Agenda Document Pack - Economy and Regeneration Policy Board - 05/11/2024
Renfrewshire Council · 5 November 2024
Back to Economy and Regeneration Policy Board — 5 November 2024 and its agenda
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31/10/2024 Notice of Meeting and Agenda Economy and Regeneration Policy Board Date Time Venue Tuesday, 05 November 2024 10:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Membership Councillor Andy Steel (Convener): Councillor Michelle Campbell (Depute Convener): Councillor Alison Ann-Dowling: Councillor Stephen Burns: Councillor Graeme Clark: Councillor Andy Doig: Councillor Neill Graham: Councillor Robert Innes: Councillor Janis McDonald: Councillor Jamie McGuire: Councillor Marie McGurk: Councillor Iain McMillan: Councillor John McNaughtan: Councillor Iain Nicolson: Councillor Jim Paterson: Further Information This is a meeting which is open to members of the public. A copy of the agenda and reports for this meeting will be available for inspection prior to the meeting at the Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley and online at http://renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/CouncilandBoards.aspx For further information, please email democratic-services@renfrewshire.gov.uk Members of the Press and Public Members of the press and public wishing to attend the meeting should report to the customer service centre where they will be met and directed to the meeting. Hybrid Meeting Please note that this meeting is scheduled to be held in the Council Chambers. However, it is a hybrid meeting and arrangements have been made for members to join the meeting remotely should they wish. MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance
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31/10/2024 Webcasting of Meeting This meeting will be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site – at the start of the meeting the Convener will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed. To find the webcast please navigate to https://renfrewshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home
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31/10/2024 Items of business Apologies Apologies from members. Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements Members are asked to declare an interest or make a transparency statement in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest or the transparency statement. 1 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring 2024/25 at 13 September 2024 Joint report by Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Resources. 1 - 8 2 Retail Improvement Scheme – Update Report by Chief Executive. 9 - 22 3 Place Based Improvement Programme 2024/25 Report by Chief Executive. 23 - 26 4 Clyde Peatlands, West Tandlemuir – Update Report by Chief Executive. 27 - 30 5 Steeple Buildings Kilbarchan - Update Report by Chief Executive. 31 - 98 6 Scotland Loves Local Update 3 Report by Chief Executive. 99 - 108 7 Business Loans Scotland Ltd Update Report by Chief Executive. 109 - 114 8 Shared Prosperity Fund Update Report by Chief Executive. 115 - 122 9 Cultural Infrastructure Programme Update Report by Chief Executive. 123 - 138
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31/10/2024 EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC The Board may by resolution exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public are present, there could be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 9 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1973. Exempt Item Please note that exempt documents are no longer available in print format. You will require to log in to Economy & Regeneration Exempt Items on CMIS to access the undernoted document. Please note that access to exempt documents is restricted. 10 AMIDS - Potential New Occupier Joint report by Chief Executive and City Deal and Infrastructure Programme Director.
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 5 November 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Resources ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring 2024/25 at 13 September 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 At the close of reporting Period 6 on 13 September 2024, the projected revenue outturn at 31 March 2025 for those services reporting to the Economy and Regeneration Policy Board was an underspend position of £0.076m (3.3%) against the revised budget for the year. 1.2 The projected capital outturn at 31 March 2025 for projects reporting to the Economy and Regeneration Policy Board is a break-even position. 1.3 This is summarised in the table below and further analysis is provided in the report and appendices. Revised Annual Budget £000 Projected Outturn £000 Budget Variance (Adv)/Fav £000 Budget Variance % Revenue Economy and Development 2,306 2,230 76 3.3% Capital Economy and Development 16,612 16,612 0 0.0% 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members are requested to: a) Note the projected Revenue outturn underspend position of £0.076m; Item 1 EAR051124 Page 1 of 138
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b) Note the projected Capital outturn break-even position; c) Agree to homologate the budget adjustments detailed at section 6.2; and d) Note the budget adjustment detailed at section 6.3. 3. Revenue Budget Projection – underspend of £0.076m by 31 March 2025 3.1 The tables in Appendix 1 present the projected year-end position for all services reporting to this board, by both subjective analysis (what the budget is spent on) and objective analysis (which division is spending the budget). Significant variances affecting the projected position are analysed further below. 3.2 It should be noted that the projected outturn position reported here is based on the latest information available, which is subject to change during the financial year. The impact of any change on this projection will be updated at each board cycle until the close of reporting Period 10. Budget holders are obliged to seek mitigating action to minimise significant budget variances. 4. Objective Analysis – Significant Variances 4.1 Regeneration - £0.076m underspend This forecast position reflects the impact of vacancies within the team over the course of the financial year. 5. Subjective Analysis – Significant Variances 5.1 Employees - £0.075m underspend by 31 March 2025 This projected underspend represents vacancies in the Regeneration team which are in the process of recruitment. 6. Revenue Budget Virements 6.1. Under the Council’s financial regulations, Directors and their nominated officers, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Resources, have certain delegated authority to transfer sums between subjective budget headings within a service division to enable budget management throughout the financial year. This is known as ‘budget virement’. 6.2. Transfers between divisions of the same service / department in excess of £100,000, and transfers between services / departments must be authorised by the respective service Director/Chief Executive and the Director of Finance and Resources for submission to the relevant policy board for approval. Page 2 of 138
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Since the last board reporting period, the Chief Executive now seeks homologation from the Board for the following affected virements: Revenue Budget Adjustments Service Amount (£m) Reason Economy and Development 0.078 Renfrewshire Council’s share of the Scottish Government allocation for Employability Child Poverty Co-ordinators 6.3. The Council is delivering the third year of the 2022-2025 UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme. The Board is therefore asked to note the following virement to reflect the realignment of budgets required to deliver the programme: Revenue Budget Adjustments Objective Heading Subjective Heading Amount (£m) Reason Economy and Development Employee Costs 1.141 Temporary realignment of costs funded by external income streams. Project Costs* 1.858 Income (2.999) * Project costs can include supplies and services contracts and payments to external bodies 7. Capital Budget Projection – break-even position by 31 March 2025 7.1 The approved Capital Investment Programme 2024/25 to 2028/29 for Economy and Regeneration was £22.862m. The revised capital spend for 2024/25 is £16.612m. 7.2 The in-year Capital budget is forecast to break-even by 31 March 2025 after a number of budget adjustments between years have taken place, to reflect revised programming of some capital projects. Details of these adjustments, which amount to £6.250m, are as follows: Project Amount (£m) Budget carried forward into 2025/26 for updated cashflows Paisley Museum (4.000) Place Based Investment Fund (1.527) Budget Transfers in 2024/25 to Infrastructure, Land & Environment Public Realm (0.300) Budget decrease to reflect reduced grant award in 2024/25 Place Based Investment Fund (0.423) Total (6.250) Page 3 of 138
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Implications of the Report 1. Financial The projected budget outturn position for Finance, Resources and Customer Services’ Revenue budget is an underspend of £0.076m (3.3%) at 31 March 2025. Income and expenditure will continue to be monitored closely for the rest of the financial year and as far as possible, steps will be taken to mitigate any overspend. The projected outturn position for Economy and Regeneration Capital budget is break-even, after the adjustments outlined at section 6. 2. HR & Organisational Development While staffing budgets form a significant proportion of the Council’s revenue budgets, there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 3. Community/Council Planning Community Plan Our Renfrewshire is thriving The Council’s revenue and capital spend ensures that its facilities are fit for purpose and safe for the community, to maximise accessibility. Our Renfrewshire is well Our Renfrewshire is fair Our Renfrewshire is safe Council Plan Reshaping our place, our economy and our future The Council’s revenue and capital spend ensures that its facilities are fit for purpose and safe for the community, to maximise accessibility. Building strong, safe and resilient communities Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy Ongoing revenue and capital budget monitoring is a tool to enable good financial management so that the Council has resources now and in the future for continued service delivery. Working together to improve outcomes 4. Legal There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. Page 4 of 138
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5. Property/Assets The capital expenditure noted in this report will result in improvements to Culture and Heritage assets and delivery of strategic place-shaping and regeneration. 6. Information Technology There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 7. Equality & Human Rights While new areas of spend may impact on particular groups, any such impact would be assessed prior to the spend being incurred, therefore there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 8. Health & Safety There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 9. Procurement While Procurement is an important consideration prior to the Council incurring any revenue or capital spend, there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 10. Risk The potential financial risk that the Council will overspend its approved revenue budgets for the year is managed at a Council-wide level by the Chief Executive and Directors. 11. Privacy Impact There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. 12. Cosla Policy Position N/a 13. Climate Change The Council aims to reduce its carbon and other emissions to net zero by 2030, however there are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. Page 5 of 138
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14. Children’s Rights There are no direct implications arising from the recommendations in this report. List of Background Papers • Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2024/25, Council 29 February 2024 • The Capital Investment Programme 2023/24 to 2027/28, Council 29 February 2024 Author: Valerie Howie, Finance Business Partner; and Geoff Borland, Finance Manager. Page 6 of 138
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Appendix 1 RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2024/25 1 April 2024 to 13 September 2024 POLICY BOARD: ECONOMY AND REGENERATION Objective Summary Annual Budget at Period 3 Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 6 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Previous Projected Outturn Variance Movement £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Economy and Regeneration Management 35 0 35 35 0 0.0% 0 0 Economic Development 1,135 78 1,213 1,213 0 0.0% 0 0 Regeneration 1,058 0 1,058 982 76 7.2% 66 10 NET EXPENDITURE 2,228 78 2,306 2,230 76 3.3% 66 10 Subjective Summary Annual Budget at Period 3 Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget at Period 6 Projected Outturn Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Previous Projected Outturn Variance Movement £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % £000 £000 Employees 1,732 2,839 4,571 4,496 75 1.6% 66 9 Premises Related 22 62 84 83 1 1.2% 1 0 Transport Related 3 0 3 4 (1) (33.3%) (1) 0 Supplies and Services 23 104 127 127 0 0.0% (1) 1 Third Party Payments 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% 0 0 Transfer Payments 773 1,574 2,347 2,346 1 0.0% 1 0 Support Services 25 20 45 46 (1) (2.2%) (1) 0 Depreciation and Impairment Losses 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% 0 0 GROSS EXPENDITURE 2,578 4,599 7,177 7,102 75 (32.7%) 65 10 Income (350) (4,521) (4,871) (4,872) 1 0.0% 1 0 NET EXPENDITURE 2,228 78 2,306 2,230 76 3.3% 66 10 Page 7 of 138
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Appendix 2 Prior Years Approved Budget Revised Projected Expenditure Budget Adjustments Budget Outturn Total Approved Projected to 31/03/2024 2024-25 in 2024-25 2024-25 2023-24 Budget Outurn Project Title to 31-Mar-29 to 31-Mar-29 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 ECONOMY & DEVELOPMENT Paisley Art Centre Redevelopment 2,881 869 0 869 869 0 0% 3,750 3,750 0 0% Paisley Town Hall Redevelopment 24,747 1,000 0 1,000 1,000 0 0% 25,747 25,747 0 0% Paisley Learning & Cultural Hub 6,654 346 0 346 346 0 0% 7,000 7,000 0 0% Paisley Museum 39,228 12,893 (4,000) 8,893 8,893 0 0% 52,122 52,122 0 0% Paisley Junctions and Charging Hub 431 194 0 194 194 0 0% 625 625 0 0% Public Realm 494 300 (300) 0 0 0 0% 4,750 4,750 0 0% Sports Development - St James Playing Fields Redevelopment 425 3,075 0 3,075 3,075 0 0% 3,500 3,500 0 0% Sports Development - Ferguslie Pavillion Upgrade 531 460 0 460 460 0 0% 992 992 0 0% Sports Development - Hockey Pitch at On-X 0 600 0 600 600 0 0% 600 600 0 0% Place Based Investment Fund 1,842 2,585 (1,950) 635 635 0 0% 3,231 3,231 0 0% Town Centre Capital Fund 766 109 0 109 109 0 0% 876 876 0 0% Town Centre Regeneration 1 180 0 180 180 0 0% 2,050 2,050 0 0% Shared Prosperity Fund 197 28 0 28 28 0 0% 225 225 0 0% Townscape Heritage CARS 2 3,876 223 0 223 223 0 0% 4,099 4,099 0 0% Total Economy & Development 82,073 22,862 (6,250) 16,612 16,612 0 0% 109,567 109,567 0 0% TOTAL ECONOMY & DEVELOPMENT 82,073 22,862 (6,250) 16,612 16,612 0 0% 109,567 109,567 0 0% *Rolling programmes have a prior year year expenditure of £0 as the expenditure is not directly linked from one year to the next as a singular project. CAPITAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY - NON-HOUSING SERVICES 1 April 2024 to 13th September 2024 POLICY BOARD: ECONOMY & REGENERATION Current Year 2024-25 Full Programme - All years Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Page 8 of 138
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Page 1 of 4 ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 05 November 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Retail Improvement Scheme – Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides a summary of the Retail Improvement Scheme’s (RIS) position since the last update to the Economy and Regeneration Policy Board on 07 November 2023. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Note the contents of this report. (ii) Authorises the Head of Economy and Development to explore any potential funding options for future rounds of the scheme. 3. Background 3.1 The RIS has run annually since 2012 and supports Renfrewshire based businesses to undertake external property improvements such as the creation of new shopfront fascia signs and shutters. 3.2 Grants up to a maximum of £12,000 are made available with contributions up to 70% of qualifying works. Larger awards have been offered to support projects in exceptional circumstances which would likely result in significant regeneration outcomes e.g. the refurbishment of the James Maitland designed former ‘Malatso’ unit on Paisley High Street. Item 2 EAR051124 Page 9 of 138
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Page 2 of 4 3.3. Since its inception, the RIS has been a key element of the Council’s agenda to improve town centres and build positive relationships with the local business community. 3.4. Approximately £755k has been awarded to 106 different projects across Renfrewshire since 2016. A spotlight report has been included in Appendix A, which provides a more detailed review of the scheme between 2022/23 and 2024/25 and provides an overview of some of the current notable projects. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Current Retail Improvement Scheme 2024/25 4.1. In February 2024, £70k was allocated to the Scheme as set out in Council Motion 4 – ‘Commit £70k to supplement the Retail Improvement Fund’. 4.2 The first application window of the RIS relaunched in April 2024 for a six-week period, closing in May. Fourteen applications were received from a good mix of businesses across Renfrewshire’s towns and villages. The second application window opened in September 2024 and will close on October 16 2024. 4.3 Applications from the first application window have been from businesses located in Kilbarchan, Bishopton, Paisley, Johnstone and Renfrew. Thirteen of these have received grant awards with one still awaited, owing to a further information request from the applicant. 4.4 Applications include a vacant former hairdresser's on a prominent corner of Renfrew (44 Canal Street), which will be converted into a cocktail bar, and the former Royal Bank of Scotland unit on Church Street in Johnstone, which has been converted into a fast food business. These RIS projects will have a positive impact on the respective town centres. 4.5 The £70k budget was largely committed during the first application window. The RIS will be supplemented by the Place-Based Investment Programme (PBIP), which will allocate an additional £50k for the second application window. Projects are set to be completed by spring 2025. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Next steps 5.1 Officers will now consider how to fund future rounds of the RIS, along with any necessary adjustments to the grant process based on applicant feedback and market conditions. 5.2 If funding can be secured for future rounds of the scheme, progress will continue to be reported to the Board on a rolling basis. Page 10 of 138
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Page 3 of 4 __________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None; as funding already forms part of Council’s approved budget. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning • Our Renfrewshire is thriving – regeneration projects result in a stimulus to the local economy via contracts won, visitors and user numbers. The RIS supports objectives to develop Renfrewshire’s economy, including its Town Centres as thriving places, supporting local places, businesses, and communities. • Reshaping our place, our economy, and our future - The projects secure the productive re-use of a buildings and provide new facilities and services which will contribute to supporting growth. Increased footfall offers potential benefits to traders, assisting the economy of our town centres. • Working together to improve outcomes - Renfrewshire Council is working with businesses and owners and providing support to maximise the opportunities for regeneration in Renfrewshire’s settlements. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights The recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Climate Risk – Not Applicable 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. Cosla Policy Position – None. _________________________________________________________ Page 11 of 138
