connections, quality of life and improving environmental sustainability in the neighbourhood. Need For Closer Integration of Land Use Planning with Economic Development There is a tendency to use a fairly narrow definition of what we mean by ‘local economy’ which is constrained to issues around jobs, levels of GVA, skills and productivity. Widening the consideration to include other aspects of a place, such as community and business networks, quality of life, access to further education and training and connections to markets is essential. A high quality environment at
Dalmarnock Cross which attracts people to the area either to work or live or both will include good public transport connections, public green space, access to the river and community sports facilities as part of the Commonwealth Games legacy and an emphasis on environmental conservation. This could also include provision of allotments and strong policies on green space in planning. New Models To Deliver Mixed Use Development & Fund Infrastructure: CGURC Role Clyde Gateway’s role has to be long term and includes actions that are already underway namely: site assembly; master planning; procuring design teams; infrastructure and remediation investment; recycling investment/any land/disposal values; public realm investment. Clyde Gateway also needs to continue to liaise with investors and promote the ‘honed vision’ and progress on site to potential occupiers and residents to build confidence in Dalmarnock Cross. Other specific suggestions included Clyde Gateway: • Taking a longer term ownership stake to develop/own/manage/incentivise occupiers, to include for example a budget hotel, in the first instance and look to long term investors, like pension funds, to invest in occupied buildings. • Negotiating ‘progressive land values’ that reflect on the difficulty of the particular opportunity. It would be possible to package more and less difficult opportunities to spread risk. 7
Neighbourhood Parking Solution To take account of business and residents reluctance to accept lower parking provision in the short term, despite the redeveloped and improved Dalmarnock Railway Station and enhanced bus service, a phased and flexile neighbourhood parking solution should be explored. This would include using spare land for temporary parking. In due course the aim should be to promote more valuable neighbourhood multi storey parking as an investment opportunity in parallel with significant promotion of the much improved public transport connections. Promoting Creative Industries & Temporary Uses Part of the Dalmarnock Cross Neighbourhood regeneration response might be to encourage the ‘creative industries’ to colonise part of area. This kind of temporary use of buildings/sites by WASPS for example would create some early interest, energy/ enthusiasm and engage with local residents. The creative industries could also stimulate the evening and night-time economy. Management & Maintenance Establish a clear proactive management and maintenance regime for the Dalmarnock Cross neighbourhood that reflects the different intensity and temporally nature of the uses. This kind of regime and proactive after-care will ensure that the quality of the mixed use Dalmarnock Cross neighbourhood is maintained and continually enhanced so that it remains a vibrant, pleasant and sustainable environment and as a result most property values will continue to improve.