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Page 4 of 4 List of Background Papers a) Report to Economy and Regeneration Board, Retail Improvement Scheme – Update and Next Steps. 7th November 2023 b) Report to Leadership Board, 20th April 2022, Spotlight Report on the Retail Improvement Scheme – 2016 to 2022 c) Report to Leadership Board, 15th September 2021 - Place Based Investment Fund 2021/22 d) Report to Leadership Board, 20 June 2018 – Invest in Renfrewshire Future Funding and Services e) Report to Economy and Jobs Policy Board, 25th May 2016 – Invest in Renfrewshire: Retail Improvement Scheme Update ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Euan Shearer, Regeneration and Place Manager. Euan.shearer@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 12 of 138
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1 Spotlight on… Retail Improvement Scheme 2022/23 - 2024/25 Page 13 of 138
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2 RIS Overview The Retail Improvement Scheme (RIS) supports owners and occupiers of small business properties in retail areas throughout Renfrewshire with grant assistance towards the cost of shopfront improvements. Since its launch (circa 2012), the RIS has helped over 205 businesses improve their commercial shop frontages and has contributed to a number of vacant units being returned to beneficial use. Outcomes of the scheme have supported the economic viability of our town, local and village centres, supporting their role at the heart of communities and the principle of the ‘20-minute neighbourhood’. The scheme has also supported a range of local businesses and contractors, generating wider economic benefits across Renfrewshire. Applications have achieved a wide geographical coverage and vary in both type size and scale, from ‘conservation standard’ shop front enhancements to simple gable repairs and replacement of solid roller shutters. Historically, RIS rounds were split into two application phases over the year. This was changed to a single round due to impacts of the pandemic. The phased approach has now been reinstated for the current RIS round. This report sets out the performance of the RIS over the last 3 years; including the current round. Page 14 of 138
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3 Key Statistics 2022/23 - 2024/25 Number and spend A total of 47 awards applications were made between the 2022/23 and 2024/25 rounds. 14 applicants have received awards in the current (2024/25 round so far with further applications expected in the second phase of this round (currently live at the time of writing). It is likely that a further £50,000 will be released at the conclusion of 2024/25 (part 2). This will bring the total invested over the last three rounds to almost £300k. 20+8+24+4+15+4 18 7 2 2024 2025 2023 2024 2022 2023 £ 95,000.00 Successful / Total Spend Year of Application Unsuccessful / Withdrawn 19 1 £ 87,617.00 14 £ 87,558.00 1 Page 15 of 138
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4 Awards by area The majority of successful applications received were from businesses based in Paisley (21), reflecting the role of the town as the strategic centre for Renfrewshire. A range of applications were received from other large centres such as Johnstone (8) and Renfrew (8), as well as with from smaller towns and villages (10) across Renfrewshire. 8 8 21 Lochwinnoch £ 3,850 2 Bridge of Weir £ 9,416 3 Elderslie £ 12,000 1 Bishopton £ 12,900 2 Paisley £ 112,822 Johnstone £48,120 Renfrew £29,565 1 Houston £ 2,600 1 Kilbarchan £ 3,168 Page 16 of 138
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5 Number of vacant premises brought into use In the three-year period, 10 business premises were vacant at the time of their RIS application. Following approval and subsequent work undertaken on frontages, 6 premises have been returned to beneficial use and are trading whilst 2 are now either completing internal works or advertised for lease. The remaining 2 vacant businesses are included in the current 2024/25 round. These businesses have received grant awards but are yet to undertake works. It is anticipated that following completion, these premises will become occupied. Applications by use The vast majority (55%) of applicants were retailers followed by cafes, restaurants and drinking establishments (21%) , professional services (15%) and other (9%). 55+21+15+9+K Retailers 55% Hospitality 21% Services 15% Other 9% +6 Page 17 of 138
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6 Current RIS round (2024/25) Part 1 of the current RIS round launched in April 2024, with a £70k budget allocated at the Council budget meeting on 29 February 2024. Following the grant deadline, a total of 16 applications were received, of which 14 were awarded funding. Part 2 of the round launched in early September 2024, with a £50k budget provided by the Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP). This grant is still active at the time of writing, and applications are being assessed toward the end of October 2024. Together, Parts 1 and 2 will result in approximately £120k being awarded to businesses by the conclusion of the current RIS round. Page 18 of 138
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7 2022 2023 Lochwinnoch Grant provided for new retailer on the High St specialising in natural health and environmentally friendly products. Works included new signage and electric shutters. 2023 2024 Paisley Support in the form of completely new shopfront (including handpainted sign) to a much loved independent sewing school business in the heart of Paisley Town Centre. Before After AfterBefore Page 19 of 138
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8 2024 2025 Johnstone Support in the form of new sinage, replacement shopfront windows and door with new security shutters. The unit was previously vacant in a prominent position in the heart of Johnstone Town Centre. 2023 2024 Elderslie Support in the form of completely new shopfront (including handpainted sign) to a independent florist business on the Main Road in Elderslie. Works include a complete shopfront including new timber windows and paintwork. Before After Before After Page 20 of 138
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9 Development of RIS An online portal that simplifies the application process for both applicants and assessing officers is now fully operational and functioning successfully. Minor changes to the RIS Guidelines and processes have been implemented, including clarifying the guidelines on eligible works, reintroducing a double application window, and conducting more vigilant checks on whether applicants owe debts to the Council. Once this year’s RIS is complete, officers will review whether there is potential for further improvements to the scheme. As of now, no future funding has been secured for additional rounds of the scheme. Page 21 of 138
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Page 1 of 4 ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Board On: 5 November 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Place Based Improvement Programme 2024/25 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to update members on the 2024/25 allocation of Scottish Government Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) and the projects being developed for delivery. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Approves the proposed projects for the 24/25 allocation for the Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) set out in this report; (ii) Notes that progress on delivery of these projects will be reported to the Board as appropriate. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Economy and Regeneration Board of 19 March 2024 noted progress on actions to deliver projects from a range of external funding sources and approved projects to be funded through the 2023/24 allocation of the Scottish Government’s Place-Based Investment Programme. 3.2 The Place-Based Investment Programme (PBIP) is a capital funding programme directly allocated to local authorities, available to the Council in various forms since 2019. This funding supports capital investment and the delivery of actions within our town centre strategies, community-led regeneration proposals, and community-led place plans, thereby accelerating the Council’s broader placeshaping agenda. Item 3 EAR051124 Page 23 of 138
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Page 2 of 4 3.3 The 2023/24 allocation of the fund approved at Board has recently supported a range of projects including delivery of landscape enhancements at the Wallace Monument, Elderslie as well as the Retail Improvement Grant Scheme and Historic Buildings in Villages Grant Scheme. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Place Based Investment Programme – 2024/25 4.1 In early summer 2024 the Scottish Government announced that in view of wider public finance constraints, national funding streams such as the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and Vacant and Derelict Land Fund were to be paused. 4.2 In respect of PBIP, the Scottish Government indicated that allocations would be restricted to support projects already underway. In addition, funding would be limited to a maximum value of 50% of the allocation the Council had anticipated (based on previous announcements) in order to protect the value for money of projects already in progress. 4.3 In view of the above, a strategic review was undertaken by officers to identify those projects most advanced and at risk of stalling, in the event funding was withdrawn. Two projects were identified as those most at risk in this context, as set out in Table 1 below. Table 1: Place Based Investment Fund Projects 2024/25 Project summary Estimated Cost Estimated Completion Ferguslie Green Line: Neighbourhood Centre Activity Hub Transformation of 1.55 hectares of long term vacant and derelict land to provide an active recreational hub within the heart of Ferguslie Park, Paisley, delivering a key element of the community led Making of Ferguslie Local Place Plan. The project provides a new multi-use games area and community space as well as enhancing active travel connections within the neighbourhood. £500,000 Autumn 2025 Castle Semple enhancements: Visitor Facility Demolition of an existing toilet block which is in a poor state of repair and construction of a new cycle hub facility as well as providing new accessible toilet facilities. The project delivers a key element of the Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development Plan (STIPD) for Clyde Muirshiel Regional and Castle Semple Country Parks and aligns closely with Renfrewshire’s Tourism Plan 2024-27. £500,000 Early Winter 2025 Page 24 of 138
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Page 3 of 4 4.4 Following the consideration of information provided by officers, the Scottish Government has recently advised that an allocation of £300,000 will be provided to the Council under PBIP for 2024/25. Subject to Board approval, it is anticipated that this allocation will be used to match fund and support the delivery of projects identified in Table 1. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Next Steps 5.1 Officers will continue to monitor national funding programmes and external funding sources to support delivery of the variety of additional projects under development and which align with the Council’s Placeshaping ambitions. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – PBIP allocation will be utilised to match fund the projects identified in Table 1 above. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy – The delivery of projects supports the Council’s wider placeshaping agenda, improving quality of place, our neighbourhoods and town centres. 4. Legal – None 5. Property/Assets – None 6. Information Technology – None 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement – None 10. Risk – None 11. Privacy Impact – None Page 25 of 138
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Page 4 of 4 12. Climate Risk – Implementation of the project within Renfrewshire will support the Council’s Plan for Net Zero through enhanced active travel linkages and supporting living well locally. 13. Children’s Rights – None 14. Cosla Policy Position – None _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Regeneration Funding Bids Update. Economy and Development Policy Board, 19 March 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Euan Shearer, Regeneration and Place Manager euan.shearer@renfrewshire.gov.uk Tel: 07483 136235 Page 26 of 138
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Page 1 of 3 ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Board On: 5 November 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Clyde Peatlands, West Tandlemuir – Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to update members on the Clyde Peatlands initiative and delivery of the West Tandlemuir Restoration Project within Renfrewshire. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Notes the role of the Clyde Peatlands initiative in contributing to the Council’s response to climate change; (ii) Notes development of the West Tandlemuir Farm Restoration Project as part of Clyde Peatlands in Renfrewshire; (iii) Approves acceptance by Renfrewshire Council of grant funding totalling £297,498 from NatureScot Peatland Action, enabling delivery of the West Tandlemuir project; (iv) Notes that further progress on delivery of the West Tandlemuir project will be reported to the Board as appropriate. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 At the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board meeting on 7 November 2023, the development of the Clyde Peatlands initiative across the Glasgow City Region was noted, as well as the opportunity for peatland restoration within Renfrewshire at West Tandlemuir Farm, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, Lochwinnoch. Item 4 EAR051124 Page 27 of 138
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Page 2 of 3 3.2 The Board delegated authority to the Head of Economy and Development to develop and progress the implementation of the West Tandlemuir Restoration Project, including the preparation of bids for capital funding. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. West Tandlemuir Farm Restoration 4.1 The development of a detailed programme of restoration works was carried out in early 2024, in partnership with the Clyde Peatlands officer and a working group consisting of relevant officers from the Chief Executive’s Service and Environment, Housing, and Infrastructure Services. 4.2 Planning consent for the works was granted in February 2024 (ref. 24/0031/PA). To secure funding for the project, a formal application was submitted to NatureScot’s Peatland Action fund in spring 2024. In parallel, an exercise was conducted to procure an appropriate specialist contractor to deliver the works, in the event the funding application was successful. 4.3 The Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board of 13 June 2024 approved the award of a works contract for the Tandlemuir Peatland Restoration to McGowan Environmental Engineering Ltd, subject to confirmation of funding from NatureScot. 4.4 In late summer 2024 NatureScot advised that the Council’s Peatland Action fund application had been successful and issued a grant offer of £297,498 to support delivery of works. The offer of grant represents 100% of the total project works and the value of the contract approved at Board in June 2024. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Next Steps 5.1 Acceptance of the grant offer, pending legal review of its terms and conditions, will enable the formal appointment of the contractor and the delivery of the restoration project. Subject to Board approval, it is anticipated that works will commence in December 2024 and continue for approximately 16 weeks ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – Project costs will be fully funded from a grant from the NatureScot Peatland Action Fund. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy – The project will support the Council’s response to climate change and delivery of Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero and Renfrewshire Biodiversity Strategy 2018-2022 through the storage of carbon emissions and works which support, enhance and connect existing habitats. Page 28 of 138
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Page 3 of 3 4. Legal – None 5. Property/Assets – None 6. Information Technology – None 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement – Acceptance of the grant offer from NatureScot will allow award of the works contract approved at the Finance Board of 13 June 2024. 10. Risk – None 11. Privacy Impact – None 12. Climate Risk – Implementation of the project within Renfrewshire will support the Council’s Plan for Net Zero through storage of carbon and reduction of emissions. 13. Children’s Rights – None 14. Cosla Policy Position – None _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers (a) Clyde Peatlands – Update. Planning and Climate Change Policy Board, 7 November 2023 (b) Contract Award - Tandlemuir Farm Peatland Restoration (RC-CPU-23- 247). Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board, 13 June 2024. Appendices (a) Location Plan – West Tandlemuir Peatland Restoration Works ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Euan Shearer, Regeneration and Place Manager euan.shearer@renfrewshire.gov.uk Tel: 07483 136235 Page 29 of 138
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1:32,951 Author: Ordnance Survey Mapping - © Crown Copyright and database right 2023. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100023417. Aerial Photography 2009 - Cities Revealed ® copyright by The Geoinformation ® Group, 2009 and Crown Copyright © All rights reserved. Aerial Photography 2004/6 - © 2004 Getmapping plc © 2006 Getmapping plc Aerial Photography 2001 - Cities Revealed ® copyright by The Geoinformation ® Group, 2009 and Crown Copyright © All rights reserved. Historic Map Data - © Crown Copyright and Landmark Information Group Limited 2012. All rights reserved. I Date: 22/08/2023ALAN BURGESS LOCATION / CONTEXT PLAN WEST TANDLEMUIR - PEATLAND RESTORATION WORKS Legend Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park - Boundary SELECTED TREATMENT AREA WEST TANDLEMUIR FARM BOUNDARY Page 30 of 138
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Page 1 of 7 ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 5 November 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Steeple Buildings Kilbarchan - Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide members with an update on the proposed refurbishment and potential reuse of the Steeple Buildings in Kilbarchan. It offers an overview of a recent Options Appraisal and updates on essential repairs scheduled for 2025. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Authorises the Head of Economy and Development to investigate the recommendations from the options appraisal, undertaking feasibility work to further explore in more detail the design and funding of the preferred option; (ii) Authorises the Head of Economy and Development to offer further support to stakeholders, specifically the 'Friends of the Steeple' group, to help them explore governance options and determine whether any transfer of ownership or management, potentially through a Community Asset Transfer, may be viable; (iii) Authorises the Head of Economy and Development to explore the ecomuseum model as a way of framing the Kilbarchan Cultural Quarter concept. ___________________________________________________________________ Item 5 EAR051124 Page 31 of 138
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Page 2 of 7 3. Background 3.1 The 18th-century Steeple Buildings, located in Kilbarchan's Conservation Area and jointly owned by Renfrewshire Council and the Kilbarchan General Society (KGS), hold cultural significance as a Category A listed property and are the centre of the village's annual Lilias Day celebrations. OneRen currently leases the building as a community hall, though it has remained closed since the pandemic. While the building saw limited community use pre- pandemic, other venues are available in Kilbarchan. Repairs have been conducted as needed, with a report on the building's electrical condition due in October 2024. ___________________________________________________________________ 4 Stakeholder Engagement 4.1 A report to the Economy and Regeneration Board on 23 January 2024 provided an update on the progress of Council Motion 9 from 4 May 2023 and outlined how the £700k allocation would be spent. It emphasised the significant stakeholder engagement that has taken place, including extensive consultation with Kilbarchan Community Council (KCC) and their desire to create a 'Friends of the Steeple' sub-group. Since then, officers have facilitated the formation of this group. After a series of informal public meetings with various stakeholders, it was agreed to formally establish the 'Friends of the Steeple' sub-group as part of KCC. The sub-group, consisting of 12 members—including a KGS representative—who are interested in playing a more active role in decision-making around the Steeple Buildings, is a temporary measure under KCC. Depending on the findings of the attached Options Appraisal, the sub-group will decide whether to establish itself as a separate entity from KCC. ___________________________________________________________________ 5 Options Appraisal 5.1 Also highlighted in the report to the Economy and Regeneration Board on 23 January 2024 was the intention of officers to appoint a consultant to conduct a detailed Options Appraisal looking a future uses for the Steeple Buildings. The Options Appraisal is attached at Appendix 1 of this report. 5.2 In February 2024, Glasgow Building Preservation Trust were appointed to carry this appraisal. The objectives were to explore suitable uses for the Steeple Buildings within the proposed "Kilbarchan Cultural Quarter," consider various options such as a community museum, assess the viability and costs of these options, and recommend the most viable one for Council approval. 5.3 The Options Appraisal has produced consensus on a preferred use for the Steeple Buildings. This maintains the integrity of the main spaces and sees: (i) The ground floor hall being turned into a licensed café/restaurant. (ii) The original meal market room reinstated by extending the existing kitchen into the adjacent storeroom. Page 32 of 138
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Page 3 of 7 (iii) The first floor Ladies Room maintained as a meeting room for KGS with secure storage, but available for other groups to hire. (iv) The first floor hall maintained as a community hall for hire. (v) The entrance and toilet areas reconfigured on both floors to offer accessible facilities, including a platform lift. (vi) Provision for display cases and interpretation panels in the ground floor café/restaurant and first floor Ladies Room promoting Kilbarchan’s heritage. 5.4 The cost to internally refit and fully refurbish the Steeple Buildings’ interior for this preferred use is estimated at £384,000+VAT. 5.5 While continued ownership by Renfrewshire Council and KGS is preferred by the community, the Options Appraisal has not reached a consensus on the building’s future management and instead presents three alternatives for further discussion. The key question the community now needs to address, with a preferred option in hand, is what level of involvement—if any—the community wish to have in the future management of the building. The 3 management options are: (i) Management Option A in which Renfrewshire Council retains ownership (with KGS) and the Council, or OneRen, operate the building, leasing halls/rooms to tenants and managing short and longer term lets. In this scenario, the council is likely to retain full responsibility for repairs and income from lets and commercial activities will go to the council. This setup benefits from existing management structures however capital funding options are more limited and use of the first floor community space may be less tailored to the needs of the community. (ii) Management Option B in which ownership (excluding KGS’s room) or management of the building is transferred to a community group, potentially via Community Asset Transfer (CAT). In this scenario, the community group – most likely a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) or a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status – is responsible for repair (possibly excluding the Steeple itself) and leases the building to tenants. While this setup relies far more on community volunteers, the community has more control over the use of the building and benefits more directly from any income. Compared to the council, a community body, such as a charity, will be able to approach a greater range of funders. Page 33 of 138
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Page 4 of 7 (iii) Management Option C where Renfrewshire Council leases the entire building (excluding KGS’s room and possibly the Steeple itself) to a commercial tenant. This scenario places the least strain on the resources of the council, OneRen, and the local community. However, under this option, community use of the main spaces may be limited to specific functions, which could, in turn, restrict eligibility for funding. 5.6 Revenue costs have been estimated for Management Options A and B for Years 1 to 5. Option A enables the Council to operate the building at a small annual surplus from Year 2, whereas Option B enables a community organisation to operate the building at a marginally higher surplus from Year 1. 5.7 Informal feedback from the Council’s Planning team has indicated they would take a pragmatic approach to any change of use for the Steeple Buildings and similarly, solutions for elements such as kitchen extraction, bin storage and an air source heat pump. 5.8 Over and above the standard requirements, there are currently no additional restrictions on licensing in Kilbarchan. 5.9 In response to the desire to refurbish the Steeple Buildings in the context of a wider Kilbarchan Cultural Quarter, the Options Appraisal suggests that the “ecomuseum” model could be explored as a way of framing and developing the idea. 5.10 The term "ecomuseum" is a blend of "eco-" from the Greek oikos (meaning "house" or "environment") and "museum." This reflects the idea of a museum that is closely linked to place and community - it is not a museum of ecology, though it may incorporate elements of natural heritage. 5.11 An ecomuseum is a dynamic, community-based project focused on preserving both tangible and intangible heritage in a way that benefits local people and the environment. Unlike traditional museums, which are housed in single buildings, ecomuseums are typically spread across multiple locations. The core idea is to involve local communities in managing, protecting, and showcasing their heritage and environment, creating a living, evolving museum. 5.12 The ecomuseum model could provide a way to gather and promote the diverse range of cultural and heritage offers in Kilbarchan, including for example, the Steeple Buildings, the Weavers Cottage, Lilias Day, and the new heritage trail. ___________________________________________________________________ 6 Repairs Programme 6.1 The Economy and Regeneration Board (January 2024) approved the implementation of a first phase of major repairs, valued at £308,000+VAT, prioritising immediate and urgent work on the roof, leadwork, and rainwater systems. Page 34 of 138
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Page 5 of 7 6.2 In September 2024, conservation specialists MAST Architects were appointed to develop and oversee the delivery of the first phase of major repairs, scheduled for 2025. In addition to conserving the main external fabric, this first phase aims to explore the possibility of reopening the building in an interim capacity. The findings of Building Services' upcoming electrical report will help determine whether interim use will be feasible without further works. ___________________________________________________________________ 7 Funding 7.1 The cost of the first phase of works to the Steeple Buildings plus the estimated cost of the refit and full refurbishment of the interior for the preferred option is £692,000+VAT – just short of the £700,000+VAT budget allocated by the council. 7.2 The estimated cost of delivering the additional repairs identified in the condition report, which have not been prioritised as part of the Phase 1 works, is £232,000 +VAT. However, it should be noted that these repairs were not classified as 'immediate' or 'urgent.' 7.3 In anticipation of any potential funding shortfall, initial conversations about future applications to help refurbish the Steeple Buildings took place in 2023 with National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and Historic Environment Scotland (HES): (i) Given its location, NLHF had expressed doubts that any proposed use for the building would engage sufficiently with their target communities; (ii) HES were open to an application to their Historic Environment Grants programme; however, any application was subject to Renfrewshire Council being able to demonstrate that a sustainable, long-term use for the building had been identified. 7.3 Funders such as NLHF and HES are likely to be more in favour of a use which maintains the integrity of the main spaces within a category A-listed building. ___________________________________________________________________ 8 Next Steps 8.1 Officers will work with MAST Architects to finalise the repairs programme and tender the contract for appointing a contractor to deliver the first phase of the major repairs. The goal is to make a recommendation for the contract award at the Finance Board meeting on June 12, 2025. 8.2 Officers will conduct further feasibility work to explore in more detail the design and funding of the preferred option identified in the Options Appraisal. They also plan to liaise with stakeholders regarding the findings of the Options Appraisal, aiming to agree on a preferred management option. Additionally, officers will investigate whether the concept of an ecomuseum model could be viable in Kilbarchan as a way to frame the Kilbarchan Cultural Quarter concept. Page 35 of 138
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Page 6 of 7 _________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - £700,000 has been allocated by Renfrewshire Council for the refurbishment of the Steeple Buildings. Additional funds would need to be sourced to carry out all the external repairs itemised in the 2023 condition report and carry out a full refurbishment of the interior in accordance with the costings calculated for the preferred option in the 2024 options appraisal. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is thriving – The project supports development which will protect and enhance the built heritage of Renfrewshire’s village centres, contributing to the creation of thriving places which support individuals, communities, and businesses. • Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – The project will help support the restoration and productive re-use of a landmark building in the centre of a Renfrewshire village, improving the built environment, helping to create job opportunities and contribute to economic growth. • Working together to improve outcomes - The project is working in partnership with local groups and organisations to achieve positive outcomes. 4. Legal – The Steeple Buildings are jointly owned with local charity, Kilbarchan General Society (who own a single room on the first floor). 5. Property/Assets - Property Services are acting as Client Advisor for the Phase 1 repair programme 6. Information Technology – None 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because for example it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. (Report author to arrange this). 8. Health & Safety – MAST Architects have been appointed as Principal Designer for the Phase 1 repair programme. 9. Procurement – The appointment of a main contractor for the Phase 1 repair programme will be managed by CPU. Page 36 of 138
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Page 7 of 7 10. Risk – There is a need to stabilise the fabric of the building and an ambition to bring the building back into a use which is sustainable. 11. Privacy Impact - None 12. Climate Risk – With cognisance of Historic Environment Scotland’s ‘A Guide to Climate Change Impacts: On Scotland’s Historic Environment, Our Place in Time, 2019’, the repair and maintenance of the Steeple Buildings will contribute to the restoration and repair of Renfrewshire’s historic fabric and will improve the performance of this property over time. 13. Children’s Rights – None 14. Cosla Policy Position - None _______________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Appendix 1 - Kilbarchan Steeple Options Appraisal October 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Euan Shearer; Regeneration and Place Manager Email: euan.shearer@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 37 of 138
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Kilbarchan Steeple Buildings Options Appraisal Appendix 1 Page 38 of 138
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2 Glasgow Building Preservation Trust Wellpark Enterprise Centre, 120 Sydney St, Glasgow G31 1JF web: www.gbpt.org | tel: 0141 554 4411 Document Version Date Author(s) Approved by Kilbarchan Steeple Buildings Options Appraisal 1 26-09-24 N Gallacher/ Ingrid Shearer N Gallacher 2 04-10-24 N Gallacher/ Ingrid Shearer N Gallacher 3 09-10-24 N Gallacher/ Ingrid Shearer N Gallacher Page 39 of 138
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3 Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Executive Summary 3.0 Context 4.0 The Building 5.0 Strategic Context 6.0 Consultation 7.0 Development of Options 8.0 Business Plan 9.0 Capital Costs 10.0 Revenue Costs 11.0 Funding 12.0 Risk Analysis 13.0 Conclusion & Recommendations 14.0 Action Plan Appendix A: Community Consultation Report & resources Appendix B: Business Plan Appendix C: 2023 Condition Survey, JGA Architects Appendix D: 2023 Luths Services Appraisal Appendix E: 2024 NBM Cost Plan: Internal Refurbishment Appendices Page 40 of 138
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4 Page 41 of 138
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5 This Options Appraisal (the appraisal) has been commissioned by Renfrewshire Council to consult with the community and stakeholders to investigate and assess the viability of options for the restoration and adaptation of the Kilbarchan Steeple Buildings, with the aim of identifying a sustainable future use for this historic landmark. 1.0 Introduction Renfrewshire Council (the Council) is the client for the appraisal and jointly own the building with the Kilbarchan General Society. The Council has responsibility for the maintenance and future use of the building. Key Stakeholders Kilbarchan General Society (KGS) was founded in 1765 and has been raising funds to support the people and organisations of the village ever since. KGS retains ownership of a first floor room in the building. As part of their philanthropic activities, KGS is in the process of restoring a vintage fire engine which was previously housed on the ground floor of the building. Kilbarchan Community Council (KCC) is a voluntary organisation run by local residents to act as a voice on behalf of local people and improve quality of life, civic pride, local amenities and services. Friends of The Steeple (The Friends) were formed in 2024 as a sub-group of KCC, to focus on the future of the building. The Friends include representation from KCC and KGS. OneRen is a charity and part of the Renfrewshire Council family that provides culture, leisure and sporting opportunities. OneRen managed the building as a community hall on behalf of Renfrewshire Council prior to its closure . Aims The aims of the study are: • To undertake a consultation exercise to investigate and understand the local need and demand for new uses in the building. • To provide a business plan covering an analysis of existing community facilities, the financial sustainability of proposals and the potential governance and funding options. • To obtain up to date condition surveys of the building along with proposals for restoration and reuse. • To produce a document which will be available to stakeholders to understand the context of the building when considering how to proceed. • To provide information that will assist fundraising should a project be taken forward. The Options Appraisal is funded by Client Project Coordinator Glasgow Building Preservation Trust Community Consultation Glasgow Building Preservation Trust Architect John Gilbert Architects Business Planner Community Enterprise Cost Consultant NBM Project Team Page 42 of 138
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6 Source: canmore_image_SC02025374 Page 43 of 138
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7 This options appraisal, conducted between March and September 2024, consolidates reports, consultation feedback and discussions on developing a vision for the future of the Steeple Buildings. Led by Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, the appraisal team carried out a comprehensive engagement process involving Renfrewshire Council, local stakeholders, the Kilbarchan community, Friends of the Steeple, and various local groups. Their goal was to explore the significance of the Steeple Buildings from heritage and community perspectives, review the building's condition, develop layout proposals, assess business case viability, and consider governance and management strategies. Throughout this process, one key theme emerged: the community's deep affection for the Steeple Buildings and their symbolic value for Kilbarchan. The community, alongside key stakeholders, has shown strong support for restoring and adapting the building to a new use that complements the village’s existing heritage and hospitality offerings. Given its central location, the Steeple Buildings project is viewed as a potential catalyst for broader regeneration within Steeple Square, which in turn would support ambitions for establishing a Kilbarchan Cultural Quarter that could encompass the Steeple Buildings, Kilbarchan Cross and the Weaver’s Cottage. The design team has proposed a hybrid model incorporating commercial and community uses that can be accommodated within the building while preserving its principal spaces and historic character. These plans would allow the Steeple Buildings to serve multiple functions without requiring significant structural changes. The estimated cost for internal refurbishment is in the region of £384,000. Renfrewshire Council has committed significant funds towards the refurbishment of the Steeple Buildings. This appraisal is intended to support further discussions between the Council, the community, and stakeholders to reach a consensus on the best way forward. A collective effort will be essential in developing a project, business, and funding strategy that ensures the long-term sustainability of the Steeple Buildings, allowing them to serve the Kilbarchan community for generations to come. 2.0 Executive Summary Page 44 of 138
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8 Steeple Buildings The Old Library Centre Parish Church Hall Kilbarchan Performing Arts Centre Scout Hall Masonic Hall Lodge of St Barchans Weaver’s Cottage Bobbins Cafe Guide Hall Habbies Pub & Grill Trust Inn Kilbarchan Bowling Club Key Tourist attraction Pub/ Restaurant/ Cafe Hall/ venue for hire Steeple Buildings: focus of this report Page 45 of 138
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9 East building prior to restoration Kilbarchan has a population of 4,653 per the 2022 Census. The village is home to 61 listed buildings, the highest profile of which is the National Trust Weaver’s Cottage. It is part of the National Cycle Network routes 7 and 75 and features in the Paisley Pattern visitor itinerary. There are several cafes, but little visitor accommodation. Kilbarchan has other multi-use halls for community use, including the Performing Arts Centre representatives of which have been consulted as part of research for this report. 3.0 Context Kilbarchan takes its name from the Gaelic "Cill Bhearcain," meaning "the church of St. Barchan”, and first appears in the historical record in 1175 as ‘Kylberhan’ in the Registrum Monasterii de Passelet. The dedication to St Barchan, an early eighth- century Irish saint , suggests there was an ecclesiastical site predating the twelfth century. The village lies at the centre of the wider parish of Kilbarchan. In 1740, it had a modest population of around 200 people, primarily centred around the village cross at the intersection of what are now known as Steeple Street, Church Street, Shuttle Street, and New Street. The mid-1700s marked a significant period of growth for Kilbarchan, driven by the booming handloom weaving industry, along with other local enterprises such as candle factories, bleachfields, and a brewery. The village's development was closely tied to the Milliken family, wealthy local landowners who had made their money in the slave trade and sugar plantations. In 1751, James Milliken II gifted land for a parish school and proposed the addition of a steeple to house the village bell and a room for a meal market. Built in 1755 by local mason David Kerr, the Steeple has since become a prominent landmark and a symbol of civic pride. The north wing of the Steeple housed the meal market, while the south wing served as the school. The Kilbarchan General Society, founded in 1765, is one of the oldest charitable organizations in Scotland. It has played a vital role in supporting local members in need and has a long-standing association with the Steeple. Throughout the 19th century, Kilbarchan expanded its public amenities, including the establishment of the Front Committee in 1822, which managed local resources and maintained public facilities like wells and the Steeple clock. The village became known for its strong community ties and active participation in civic matters. By the mid-20th century, Kilbarchan faced challenges regarding the maintenance of its historic buildings. In response, a restoration campaign was initiated in the 3.1 Kilbarchan Village 3.2 Demographics 1950s, ensuring the Steeple and surrounding structures were preserved for future generations. Recognized for its architectural and historical significance, Kilbarchan was designated as an Outstanding Conservation Area in 1973. Today, Kilbarchan is celebrated for its heritage, including the annual Lilias Day festival, which features parades and community gatherings, linking the present to the village’s storied past. The continued efforts to maintain and revitalize its historic buildings underscore Kilbarchan’s commitment to preserving its unique character and sense of community. Above: historic postcard with view to the Steeple Buildings; Source: eBay Page 46 of 138
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10 4.0 The Building The Steeple Buildings have played a significant role in the social, cultural and business life of Kilbarchan and dominate the village skyline, contributing to the exceptional townscape of the conservation area, which has been classed as “outstanding” since 1973. Category A listed, it occupies an elevated site in Steeple Square at the heart of the village. The buildings’ most prominent feature is the classical four storey tower, designed in the manner of a Tolbooth. Constructed from roughly coursed sandstone rubble, with dressed margins under a slate roof, the building would originally have been lime harled. The tower has a carved ashlar belfry and spire (bell cast by Thomas Mears of London 1811), a Gibbsian door surround, a third floor venetian window with arched niche that houses a bronze statue of celebrated local piper Habbie Simpson (installed in 1932 replacing the 1821 wooden one) and a clock with balustraded parapet at belfry level. Originally planned as a small parish school, meal-market and steeple with village bell, the first iteration of the building was completed by mason David Kerr in 1755. A room above the meal-market was retained by local landowner, James Milliken of Milliken for his family. The Milliken family were wealthy local landowners whose money came from the slave trade and sugar. This room became known as the “Ladies Room” as it was used by local ladies, between church services and during hunt meetings. The Kilbarchan General Society (KGS) was founded in 1765 to provide relief to local members in need. A 1723 horse-drawn fire engine owned / operated by KGS was stored in the meal-market. In 1782, to accommodate the growing population the south building was demolished and replaced by a larger school room. In the late C18 the north building was extended to create a strong room for the meal-market with additional accommodation above. Ownership of parts of the building passed to The Kirk Session in 1765 then to John Holmes who assigned the building to the Parochial Parish Board in 1892, which was superseded by Kilbarchan Parish Council in 1894. Renfrewshire District Council united 4.1 History & Ownership ownership of the building in 1930, with the exception of the first floor “Ladies Room”, which was conveyed by the estate of Sir Robert John Milliken Napier to the Kilbarchan General Society in 1869 (the Society retain ownership to this day). Fundraising after WWII enabled restoration works valued at £12,000 in memory of the fallen. Completed in 1957, these works included a new entrance linking the two wings. The ground floor was used as a village hall with council offices above. The old fire engine was relocated at this time to make space for a small kitchen. The significance of the Steeple Buildings was confirmed in 1971 with the award of a ‘Category A listing for buildings of national or international architectural or historic importance’. 1902 view of the men's hot baths, this altered space still exists on the first floor Above: phases of building development, GBPT Page 47 of 138
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11 Collapsed roof in 1st floor room As the village’s principal landmark, the Steeple has acted as gathering point for the community, in particular the annual Lilias Days celebrations, when the statue of Habbie Simpson “comes to life” and leads a parade through the village playing the bagpipes. Most recently the property has been managed as a community hall by OneRen on behalf of the Council, being used around seven hours per week in 2019, which is understandable when you consider the various competing venues available in Kilbarchan. Like all venues, the building closed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and has not reopened. The Council has carried our regular inspections and maintenance while a comprehensive scheme of repair and proposals for a new sustainable use are developed. Above: archive view of first floor hall © Crown Copyright: HES. Right: Above: historic postcard with view to the Steeple Buildings; Source: eBay Page 48 of 138
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12 Existing Ground Floor Plan 4.2 Existing Building Layout and Significance The Steeple Buildings have been altered by successive generations as the needs of the village and community changed. Floor plans from Canmore have been coloured by John Gilbert Architects to highlight the various phases of development from the 18th Century to the 20th Century. The most significant areas contain the historic fabric. The works undertaken in the 20th Century, are of less historical significance and allow scope for internal alterations to improve access. On the ground floor the former school room now functions as a hall. The old strong room was converted to WC’s in the 20th century. At the same time a new stair to the first floor was added and the former meal -market was subdivided into a kitchen and store. The first floor contains a large hall, with an elegant high coved ceiling and originally featured a corner fireplace. The other principal space on this level is the meeting room owned by the KGS, which also contains original features and a fire place. The first floor also benefits from WCs and stores. The tower can only be accessed externally and has five floors with a narrow spiral stair leading from first floor to the clock and belfry. https:// canmore.org.uk/site/43216/kilbarchan-steeple-square-steeple-and-steeple-buildings Hall WC Kitchen Store Main Entrance Steeple Access Key 1755 1782 Late 18th Century 20th Century Access WC Page 49 of 138
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13 Existing First Floor Plan Hall General Society Room Existing Second Floor Plan Existing Third Floor Plan Existing Fourth Floor Plan WC WC Page 50 of 138
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14 4.3 Building Condition Survey John Gilbert Architects were commissioned in 2023 by the Council to survey the building, assess its condition and advise on the priority of repairs. The JGA report from October 2023 identified and categorised the following items: Immediate • Replace all lead work (finishes, upstands, flashings, sealant etc.) to steeple roof and belfry roof and ensure stone finials and stone balustrade are properly dowelled and secured to the building. Lead gutter renewed and reconnected to downpipes. • Full re-slate of the roof with all associated flashings and fixings. • Strip finishes and any damp substrate or structure below from flat roof area. • Replace all three rooflights. Ensure watertight line is continuous from slate roofs to flat roof and rooflights. • Renewing all rainwater goods and soil / waste goods. Urgent • Repairs and sealing of chimneys with slate cappings. Reinstate like for like chimney pots throughout. • Stone indents to west elevation at junction with steeple. • Removal of all external wiring to allow for works. Ideally no external wiring would be returned to the building. • Cut out and replace rotten sections of some windows. Necessary • Replace external lighting to steeple. • All stonework to be DOFF cleaned, cement mortar raked out and full repointing of the whole building, including the spire and belfry. • Remove all paint to corner profiles, opening surrounds, feature bands, clock surrounds etc. as it is flaking in many areas and looks to be trapping moisture in the stone behind. Repaint with a natural mineral based exterior paint, colour to match existing. • Most windows are in good condition but require sanding, repainting, cleaning, checking of opening mechanisms and weights to sashes and a reapplication of putty and / or burnt sand mastic. • Some external doors require repairs, sanding and repainting. Internal repairs and redecoration to floors, walls and ceilings generally. • Sanding and repainting all internal doors and windows but generally retaining ironmongery. Desirable • Cleaning and conservation of weathervane. • Some external doors require only a sand and repaint. • Cleaning and conservation of clock faces and mechanisms, wall mounted streetlights and statue of Habbie Simpson. Page 51 of 138
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15 Slate roof, lead flashings and clips in need of repair / some replacement. Flat roof and rooflights in poor condition and leaking. Stone belfry, balustrade and leadwork in poor condition generally Existing stone spire and finials in need of repair and new restraint fixings Rainwater goods need to be replaced. External stone requires 100% cleaning and repointing Timber windows with areas of rot, flaking paint- work and missing burnt sand mastic. Repairs required to windows and doors Painted quoin stones flaking throughout Evidence of lime harling on stonework Page 52 of 138
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16 First floor hall: existing floor warped due to moisture and decoration affected by water ingress Kitchen is small and would require upgrading to allow a commercial use Ground floor hall: interior requires attention due to lack of use, heating and ventilation Kilbarchan General Society meeting room Ground floor changes in level restricts accessibility Stair only access to first floor limits accessibility WC’ fittings are serviceable but would benefit from refurbishment Page 53 of 138
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17 Luths Services Ltd were also commissioned by the Council in 2023 to survey and report on the condition of the following existing services installations: Mechanical • Heating • Ventilation • Domestic hot water Electrical • LV Distribution – Main Switchgear and Sub-Distribution • Wiring installations • Lighting installations • Emergency lighting installations • Small power sockets • Fire alarm • Clock mechanism The main issues identified in the survey were: No/Natural Ventilation There is a lack of ventilation which has resulted in poor indoor air quality and mould collection. Installing mechanical ventilation systems would vastly improve air circulation. Damaged Gutters: The chimney and gutter are damaged leading to rainwater accumulating in the walls of the building. This has caused potential mould growth and structural damage. Promptly repair or replace the gutters to maintain the building’s integrity. Mould on Ceilings Due to lack of ventilation and proper heating there is mould on most ceilings and especially in the ground floor hall. Ceiling mould indicates excessive moisture. Identify the moisture sources and remediate mould to ensure a healthy indoor environment and structural integrity. Electric Heaters Old electric space heaters are inefficient and costly. Upgrade to heat pumps or new heating for improved performance and energy savings. Distribution There is a potentially damaged conduit in the electrical cupboard from the general distribution board. This risks electrical hazards. Repair or replace dam- aged conduit to protect wiring and ensure electrical safety. Lighting All lighting fixtures are CFLs. Replace CFLs with LED fixtures to reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs whilst improving lighting quality. 4.5 Current works to the building The Council appointed MAST Architects to implement a package of repair works in September 2024. 4.4 Building Services Survey Page 54 of 138
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18 Collapsed roof in 1st floor room East building prior to restoration In this section Community Enterprise sets out the key national, regional and local policies and strategies which will influence the project, and identifies the existing priorities it may support. It also summarises other wider factors that have been taken into consideration in the options appraisal. • Place: the plan emphasises access to facilities (including places to eat and cultural opportunities) within communities, and states that “we will continue to celebrate the arts, culture and our heritage in Renfrewshire”. The plan references a whole-place approach. This has been prioritised in this project, seeking a future use for the Steeple Buildings which complements Kilbarchan’s existing heritage and community assets, in particular the presence of various other community halls and large gathering spaces. • Economy: one of the priorities is creating sustainable employment opportunities, which a commercial tenancy at the Steeple will provide. 5.3 Economic Development Renfrewshire’s Economic Strategy 2020-2030 recognises that attracting people of working age to live and work in the region is key. Under this objective, interventions including levering investment into town centres. The strategy also seeks “to foster an entrepreneurial culture and support the creation of new and growing businesses”, including in the creative industries. Flexible business space at other units such as Start Up Street has been in high demand, and consultation with Business Gateway Renfrewshire and local businesses in Kilbarchan showed that there was demand for customer-facing premises. 5.4 Tourism Renfrewshire’s Tourism Today is Renfrewshire’s tourism plan for 2024-27, and seeks to grow the value of tourism in Renfrewshire and enhance its benefits, including to businesses and communities. One of the projects identified is to support the Villages’ tourism offer, leading to increased capacity to attract and accommodate visitors. Preventing future deterioration of the Steeple, a high-profile heritage building among Kilbarchan’s many historic sites, will support the village’s tourism appeal. Meanwhile, commercial use of the ground floor as a bistro has the potential to increase visitor dwell time and spend in the area. 5.0 Strategy and Context The National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) is the long-term plan for Scotland to 2045 and sets out where development and infrastructure is needed. Within this, Local Authorities must also prepare a Local Development Plan. Renfrewshire’s most recent Plan was adopted in 2021. This sets out a practice of continued support for the redevelopment and regeneration of brownfield and previously used sites, recognising opportunities for the historic environment to contribute positively to placemaking. Policy Env 3 on Built and Cultural Heritage states that Renfrewshire’s built and cultural heritage will be safeguarded, conserved and enhanced. It also notes that the sympathetic restoration of listed buildings will be supported when it allows a building to remain in active use, although the design should be sensitive to the building’s character, appearance and setting. There is a presumption against demolition or other works that would actively affect listed buildings. Renfrewshire Council licensing and planning representatives have been consulted and have confirmed that there would be a pragmatic approach to any application for a change of use for the Steeple Buildings, and to minor changes needed to the building to put in kitchen extraction, bin stores and air source heat pumps as needed. 5.2 Council Plan Renfrewshire Council’s Plan for 2022-2027 (refreshed in 2024) is the overarching plan setting out how the Council will work towards “creating a fairer Renfrewshire built on innovation, wellbeing and opportunity”. The project aligns particularly with the following high-level priorities of the plan: 5.1 Planning Policy Page 55 of 138
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19 5.5 Community planning Kilbarchan forms part of Renfrewshire’s Local Partnership for the Villages area. Priorities identified for this area are connectivity and transport (including public transport and green routes), environment and parks, access to services, facilities and assets, and village identity and character. Finding sustainable future use for the Steeple contributes strongly to the last two of these. 5.6 National heritage strategy Our Past, Our Future: The Strategy for Scotland’s Historic Environment Scotland’s national strategy for the historic environment for 2023-2028. Developing Kilbarchan Steeple Buildings fits well with all three priorities: • Priority 1: Delivering the transition to net zero. Reduced emissions (outcome 1) and climate resilience (outcome 2). Although this is not primarily a project with an environmental focus, the Steeple Buildings have historically had high energy usage indicating inefficient heating and lighting. Energy efficiency, reuse of materials (reducing embodied carbon) and design for future climate conditions will be integral to regeneration plans. • Priority 2: Empowering resilient and inclusive communities and places. The strategy seeks to ensure that organisations that care for the historic environment have the right skills and are more resilient. It is not yet clear who will manage the Steeple Buildings, but the options appraisal undertaken has aimed to identify a financially viable usage for the building, avoiding a scenario where its future is dependent on funding in the long term. • Priority 3: Building a wellbeing economy. The strategy seeks to promote fair work, responsible contributions to Scotland’s economy and increasing engagement with the historic environment, particularly through activities that enhance wellbeing. In addition to this strategy, the Options Appraisal has also taken into consideration the economic pressures facing the heritage sector. Rising operating costs have affected many organisations managing heritage assets: see for example a recent statement from Museums and Galleries Scotland, in which they state that 11% of accredited museums participating in a recent study feel that their organisations are at risk of closure in the next 12 months. 5.7 Community engagement Community and stakeholder consultations carried out by GBPT, Community Enterprise and John Gilbert Architects revealed several key insights regarding the future of the Steeple Buildings. Findings are summarised in section 6.0. In brief, key points relevant to the business case were: • There was strong support overall for the restoration and reuse of Kilbarchan Steeple Buildings that maintains community access. • People recognised that Kilbarchan has enough community halls and gathering spaces, so any future development should complement these rather than compete. • Commercial usage was generally not seen as a concern, and people were open to the inclusion of some commercial activities in line with the community’s values and needs. • Many participants did want to see elements of heritage interpretation, but this could take the form of exhibitions or displays integrated into the building (and potentially spread out across the village), rather than entire rooms dedicated to heritage. Page 56 of 138
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20 5.8 Non-displacement and Partnership Working A priority for the options appraisal has been to identify a future use for the Steeple Buildings which will not duplicate or take business away from other businesses and community spaces in the village. Community Enterprise reached out to local businesses, including other community halls, to find out how what opportunities they saw, and how regeneration of the Steeple Buildings would affect them. Interviews were carried out with the Performing Arts Centre, the Parish Church, and the owner of Habbies and the Trust Inn. We contacted Old Library Centre, the Scout and Guide Halls and Masonic Hall, but they did not respond or were not able to take part in an interview within the research period. In addition, we interviewed Business Gateway and a local commercial Estate Agent about the demand for commercial property. Key findings were: • There was general agreement that there are enough halls in the village without bringing the main hall at the Steeple Buildings back into community use. • Hospitality is profitable in Kilbarchan, existing pub/restaurants are busy 7 days per week. There was consensus among participating businesses that there was a gap in the hospitality market for somewhere to go in the evening outside of a pub setting, rather than a café open in the daytime. • The cost of rent is a major barrier for people starting a business in the area. Flexible business space, where available, has been popular. Outside of the hospitality sector, it is uncommon for a business to take on a long lease in the area. • There are a lot of lifestyle business start-ups in the area – these types of businesses don't need office space and often operate from home, but some are interested in customer-facing premises. • There is not much visitor accommodation in Kilbarchan, and the three rooms above Habbies pub are well used. However, some of the organisations consulted were unsure of the practicalities of managing a holiday let and how compatible it would be with other use of the rest of the building. • As part of consultation, Renfrewshire Museums were consulted about the potential for use of the Steeple Buildings as a heritage centre, possibly as an outreach space for Paisley Museum Reimagined. The Museums team confirmed that they did not have capacity or budget to manage another site. If the Steeple Buildings were developed into a standalone museum, Renfrewshire Museums would be open to co-producing programming as part of their outreach strategy (in development at the time of the consultation). They advised, however, that a heritage centre at the Steeple Buildings would need a collection appealing to people beyond the local area to have a chance of being viable. Similarly, the National Trust for Scotland were consulted by Glasgow Building Preservation Trust (see section 6.0), and have suggested there may be potential to display items from the Weavers Cottage collections within the Steeple Buildings, if insurance, environmental, and display standards were acceptable to the collections care team at NTS. There is also potential for reciprocity in terms of joint events and cross-promotion. NTS requested that they be kept up to date as plans evolve. Page 57 of 138
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21 Above: Consultation poster displayed on community notice board Left: Consultation poster prepared to publicise project and event Page 58 of 138
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22 6.1 Community Consultation Community and stakeholder consultations carried out by GBPT, Community Enterprise, and John Gilbert Architects revealed several key insights regarding the future of Kilbarchan Steeple Buildings. The following points summarize the findings: • Support for Building Restoration There was overwhelming support for the restoration and reuse of the Steeple Buildings. Participants expressed strong interest in seeing the building repaired and made functional again. • Existing Community Halls Participants acknowledged that Kilbarchan already has sufficient community halls and gathering spaces. Therefore, any future development should aim to complement rather than compete with existing facilities and local businesses. • Accessibility Improving accessibility within the building was identified as a priority. Ensuring that the building is accessible to all, especially for those with disabilities, was a consistent theme throughout the consultations. • Potential Commercial Uses Commercial uses for the Steeple were generally not viewed as a concern, indicating an openness to the inclusion of some commercial activities as long as they align with the community’s values and needs. • Mixed-Use Preferences Participants favoured a mixed-use approach, combining different functions and uses within the Steeple Buildings which could serve various segments of the community while maintaining the historical and cultural value of the building. • Heritage Interpretation Many participants expressed a desire to see the building incorporate elements of heritage interpretation, with a particular focus on Kilbarchan's history, especially its rich textile heritage. This could take the form of exhibitions, interpretive displays, or other educational features celebrating local history. 6.0 Consultation • Visitor Engagement The need for additional activities, attractions, and better signposting for visitors was frequently mentioned. This would help to promote the area to visitors and improve overall engagement with the village’s heritage and support current and planned initiatives such as Kilbarchan Smile’s heritage garden and trail. • Crafts and Creative Workshops There was a recurring suggestion to create a space within the Steeple Buildings for the sale of high-quality crafts, coupled with creative workshops that could attract both locals and visitors, whilst supporting local artisans and promoting Kilbarchan's craft traditions. Aims and Audiences The community engagement process, led by GBPT, took place from July to September 2024 and ran concurrently with business planning and architectural design work. The main aims of this community engagement programme were: • To raise awareness of the Steeple Buildings historical significance and current conservation needs. • To understand community perceptions of the Steeple Buildings and its surrounding environment. • To involve local residents in the decision-making process, ensuring that community voices influenced the project direction. • To gather views on the best future uses for the Steeple Buildings, considering the local context and community needs. • To assess potential impacts of the proposed restoration and development plans on the community. • To identify additional stakeholder groups, ensuring that voices from various communities of interest were included. • To gauge appetite within the community for taking a more active role in the future management of the Steeple Buildings. Page 59 of 138
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23 Community consultation event in August 2024 Page 60 of 138
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24 Primary Audiences The engagement primarily targeted residents of Kilbarchan and those with a connection to the village. Specific stakeholder consultations were held with local interest groups such as the Friends of the Steeple, Community Council, NTS Weavers Cottage, businesses, and craftspeople to ensure that all relevant perspectives were considered. These findings and community insights will guide the next steps in developing the Steeple Buildings to ensure it serves as a valuable, accessible, and multifunctional space that is useful to the local community and visitors alike. Engagement Approaches To gather input from the community, a variety of engagement methods were utilized, ensuring broad participation and feedback. The primary methods included: Consultation Event: A key event where community members were invited to share their views, learn more about the project, and discuss potential future uses of the Steeple Buildings. Surveys (Online and Hard Copy): Both online and hard copy surveys were distributed, allowing people to submit their thoughts in the format most convenient for them. One-to-One Conversations: Individual conversations were held with key stakeholders and community members to ensure that in-depth feedback and specific concerns could be addressed. Focus Group Session: A focus group was organized to facilitate more detailed discussions on the building's future, targeting a smaller group of participants for in-depth engagement. Follow-Up Feedback Event: A final feedback event was held to present the findings of the consultation and allow the community to comment on the proposed options. The consultation events and survey were widely promoted by Renfrewshire Council using various platforms: • A dedicated page on the Council's website which provided updates and information on the project. • Social media channels, such as local Facebook groups, were leveraged to reach a broader audience, encouraging participation in the survey and events. • Local news outlets, including the, Daily Record, Paisley Gazette and Gryffe Advertiser, helped to raise awareness. • Hard copy posters were placed in key locations such as local businesses, churches, and community noticeboards to reach those without internet access. Additional Engagement Tools • GBPT produced a short video (https://youtu.be/WxM1sFzgcHc) detailing the history of the Steeple Buildings and an interactive timeline (https://www.gbpt.org/kilbarchan.html )to engage the community and promote both the survey and events. • Posters and Interpretative Materials: Posters and materials covering topics like the Steeple's history, architecture, and conservation were developed to inform attendees. These resources explained the building's phases, ownership, governance, legal protections, and the options appraisal process. Promotion and Publicity Page 61 of 138
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26 Events The initial public consultation event was originally planned to take place on June 1st to coincide with Lilias Day, a local celebration, but had to be rescheduled due to the pre-General Election period. The event was moved to August 3rd and was held as a drop-in information session. A follow-up feedback session was undertaken on September 7th to present findings and gather further community input. Both events were hosted at the Kilbarchan Parish Church Hall, located directly across from the Steeple Buildings, making it a convenient location for attendees. No formal attendee profiling was conducted during the public consultation events, and only a few photographs were taken during the sessions. This approach was intentional, as the events were designed to foster an open and informal atmosphere, encouraging participants to discuss issues freely without feeling observed or intruded upon. At the conclusion of each event, staff made a series of general observations. These included an informal analysis of the attendee profile, along with notes and comments from individual conversations. This allowed the team to capture insights and feedback while maintaining the relaxed and approachable nature of the sessions. Survey An anonymous, online survey was designed to gather information on people's awareness of the Steeple Buildings conservation needs, perceptions of and values associated with the buildings and surrounding area, and their views on potential future uses of the complex. It also gathered information on respondents' demographics. The survey was circulated via Smart Survey and promoted at events and through the publicity campaign. It was also available as hard copies. The questions and responses are reproduced in Appendix A. Page 63 of 138
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27 Awareness of the Steeple Buildings Most respondents and attendees had visited the Steeple Buildings at some point. It was clear that the Steeple Buildings had, historically, been used for a wide range of activities and functions catering to all ages and interests. This included hosting community council meetings, ballet and dance classes, playgroups, art classes, public lectures, exhibitions and concerts and private functions such as birthday parties. Perceptions of the Area Around the Steeple Buildings The public realm around the Steeple Buildings was generally considered adequate, but there is significant room for improvement in aesthetics, comfort, accessibility, and functionality. The Square is recognized as a historic, civic, and cultural focal point for the village. Many attendees emphasized the need for improved access for prams, pushchairs, and wheelchairs. While parking in the Square is deemed essential for residents and users of local facilities, there is a desire for measures to deter opportunistic parking and to re-establish the Square as a vibrant civic space rather than a car park. There was also a general aspiration to see the Square used more often. Community Needs The answers to questions around what is missing from the community, and the types of activities and events people would like to see in the buildings, produced mixed and often contradictory responses. Social/gathering spaces and performance/exhibition spaces were highlighted by around half of respondents as being something they would like to see within the buildings, but many Page 64 of 138
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28 subsequently acknowledged the abundance of lettable halls in the village. Through deeper conversations with attendees at events, we have interpreted this as representing a desire to see the Steeple Buildings used as a community resource, and an appetite for a new or different offer, rather than highlighting a lack of facilities in the village. A desire for greater flexibility in booking arrangements was also mentioned, including the potential for longer-term block bookings across multiple days or weeks. Others felt that the previous booking system, which required a minimum hire of two hours, was too proscriptive and expensive for small, short-term hires. Additionally, there was a call for spaces to support local craftspeople, makers, artists, and small businesses. Participants identified a need for studio and workshop spaces, as well as venues for exhibiting and selling work. Parallels were drawn with nearby Lochwinnoch, which is emerging as a thriving artist community and visitor destination. Implicit in many conversations was a recognition of the heritage value of the building in terms of its architectural and historical significance, its function as the civic heart of the village, and memories of past events and offers in the buildings. Somewhere to celebrate the heritage of the village, and attract visitors was also seen as a priority, and unsurprisingly, many felt that the Steeple Buildings would be an appropriate venue for hosting a heritage offer. Several respondents flagged the potential for a café or restaurant offer, with the caveat that any new offer should be distinct and not compete with existing businesses. Other suggestions included the creation of a holiday let or accommodation offer on the upper floor. It should be borne in mind that the community needs outlined above represent the desires of the demographic who engaged with the consultation, who were predominantly older. The needs of the younger cohort should be identified as the project progresses. Page 65 of 138
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31 Management and Ownership Two questions were posed in the survey in relation to future management and governance of the Steeple Buildings. When asked ‘Who should manage the Steeple Building, many (41%) of respondents selected ‘not sure’ and comments revealed a mixed level of understanding of the relevant organisations and their roles and responsibilities. For those who expressed a preference, the responsibility for management of the Steeple Buildings was split fairly evenly between OneRen and the formation of a new charity. There was concern that OneRen may not have the capacity to manage the facility, but equally there was an understanding that a new charity would require community support. A few people suggested that the National Trust for Scotland could manage and/or take ownership of the buildings, but this was tempered with an acknowledgement that the NTS may be reluctant to take on additional properties. Responses to the ownership question showed a clear preference for Renfrewshire Council and Kilbarchan General Society retaining ownership, however, over 30% of respondents were unsure how to answer the question. As one respondent pointed out “This is difficult to address at present. And needs more consideration”. While there was a general consensus around a preference for ownership retention by Renfrewshire Council and Kilbarchan General Society, many people expressed dissatisfaction with the current management of the building. We can conclude that while there is a strong interest in the building and potential future uses from within the community, they are reluctant to express their opinions on long-term management and ownership until they are fully appraised of the potential options and the implications and considerations involved. Heritage Preservation and celebration of local heritage, particularly textile heritage, was frequently mentioned, both as a source of local pride and identity, and as a way to attract visitors to the area. Options for a heritage centre were explored as part of the consultation and business plan. The National Trust for Scotland (NTS), who own and operate the Weavers Cottage in Kilbarchan, were consulted as a key local stakeholder. The Weavers Cottage achieved 3,583 visitors in 2023 (source: Association of Leading Visitor Attractions: ALVA | Association of Leading Visitor Attractions ). Discussion with Stuart MacKinnon, Operations Manager at NTS on the 5th September indicated broad support for the preferred option at the Steeple Buildings. Mr MacKinnon also suggested there may be potential to display items from the Weavers Cottage collections within the Steeple Buildings, if insurance, environmental, and display standards were acceptable to the collections care team at NTS. There is also potential for reciprocity in terms of joint events and cross-promotion. NTS requested that they be kept up to date as plans evolve. Kilbarchan Museum Without Walls A useful option to explore is the ‘ecomuseum’ model. The term "ecomuseum" is a blend of "eco-" from the Greek oikos (meaning "house" or "environment") and "museum." This reflects the idea of a museum that is closely linked to place and community, rather than just a building displaying objects. It is not a museum of ecology or the environment, though it may incorporate elements of natural heritage. An ecomuseum is a dynamic, community-based heritage project, focused on preserving both tangible and intangible heritage in a way that benefits local Page 68 of 138
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32 people and the environment. Unlike traditional museums, which are typically housed in a single building, ecomuseums are more integrated into the environment and often spread across multiple locations within a community. The core idea is to involve local communities in managing, protecting, and showcasing their heritage and environment, making it a living and evolving museum. An ecomuseum could provide an umbrella project to gather and promote the diverse range of cultural and natural heritage offers around the village. The Steeple Buildings would naturally form part of the eco-museum, but without the financial and administrative burden of a traditional-style heritage or interpretation centre. This approach would also align with proposals to develop a cultural quarter for Kilbarchan and support emerging and current heritage initiatives such as Kilbarchan Smile’s heritage trail, Lilias Day and other local events and traditions. Key features of an ecomuseum include: Community Involvement: The local community plays a central role in the ecomuseum, helping to manage, develop, and present their heritage. It emphasizes participation and collaboration, making it a shared project. Cultural and Natural Heritage: Ecomuseums are not limited to artefacts or exhibitions. They encompass cultural traditions such as annual fairs and events (e.g. Lilias Day), historical sites and buildings, landscapes, biodiversity, local crafts, oral histories and traditional practices. Decentralized Structure: Unlike traditional museums which have centralized buildings an ecomuseum often encompasses a variety of outdoor sites, including villages, monuments, farms, and natural areas, thus creating a museum without walls. Education and Experience: Instead of presenting objects or exhibits, ecomuseums encourage interactive and immersive experiences. Visitors often engage directly with the surrounding environment (streets, buildings, greenspaces etc) and local practices, deepening their understanding of the culture and history of the area. Sustainability and Conservation: Ecomuseums focus on the sustainable development of the region or place they represent. They aim to protect both the natural environment and cultural heritage, promoting conservation efforts and fostering an understanding of the relationship between people and their environment. The concept originated in France in the 1970s and is seen as a way to revitalise communities and strengthen local identity by connecting people with their surroundings and their past. The idea is well-established, with over 300 operating worldwide, mostly in rural France, Spain, Italy and Poland. There are several recent additions in Scotland, including: • Moffat Ecomuseum: https://moffatmuseum.co.uk/moffat-ecomuseum/ • Flodden 1513 Ecomuseum: https://www.flodden1513ecomuseum.org/ Page 69 of 138
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33 Memories, Perceptions and General Observations (selected quotes) • ‘I used to come here for ballet classes and the tufty club when I was young. Aerobics classes and discos as a teen. ‘ • ‘Attending meetings of the local beekeepers association. ‘ • ‘I have lived in Kilbarchan for 20 years but have never been in the Steeple Buildings. I am aware of occasional functions in the early time but nothing that attracted my attention. ‘ • ‘Attended numerous Glasgow University extra-mural classes over a period of 6-7 years. Wine circle met regularly in upper hall. Various dances and parties held in the Steeple Hall.’ • ‘Needs tidying up and some benches and flowers and signage. ‘ • ‘Token disabled accommodations and no separation of the hall and the surrounding car parking. Vehicles can and have parked across the doors to the steeple preventing access. Seating between the building and Steeple Street, with access, would improve things. A waste bin like the one outside the Library would be nice.’ • ‘It's ok for me but I can't think it's an easy space to access if you have mobility issues. It would be really nice if there were planters/flower baskets during the summer months to make it more attractive.’ • ‘As a resident of Steeple Square I am happy about the access and use of the square.’ • ‘The public space is ideally placed within the conservation area and can link to the Weavers Cottage, Kirk creating a cultural quarter. Space - buildings speak to each other aesthetically generally - space for cafe/ bistro ??? - farmers markets.‘ Community Needs and Potential Use Options (selected quotes) • 'Uses that support and enhance existing services - Bobbin's Cafe, Arts Centre, Weavers Cottage.' • ‘Flexible social/gathering spaces for events, exhibitions etc. Plus a kitchen for self-catering or use by caterers booked for events. Kilbar- chan only has 1 cafe and 2 pubs where snacks/meals are available. No catering will reduce interest and demand in using the refurbished steeple for parties, shows etc. ‘ • ‘With bowling club, scout hall, guide hall, church hall and Masonic hall, Kilbarchan has more than enough venues, all of which are better suited to the above than a renovated steeple. Renovated suitable for some small local business to use or share is likely to be cost effective.' • 'Would like to see a permanent exhibition about Kilbarchan’s weaving heritage. Then space for a monthly craft fair/ farmers market and for pop-up exhibitions/craft courses.' • 'No objection to a business owning or managing provided the build- ing is used and not left empty, access still needed for lilias day. Pref- erence is to the one who can commit best to the future after renova- tion.' • 'Need to fill a gap. Lots of crafters and artists in the area could be brought together for arts, crafts, music etc as a creative centre. Repli- cate or partner with success of Made in Paisley, Loud and Proud, PACE, etc. Probably consider more dance provision as so many dance schools and teachers looking for premises. ' Page 70 of 138
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34 Event / Activity Description No. Attendees Attendee/Respondent Profile Drop-in Information Session at Kilbarchan Parish Church Halls Date: O3/08/2024 11am—3pm The event, held at the Kilbarchan Parish Church Halls, was facilitated by two staff members from GBPT, alongside representatives from John Gilbert Architects, Community Enterprise and Ren- frewshire Council. The session aimed to provide attendees with detailed information about the Kilbarchan Steeple Buildings and gather community feedback. Catering was provided by Bobbins Café, offering refreshments for attendees. Children’s activities were run by Habbie Crafts, ensur- ing families could participate while their children were engaged in creative activities. Materials and Presentations: • Information Posters: Six A0 posters were displayed, offering insights into the history of the buildings, the options appraisal process, and key considerations for the project. • Architectural Plans: John Gilbert Architects presented four potential options for the future of the Steeple Buildings, giving attendees a visual and conceptual understanding of the possibilities. • Case Studies: Community Enterprise showcased three case studies of similar heritage and community projects, discussing the pros and cons of each to encourage thoughtful dis- cussion. • Surveys and Feedback: Hardcopy surveys were available for attendees to fill out on-site, and materials were provided for feedback and memory gathering, allowing participants to share personal stories or reflections related to Kilbarchan and the Steeple. 51 Attendee Profile and Engagement Summary The attendees of the drop-in information session were primarily older individuals, with most being 40 years or older. Almost all participants were residents of Kilbarchan, and showed strong local interest in the project. Key Observations: • Intentional Attendance: The majority of attendees had come specifically for the event, demonstrating a keen interest in the future of the Steeple Buildings. • Familiarity with the Steeple: Most attendees had visited the Steeple Buildings in the past, indicating a personal connection to the site. • Awareness and Concern: There was a high level of awareness among partici- pants regarding the issues facing the building, with most expressing concern for its future. • Survey Participation: Most attendees had already completed the online survey prior to the event, and an additional 16 completed hardcopy surveys during the session. • High Engagement Levels: Attendee dwell time was notably high, with most indi- viduals staying for at least 30 minutes and engaging deeply with staff and the materials. This level of interest and participation exceeded expectations. Update and consultation meeting with the Friends of The Steeple, representatives of the Kilbar- chan Community Council and Renfrewshire Council. Date: 20/08/2024 6pm—8pm The session at Kilbarchan Performing Arts Centre, facilitated by GBPT staff and a Renfrewshire Council representative, provided an update on progress and initial findings from the August 3rd event. An informal discussion followed, focusing on suitable end uses, potential end-users, and long-term governance of the Steeple. The heritage of the building and village was also dis- cussed, including the old fire engine, which, while significant to the village’s history, was consid- ered unsuitable for display in the Steeple due to space constraints. 8 8 individuals drawn from the local community, with an interest in the Steeple Build- ings. All attendees bar two were members of the Friends of Kilbachan Steeple, a sub-group of the Kilbarchan Community Council. Key Observations: • Familiarity with the Steeple: Most attendees had visited the Steeple Buildings in the past, indicating a personal connection to the site. • High levels of local knowledge. Attendees were from a mix of backgrounds but had an extensive overview of local businesses, cultural activities, community organisations and heritage. Page 71 of 138
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35 Event / Activity Description No. Attendees Attendee/Respondent Profile Online and hard-copy survey—’Finding A New Future For Kilbarchan Steeple Buildings’ (Smart Survey) Date: Open from 15/07/24 to 12/09/2024 106 A total of 106 respondents participated in the survey, with the following demo- graphic breakdown: • Gender ratio: 70% female, 30% male. • Age profile: Skewed towards an older demographic, with 75% of respondents aged 40 or older. • Residency: Almost 90% of respondents were residents of Kilbarchan, and 92% lived within the PA10 postcode. A full breakdown of findings is included in Appendix A. Drop-in Information and Feedback Session at Kilbarchan Parish Church Halls Date: 07/09/2024 (1pm-3pm) The event, held at the Kilbarchan Parish Church Halls, was facilitated by two staff members from GBPT, alongside representatives Community Enterprise and Renfrewshire Council. This session included all previous interpretation and consultation materials, along with updated panels providing feedback on initial findings drawn from survey responses and consultation. Plans and drawings of the preferred option were presented The session was advertised as part of Renfrewshire Doors Open Days weekend and included two tours of the Steeple Buildings. 26 The attendee profile for this session was similar to the first drop-in event, with around half having attended the August 3rd session. Others were aware of the pro- ject but had missed the initial meeting, while a few had booked the tour of the Steeple Buildings without realizing it was part of a consultation. Key Observations: • High Engagement Levels: Attendee dwell time was notably high, as in the previ- ous event. • Concerns About Competition: A small number of attendees raised concerns about potential competition with local businesses, but overall responses to the preferred option were positive. • Condition of Interiors: Several tour attendees noted that the building interiors were in worse condition than they had anticipated. Total attendees and respondents 191 Page 72 of 138
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36 7.0 Development of Options Based on the 2023 and 2024 online community survey feedback and discussions with stakeholders, JGA Architects developed four mixed use options for discus- sion at the August community consultation event. These uses covered a variety of ideas including commercial lets, multi-use halls, a museum / heritage space, a holiday let, a workshop / office space and a market hall/ exhibition spaces. Each of the four options incorporated the following general improvements • External doors to incorporate accessible thresholds. • Install a new platform lift giving access to upper floor. • New WCs and an accessible WC with baby changing facilities. • Install a new platform lift giving access to all levels. • Existing stair and landing redecorated and new rooflights installed. • New sanitaryware in WC's where needed. • Secure storage added for Kilbarchan General Society in first floor meeting room • All upper floor areas redecorated where needed. 7.1 Brief Illustration: Clyde Valley Regional Plan 1946 Page 73 of 138
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37 7.2 Option 1 Ground Floor Plan : Restaurant and hospitality This option is based on the refurbishment of the Steeple building including fabric repairs with small scale internal changes. The key interventions include a lift to enable full accessibility and changes to the kitchen layout. The lift is positioned to allow access from the reception to a ground floor Bistro style restaurant and to a first floor multi use venue. A new larger kitchen is provided which has its own external access and a servery to the bistro. On the first floor the existing layout is retained and refurbished, maintaining the historic integrity of the former schoolroom and General Society Room. The General Society Room will have additional secure storage. Both of these spaces would be available for hire by the community and others. Page 74 of 138
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38 The benefits with this approach are: • An Internal reconfiguration which allows access throughout • Public access to both ground and first floors • External fabric repairs which will protect and preserve a building of heritage value • An upgrade of essentials such as redecoration, kitchen, toilets, heating and other services • Income generated by ground floor business • Principal spaces retain their current form The main issues with this approach are: • Ensuring the bistro style restaurant doesn’t compete with existing offerings in the village. • A more commercial use in a building that has previously been community focused • Programming events that will attract people to visit Kilbarchan. First Floor Plan: Multi-use Hall & meeting room Page 75 of 138
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39 7.3 Option 2 Ground Floor Plan : Multi-use Hall & Kilbarchan Fire Engine This option was informed by suggestions about developing a holiday let in the building. It considered how to incorporate a residential element in the confines of the A-listed structure whilst still maintaining a community space and storage for the historic fire engine with the associated interpretation. The building would be refurbished and repaired with a new lift. The ground floor would contain a reception area, a multi-purpose hall, a new accessible WC and a dedicated heritage room for the historic fire engine and local memorabilia. The first floor would be converted into a holiday flat, accessed from a landing shared with the General Society Room. The creation of the flat in the former school room would be the most physically invasive option and would result in the loss of the historic volume. The flat would have 2 double bedrooms, a kitchen/living room with a coved ceiling and family bathroom. Page 76 of 138
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40 The benefits with this approach include: • An internal reconfiguration which allows access throughout • Public access to ground floor and General Society Room • External fabric repairs which will protect and preserve a building of heritage value • An upgrade of essentials such as redecoration, kitchen, toilets heating and other services • Income generated by the first floor holiday let The main issues with this approach are: • First floor historic space is considerably altered • Residential change of use - greater interventions may suggest Listed Building Consent could be more difficult to obtain • Management of a holiday let • Managing public access and rental priorities • Issues with mixed use building and noise potentially affecting the flat • The floor space occupied by the fire engine and heritage items which will not generate significant income or repeat visits • Loss of public access to a principal space First Floor Plan: Holiday Let Page 77 of 138
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41 7.4 Option 3 Ground Floor Plan : Exhibition & Market Hall This option took on board feedback that there could be a need for spaces for artists, makers and creative workers along with dedicated heritage space. The building would be refurbished and repaired with a new lift. The ground floor would contain a reception area, a multi- purpose hall and a new accessible WC. The hall would be renovated to become a multi-use space with dedicated storage for market stalls and exhibition equipment. The existing kitchen and store would be combined as a space for the historic fire engine with new double doors added for access. The main structural change would be the insertion of the new opening and folding partition between the heritage space and market space. The first floor hall would be upgraded to provide flexible workspace or studio space with associated breakout, meeting area and storage. The General Society room would be available for the community when not used by the General Society. Page 78 of 138
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42 The benefits with this approach include: • An internal reconfiguration which allows access throughout • An upgrade of essentials such as redecoration, kitchen, toilets, heating and other services • A dedicated heritage space for the fire engine • Public access to the market hall and General Society Room • A multi-functional ground floor room with new stor- age. • A new co-working / studio space for creative and arts practitioners • The historic fire engine is returned to its home The main issues with this approach are: • The loss of public access to the first floor hall, which is one of the nicest spaces in the building • The fire engine and heritage items are unlikely to generate significant income or repeat visits • The size of the fire engine won’t allow for flexibility or other temporary uses • Responsibility for the insurance and maintenance of the fire engine would need to be investigated • Greater number interventions may suggest Listed Building Consent could be more difficult to obtain • Management and programming of the market hall with events that attract people to visit Kilbarchan First Floor Plan: Flexible Studio/work space Page 79 of 138
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43 7.5 Option 4 The focus of this option was the provision of a dedicated museum/ heritage space and cafe on the ground floor, with a multi-use hall on the first floor alongside the General Society room. A lift would be installed and the building would be refurbished and upgraded. The ground floor would contain a reception area leading to the lift and accessible WC. A museum and heritage space would occupy part of the existing lower hall. The major change with this option is the creation of an opening between the existing kitchen/store and hall to create a café that opens out onto and activates the Steeple Square elevation. The upper floor would maintain the existing arrangement with the large hall and Gen- eral Society meeting room, supported by toilets and a store. Ground Floor Plan : Museum/ Heritage Space and Cafe Page 80 of 138
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44 The benefits with this approach include: • An internal reconfiguration which allows access throughout • An upgrade of essentials such as redecoration, kitchen, toilets, heating and other services • Public access is maintained to the ground floor and first floor • Food offering would provide some income to support heritage offering • A dedicated heritage space to showcase the history and crafts of the village The main issues with this approach are: • A new café would compete with Bobbins Café next door and would need to be pitched at a different market • Any working relationship with the Weavers Cottage and OneRen would have to be negotiated • Management, maintenance and insurance of heritage items • How will the heritage offering generate sustainable income or repeat visits • Greater number interventions may suggest Listed Building Consent could be more difficult to obtain First Floor Plan: Flexible Multi-use Hall Page 81 of 138
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45 7.6 Preferred Option The draft options were presented to the community at a consultation event and shared online. Feedback from this event and the survey was discussed with The Friends of the Steeple group, the Council and stakeholders to develop a preferred option. It was agreed that Option 1, which combines a commercial use (licensed bistro style food offering with seating for around 40 guests) on the ground floor and multi-purpose use on the first floor, will reintroduce public access to the building and provide a source of revenue to support activity in the building. It is important to the community that the history of the Steeple Buildings and their role in the development of Kilbarchan is recognised and threaded throughout the refurbished building (rather than concentrated in one room), allowing visitors to engage as they pass through different areas. This could take the form of interpretation developed with the community and curation of objects and ephemera for display which relate to weaving and other crafts. The preferred option recognises the significance and constraints of the existing building and its layout reflects its original use with larger spaces on each floor, supported by smaller ancillary and service areas. The proposals seek to preserve and enhance the most significant elements of the building whilst altering and replacing the least significant elements in order to improve and upgrade the existing accommodation and generate regular activity and income. A welcoming accessible reception area will greet visitors from Steeple Square enhancing the route to the ground floor commercial space and up to the first floor. Accessibility in the building will be improved by the new lift, which links all floors. The WCs and kitchen will be refurbished and upgraded to provide modern facilities required. The ground floor hall, first floor hall and General Society Room will retain their historic volumes. On the first floor, the larger meeting room (former schoolroom) will remain as one large space to allow maximum flexibility for functions, events, workshops and other community or income-generating events. The first floor can also act as an “overflow” function space for the bistro to host larger events and allow it to be hired as one venue if required. The spaces of less historical significance (toilets and kitchen) will remain in their existing locations, albeit refurbished and upgraded to meet modern requirements and visitor expectations. The General Society room will be repaired, retaining the original features, but incorporating heritage items and new secure storage. When not being used by KGS, the room will be available for hire for smaller meetings and or one to one therapeutic services. There is an opportunity to review and enhance the immediate surroundings of the building and take full advantage of the unique nature of Steeple Square providing outdoor seating and services for complimentary outdoor events like farmers markets. The internal refurbishment cost of this proposal is estimated at £384,000. Please refer Section 9.0 of this report and the NBM cost plan in Appendix E for further information. Page 82 of 138
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46 Col- lapsed The Steeple Buildings are Category A Listed which means that any proposed alterations will require to be justified in terms of their impact on the historic significance of the building and will require Listed Building Consent from Historic Environment Scotland and Planning Consent from Renfrewshire Council. Any alterations will also require a Building Warrant from the Council. In terms of technical compliance, the preferred option is an improvement on the existing sanitary facilities and building accessibility. The preferred option has been discussed by the Design Team and Council representatives internally, but no formal discussions have yet taken place with Statutory Authorities. Informal feedback notes that planners would take a pragmatic approach to any application for a change of use for the Steeple Buildings, and similarly solutions for kitchen extraction, bin stores, air source heat pumps, etc. A suggestion to potentially lease spaces as artists’ studios as an interim use would probably not require a change of use application. 7.7 Statutory Approvals Some key items we have considered that would be developed further in a future phase include: Ventilation The east elevation of the building would be preferable for ventilation and extract given it is of least significance / prominence and there is an existing vent terminating on that elevation from the toilet extracts and a minimal number of windows for the extract to interact with. Refuse Provision of refuse storage could be sensitively incorporated on the Steeple Square side of the building as part of improvements to the immediate public realm and creation of some outdoor seating space. Public Realm There is an opportunity to enhance Steeple Square with carefully considered works which could landscaping, lighting, outdoor seating services for markets and lighting. Licensing An application for a new liquor license would have to be submitted to and approved by the Council. Page 83 of 138
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47 8.0 Business Plan Although the preferred use has been identified, this could be managed in different ways. Options for management are referred to as A, B and C. These management options are described in the tables on the following pages. Developing the preferred option for the Steeple as outlined has the potential to deliver the following benefits: Social Benefits • The project will prevent deterioration of a high-profile Category A-listed building at the heart of the village. There is potential to tie in with improvements to the public realm around the Steeple Buildings. Revitalising the village centre and developing the cultural life of the village will contribute to making Kilbarchan a better place to live and foster a sense of pride in the community. Environmental Benefits • In line with current Historic Environment strategy, preserving and adapting the building will reduce the need for new construction materials, thereby reducing embodied carbon and construction waste to landfill. Building services will be upgraded to maximise energy efficiency. Economic Benefits • Employment opportunities will be available during the refurbishment work, and the potential for partnership with training providers such as West College Scotland could be explored. • Once the refurbishment is complete, commercial use of the ground floor as a bistro will provide ongoing employment opportunities. A licensed bistro of this size open four to five evenings a week could be expected to employ a chef and kitchen assistant as well as two to three front-of-house staff, creating four to five new jobs in total. • A higher-end bistro in Kilbarchan will encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more, in line with Renfrewshire Tourism Today’s strategy for the Villages. 8.1 Building management options Page 84 of 138
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48 Management Option A Process Pros Cons • Further discussion with OneRen as to whether they would relinquish the ground floor only (for lease to a commercial tenant) or the whole building. • Renfrewshire Council carries out refurbishment work. • OneRen has existing staff and systems to take, manage and invoice for bookings. The costs of these resources, along with office costs and accountancy fees, are split across multiple sites. The costs to OneRen of continuing to manage the Steeple Buildings in addition to other venues would presumably be relatively low, although this would require further discussion. • OneRen is a charity, and as such qualifies for 80% mandatory relief on non-domestic rates. This does not apply if the Council manages the building, as local authorities do pay non- domestic rates. • OneRen has a track record of managing buildings, including historic sites. Some funders may be more receptive to an application from the larger, more established council-linked charity. • Capital funding options are more limited. • In community consultation, there was recognition that OneRen may not have the capacity to manage and promote the building as actively as a local community group might. This may mean that the local community gets less use from the first-floor space, and that income is lower. Renfrewshire Council retain ownership while either its Estates team or OneRen continue to manage the building and lease it to tenants. No tenant has a full repairing lease, so the council has responsibility for repair. Page 85 of 138
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49 Management Option B Process Pros Cons • The new organisation prepares its governing document: liaise with Engage Renfrewshire and use the Scottish Government’s Model Documents to meet criteria for CAT. Registration with OSCR and/or Companies House; recruit- ment of at least three unrelated trustees/directors; bank account setup. • Submit expression of interest to Renfrewshire Council: see Process Guide. Support available from the Community Ownership Support Service. • The new organisation should do its own research and develop its business case. At this stage, the organisation may also need to raise funds for tech- nical fees, particularly legal fees (given that it will be entering into leases). Renfrewshire Council and the new community organisation will need to come to an agreement as to how much of the refurbishment works will take place prior to transfer, and how much (if any) fit-out will be undertaken by the community organisation. • Proceed to formal Community Asset Transfer Request. • CAT request validation period (up to 6 months). • CAT Decision-making Process. At this stage, OneRen's board discuss whether to approve the relinquishing of the building/part of a building back to council to allow council to progress with Asset Transfer or leasing. • Assuming CAT request is approved, building handover takes place. Possibility of some internal fit out being undertaken by the community group • Gives the local community control over usage of the first floor of the building, which is likely to enable a wider range of use and higher occupancy. • Assuming the community organisation is a charity, it would qualify for 80% mandatory relief on non-domestic rates. • If the community organisation takes on ownership and management, then undertakes the final portion of the refurbishment work, it will be able to access a wider range of grant funding than the local authority. • A community organisation may be able to raise a proportion of funds for any capital work it undertakes through local fundraising or crowdfunding. • Reliant on volunteers to act as directors/ trustees, manage bookings, monitor finances (including maintaining a sufficient reserve to cover unexpected costs) and commission ongoing repairs. • Requires setup and maintenance of a website and booking system. A community organisation that is a charity must also produce externally verified annual accounts. Within a larger organisation, these costs are spread across many properties, whereas a community organisation set up solely to manage the Steeple would have to cover these operating costs from income from this property alone. • Some funders will not fund organisations which are less than a year old and have not produced annual accounts. This will limit the organisation’s access to funds to pay for final fit-out of the spaces it will operate. Transfer of ownership or management of the full building to a community group, potentially via Community Asset Transfer (CAT). The community group is responsible for repair and leases the building to tenants. It is likely that this community group would be a charity: either a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) or a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status. Page 86 of 138
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50 Management Option C Process Pros Cons • OneRen discuss whether to relinquish the site, as in option B). • This option places the least strain on the resources of OneRen and the local community. • A successful operator may be able to market the first-floor space for a variety of events, maximising the economic impact of the business (more employment, attracting visi- tor spend, etc.) • Given the listing of the building, a full repairing lease may not appeal to prospective tenants, so RC may have to retain some or all responsibility • Uncertain whether affordable community access to the first-floor space could be guaranteed under this model. • Lack of open access may affect eligibility for funding • Single income stream is less resilient to loss of tenant. Renfrewshire Council leases the entire building (possibly excluding the Steeple itself) to a commercial tenant. The tenant would then manage the upper floor as well as the ground floor. Page 87 of 138
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51 A capital cost schedule has been prepared based on the preferred option by NBM Quantity Surveyors. A copy of the full NBM cost report is included in Appendix E. A summary of estimated costs are shown in the table to the right. We have included contingencies as required by a number of funders for this type of project, along with design team fees at an indicative rate of 14% at this stage. The summary costs in the table exclude: • Concept and Project Development Fees • Site Acquisition • Business Plan • Legal Fees • Finance Charges • Insurances • Clients Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment • VAT • Inflation Assessment Further design development or interventions within the building may significantly affect these estimated costs. Estimated Capital Costs 9.0 Capital Project Costs Element Cost £ Works Cost 237,109 Preliminaries (15%) 35,570 Contingencies (10%) 27,270 Inflation uplift Oct 23—Oct 24 (2%) 5,999 Works Sub Total 305,948 Design Team Fees 14% 42,833 Clerk of Works 5,000 Surveys & Site investigations 15,000 Client held contingency 15,000 Total Capital Costs 383,781 Page 88 of 138
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52 10.0 Revenue Costs Operational cash flow projections have been produced for the first two management options outlined in Section 8.0. An overview of each is below. Under each option, the Steeple Buildings operates at a small annual surplus after the initial year. The differences between cost and income estimates for each option are set out in the following sections, but in brief, the main differences are the inclusion of non-domestic rates in option A, and higher marketing, accountancy and professional costs in Option B (offset by a slightly higher occupancy) 10.2 Running costs The following assumptions on major ongoing costs have been made in order to prepare our financial projections: Gas and electricity OneRen has provided past energy usage data from 2020-21 up to midway through 2023-24. In the last two full years, energy usage has averaged 93,612 KWH per year, with the building closed. Cost over these two years averaged £15,242 a year. Given that the building has been empty and underheated (according to the 2023 Services Condition Appraisal by Luths), these costs reflect a heating system that is inefficient, relying solely on electric space heaters. The report also notes that inefficient fluorescent lighting has been used. It is assumed that new, more efficient heating and lighting will be installed. The Luths report provides estimated annual heating costs for various heat pump systems, ranging between £6,000 and £7,000. These are for the full site. Assuming that the ground floor is rented to a tenant, the building occupant would only be responsible for energy bills for the first floor: we have Option A: Management by Renfrewshire Council and/or OneRen Option B: Management by a community organisation Year Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total income £ 16,459 £ 21,717 £ 23,758 £ 24,308 £ 24,874 Expenditure Salaries and wages £ 1,844 £ 4,153 £ 4,278 £ 4,406 £ 4,538 All other expenditure £ 15,515 £ 14,295 £ 15,402 £ 15,020 £ 15,899 Total expenditure £ 17,359 £ 18,448 £ 19,680 £ 19,426 £ 20,437 Net cash surplus (deficit) -£ 900 £ 3,269 £ 4,079 £ 4,882 £ 4,437 Opening bank balance 0 -£ 900 £ 2,369 £ 6,447 £ 11,329 Closing bank balance -£ 900 £ 2,369 £ 6,447 £ 11,329 £ 15,766 Year Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total income £ 16,459 £ 21,717 £ 24,103 £ 24,663 £ 25,240 Expenditure Salaries and wages £ 1,844 £ 4,153 £ 4,278 £ 4,406 £ 4,538 All other expenditure £ 12,895 £ 13,717 £ 14,824 £ 14,442 £ 15,320 Total expenditure £ 14,739 £ 17,870 £ 19,101 £ 18,847 £ 19,859 Net cash surplus (deficit) £ 1,720 £ 3,847 £ 5,002 £ 5,816 £ 5,381 Opening bank balance 0 £ 1,720 £ 5,568 £ 10,570 £ 16,385 Closing bank balance £ 1,720 £ 5,568 £ 10,570 £ 16,385 £ 21,766 10. 1 Overview Page 89 of 138
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53 estimated 50% of the full building figure with air source heat pump, plus a 20% allowance for other energy costs (lighting, small amount of office equipment etc). Water rates OneRen data provided also includes water usage and rates for the same period. This shows a lot of fluctuation, with higher water usage and cost in 2022-23. The average water usage over the last three years was 595 M3, and the average cost was £1,203 per year. A future owner of the building would receive reduced water and sewerage charges through the Water and Sewerage Charges Exemption Scheme only if: • it has charitable status • its income is below £300,000 per year • it has no permanent alcohol license, charity shop or public café on the premises Given the preferred use and management options identified, it is unlikely that these criteria will be met under either option, so water usage at an increased level is included in financial projection. Business rates Ratable value of the site is £4,800 but it is likely that it would need to be revalued following a change of use of the ground floor, after which the ground floor tenant would assume responsibility for non-domestic rates on that part of the site. The amount of rates to be paid depends on the management model: • Assuming that the new rateable value of the first floor is no more than the current rateable value of the entire site, the first floor would qualify for 100% relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, if it is the only property occupied. This would apply only if the building is occupied by a new community body. • Charities qualify for 80% mandatory rates relief on non-domestic property occupied primarily for charitable purposes, and the council may award discretionary relief to remove the remaining 20% of rates. This would only be applicable if the building is occupied either by OneRen or by a new community body which is a charity. • Renfrewshire Council offers a Fresh Start Scheme giving 100% rates relief for 12 months for properties which have been empty for 6 months or more. Given the uncertainty at this stage, we have assumed that the liability remains unchanged, and that 80% relief is granted under Option B. Insurances The building occupant would need buildings insurance on the entire site. This is likely to be higher given the proposed use of the ground floor as a restaurant. Assuming that the building occupant also manages spaces on the upper floor which are hired out for short-term use and used for occasional community and heritage events, public liability cover for this part of the building would also be needed. The tenant on the ground floor would be responsible for maintaining suitable insurance policies for their business and leased premises. Maintenance An allowance for routine maintenance tasks such as cleaning gutters, checking electrical systems, repainting and refinishing as well as periodic larger repairs has been included in financial projections. Staffing When open under OneRen, the building had a caretaker present for just under 15 hours a week, working mostly in the evenings. Given the plan for the ground floor to be under a commercial lease, we have assumed Page 90 of 138
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54 that there would be a reduced need for staffing at around 7 hours a week. This depends on access to the hall space and KGS room on the first floor being available without the staff member being on site to let people in, e.g. via a code access system and CCTV. The estimated cost of installing and maintaining these systems has been built into financial projections. Marketing and customer relations Marketing costs for the spaces on the first floor will depend on the management model chosen. If OneRen continues to manage the building (option A), the first-floor venue can be promoted via the organisation’s existing channels. There is an existing venue hire team to manage bookings. There would be some initial setup costs: updated photography and staff resource to create a venue profile and update online listings. In the longer term, the additional cost of marketing one more venue is assumed to be marginal. If a new community organisation manages the top floor (option B), they will need a way to promote the venue and manage bookings. The cost of setting up and maintaining a basic website has been built into this version of the cash flow projection. Similarly, this version includes a subscription to venue management software, which would simplify the work of taking bookings, monitoring availability and invoicing clients as much as possible. We assume that volunteers would be willing to take on these tasks. Accountancy, professional and office costs If the Steeple is managed by a larger organisation (option A), a certain amount of its internal resources will be dedicated to managing the building. However, further consultation with the Estates team at Renfrewshire Council and/or OneRen would be required to arrive at a realistic estimate. These costs are excluded in this version of the financial projections. If the building is managed by a community organisation (option B), this organisation will be required to produce annual accounts. An allowance of £1,500 for accountancy fees and independent examination has been included in this version of the financial projections. 10.3 Income streams The following assumptions have been made in order to prepare financial projections: Tenancies The Estates team at Renfrewshire Council have provided the following detail on rental rates for commercial premises in Johnstone (£110 - £140 per square metre) and smaller village centres (£95 - £110 per square metre). The Estates team estimate that Kilbarchan would be on the lower end given location and associated demand. Taking an estimate of £105 per square metre for lease of a refurbished shell suitable for use as a licensed restaurant, the 135-square-metre ground floor (excluding the Steeple itself) would bring in rent of £14,175 per year. Hall rent Taking an estimate of £100 per square metre, the 69-square-metre hall space would bring in rent of up to £6,900 per year. However, this may be made available on more flexible terms suited to small businesses and creative professionals, so an allowance for 50-60% occupancy is made in the financial projections (increasing from year 1 to year 3). Because a local community body may be better connected with potential users of the space, the financial projections for Option B include slightly higher occupancy in later years. Occasional use of Kilbarchan General Society room Kilbarchan General Society have indicated that they intend to continue using the room Page 91 of 138
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55 they own on an occasional basis, and permanently for storage. Outside of this use, the room will be available for hire for small meetings. Assuming that this room can be rented at £15/hr (comparable to similar venues) for around 4 hours a week (0.5% occupancy, based on 12 usable hours a day), this will generate just over £3,400 a year. 10.4 VAT and Corporation Tax Most repair and improvement work on existing buildings, regardless of listed status, is subject to VAT at the standard rate. Renting property and short-term hire of rooms, are usually exempt from VAT. This assumes that no additional services (e.g. catering) are provided by the building manager. Opportunities to reclaim VAT may therefore be limited. If any of the regeneration work is undertaken by new community body, this group should seek a VAT assessment identifying which of the planned income streams are subject to VAT and how much (if any) VAT paid out on construction may be reclaimed once the building is in use. If necessary, this body could seek to become VAT registered even if it is not otherwise required to do so, in order to reclaim VAT and therefore reduce the amount of external funding needed. However, this would lead to more complex financial management. Under management options A or B, the building will be managed by an entity that is exempt from corporation tax: the local authority, OneRen, which is a charity, or a local organisation (which would be likely to seek charitable status). Page 92 of 138
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56 Availability of funding will depend on which entity is to manage the building, and the conditions of their tenure. Many funders will only fund applicants with charitable status or purposes, or have an upper limit on applicant turnover. The Council has had previous discussion with Historic Environment Scotland and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Both could be approached about funding the preferred option regardless of the management model. The following funds would not be open to Renfrewshire Council, but a community body taking on management of the building would be eligible to apply. These would be relevant if a community group takes on ownership or management of the Steeple Buildings and completes some of the fit-out work. In general, funders will require that the group has secure tenure, i.e. a long lease or ownership. Some of these funds require charitable status. • Screwfix Foundation provides small grants of up to £5,000 for capital projects. Examples of projects funded include installation of a new kitchen or bathroom, painting or decorating, improving building safety or efficiency. This small grant should cover the majority of project costs, so this is best suited to small renovations or upgrades at an early stage. (Does not require charitable status) • Barcapel Foundation: grants up to £20,000 (occasionally up to £100,000) for charities working in areas including heritage (built environment and cultural heritage). (Requires charitable status) • Wolfson Foundation will fund charities carrying out conservation/restoration work to listed buildings of historical significance, generally £15,000- £100,000. However, Grade A-listed sites will be prioritised, so an application at the lower end of this scale may have better chances. (Requires charitable status) • Hugh Fraser Foundation: grants for charities working in areas including arts 11.0 Funding & culture. A few major awards over £100,000 each year, with others averaging £5,000. (Requires charitable status) • Barrack Charitable Trust, £500 - £5,000. Arts, heritage and culture and provision of recreational facilities are among its core purposes. (Requires charitable status) • Dalrymple Donaldson Fund, up to £5,000 for restoration of buildings of historic interest (including many church buildings). Best fit would be small repairs, in sympathy with the building’s past e.g. using traditional material). (Does not require charitable status). • Awards for All is the National Lottery Communities Fund’s small, open programme: grants up to £20,000. This could cover start-up costs or operating costs in the first year. The lottery’s larger funding programmes (including grants for community-led activity and wellbeing) are currently closed for review. (Does not require charitable status). • The project location is within the required 10-mile distance of landfill sites for the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund. Grants of up to £50,000 are distributed by various bodies; applications can be made to more than one (list available here). Projects involving “the maintenance, repair or restoration of a historic building” are eligible, but only if the site will be open to the public: at least 4 evenings or 2 days per week or at least 104 days in any year – under the preferred use, this may not be the case. Other funds of interest: • The Architectural Heritage Fund does not currently provide capital funding (outside of its William Grant Tailored Support Fund, which aims to meet specific needs of projects not meeting other grant criteria). However, its Project Viability Grants (up to £10,000; average £6,000) may be a useful source of funding if a community organisation comes forward that is interested in taking on ownership or management of the building, to cover expenses such as legal fees. Page 93 of 138
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57 12.0 Risk Analysis & Mitigation As in any significant development of this nature there are a number of risks that need to be identified along with appropriate action points and strategies. These key risks and mitigating strategies are tabulated below: Risk Impact Probability Existing Controls Action Required Lead Responsibility Preparation, Development and Construction phases Difficulty securing capital funding Medium Medium Discussions with funders underway If required, develop a phased approach to upgrades with most urgent and beneficial works prioritised. Renfrewshire Council Delivery phases Difficulty securing ground floor tenancy High Low Input from Estates team on market rates Suitable marketing of the tenancy opportunity Renfrewshire Council High-profile historic village centre location has previously attracted attention. Low levels of volunteer availability Low High Low reliance on volunteers for day-to-day running of the preferred usage option. Develop heritage offering in consideration of levels of volunteer availability Dependent on management model Under option B, ensure that community group has sufficient skill and capacity. Loss of ground floor or first floor tenants High Medium For first floor, a lower occupancy rate has been built into financial projections under the assumption that tenancies will be more flexible. Flexibility of spaces allow for different con- figurations and adaptation to future market conditions Consideration of lease terms and conditions with Renfrewshire Council’s legal team Under option B, the community group may need support to develop suitable lease agreements, book- ing terms and conditions and cancellation policy Dependent on management model Page 94 of 138
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58 13.0 Conclusion & Recommendations The Steeple Buildings are the most significant historic building in Kilbarchan and a key part of the village’s identity and heritage. The buildings have been vacant since their closure in 2020, and a new use needs to be found to ensure they are secured for future generations. The Council is undertaking a proactive scheme of repair works to address the immediate condition issues and consolidate the buildings for potential meanwhile uses and regeneration projects. Through consultation, it is clear the local community have a strong interest in potential plans, however, there is uncertainty about how much involvement the community wishes to take in managing and maintaining the buildings. The consultation process demonstrated that the community understand that Council- subsidised, under-used community spaces are unviable and alternative options need to be explored. The proposed vision for the Steeple Buildings has the potential to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits. It is a mixed-use solution that restores the landmark building and balances public access with income-generating activities. The preferred option includes hospitality services (high end bistro) on the ground floor, while the first floor would feature flexible rooms available for hire. This approach retains the historic character of the building, ensures it remains a hub for community activity whilst also being carefully balanced with an income generating use. A new bistro could potentially create up to four or five new jobs and encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more, in line with Renfrewshire Tourism Today’s strategy for the Villages. In addition to this, the Steeple Buildings could play a vital role in the regeneration of Steeple Square. By enhancing the outdoor spaces with landscaping, seating, and lighting, the square could become a lively venue for outdoor markets, festivals, and events, complementing nearby attractions such as the Weavers Cottage and the Kilbarchan Performing Arts Centre. In order to develop this outline proposal further, a key issue which must be addressed is whether an existing or new organisation can be identified that can manage and maintain the building whilst also balancing the need for public access against income generation to support the maintenance of the site. Community ownership or management could provide more funding opportunities and ensure that any commercial function directly supports community use. It is recommended that Renfrewshire Council continue the discussions around governance and management with the community, Friends of the Steeple and potentially interested parties to understand if there is an appetite for more community responsibility in the development, management and programming of the rejuvenated Steeple Buildings. Page 95 of 138
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59 14.0 Action Plan The table below outlines the next steps that can be taken by the Council and Stakeholders to develop the vision for the Steeple Buildings Action Plan Lead Oct-24 Nov-24 Dec-24 Jan-25 Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 Aug-25 Sep-25 Oct-25 Nov-25 Dec-25 1 Council review of options appraisal Council 2 Review with Community and stakeholders on Options Appraisal Council 2 Agree aspirations for Steeple Buildings including, ownership, tenure, governance, funding Council 3 Develop funding and brief for Steeple Rejuvenation Feasibility Study Council 4 Council approval (Elected members) Council 5 Procurement of Feasibility Team (Project Organiser, Arch, QS, Business Planner, Services Engineer, Engagement) Council 6 Project Organiser (PO) and Team for feasibility study appointed RC 7 Inception, mobilisation and commence study DT 8 Develop detailed design of preferred option DT 9 Develop & deliver stakeholder & community consultation plan DT 10 Develop preferred option business case DT 11 Cost plan information DT 12 Develop detailed funding plan & initial discussions with funders PO 13 Conclude feasibility & business plan DT/PO 14 Council review and decision to proceed with Capital Works Council Page 96 of 138
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60 Appendix A: Community Consultation Report & resources Appendix B: Business Plan Appendix C: 2023 Condition Survey, JGA Architects Appendix D: 2023 Luths Services Appraisal Appendix E: 2024 NBM Cost Plan: Internal Refurbishment 14.0 Appendices Page 97 of 138
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Page 1 of 9 ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 05 November 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Scotland Loves Local Update 3 ___________________________________________________________________ 1 Summary 1.1 This report provides an update on the Scotland Loves Local scheme in Renfrewshire, focusing on take-up and spend since the last update to the Economy and Regeneration Policy Board in November 2023. 2 Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Notes the content of the content of this report and associated appendices. ___________________________________________________________________ 3 Background 3.1 As outlined in previous updates to the Economy and Regeneration Board, The Scotland Loves Local campaign is a national initiative aimed at encouraging residents to support local businesses and keep money within their communities. Participants can load any amount onto a gift card that can only be spent within their local authority area, promoting local spending. Businesses must sign up to be eligible for participation in the scheme. ___________________________________________________________________ 4 Renfrewshire Context 4.1 The Council joined the scheme in May 2021. Initially funded by the Scottish Government for a pilot period until December 2022, it has since been financed by Renfrewshire Council. The subscription has been renewed twice (for the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25) at an annual cost of approximately £7,000, using appropriate funding from the Council’s Economic and Development team budgets. Item 6 EAR051124 Page 99 of 138
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Page 2 of 9 4.2 Currently there are 158 Renfrewshire vendors signed up to the scheme - an increase of 21 since the last update to Board in November 2023. A full list is provided at Appendix 1. 4.3 Since the scheme's inception, a total of £67,166 has been spent in Renfrewshire as a direct result of the gift card. This represents an increase of £22,556 in additional spending from October 2023 to October 2024 (approximately a 35% increase). Over half of this spending (65%) was made in supermarket chains. A full breakdown of spending per retailer can be found in Appendix 2. ___________________________________________________________________ 5 Outcomes 5.1 Since the last update to the Board, elements of the marketing and communications plan has been implemented. This included the delivery of a webinar in October 2023, specifically targeting Renfrewshire’s larger employers. Furthermore, the gift cards have been promoted through the Retail Improvement Scheme, Paisley First, social media, and a 'Spend Local' consumer competition in November 2023, which targeted direct users of the card. 5.2 Target outcomes cited in the previous Board update included: • Grow the amount spent on the card by at least 150% over the next two years; • Sign up an additional 30 SMEs to the scheme over the next two years. 5.3 In the last year, 21 new merchants have signed up for the scheme, indicating that the target of 30 additional SMEs is on track. However, while total spending has increased by over a third since October last year, it is recommended that further promotion of the card in the lead-up to Christmas could help boost spending and enhance this target. 5.4 To ensure businesses across Renfrewshire join the Scotland Loves Local initiative and maximise card spending, resources will be allocated from the Regeneration & Place and Marketing & Communications Teams, who will continue to work with Miconex to facilitate business engagement and promote the benefits of the Renfrewshire Gift Card. Activities may include: • Further collaboration with Paisley First and the Johnstone Business Consortium to promote the scheme and encourage continued buy-in from merchants in the Paisley BID area and Johnstone Town Centre. • Ongoing communication with Braehead and X-Site to promote the scheme and encourage onboarding within these centres. • Promotion of the scheme through our social media channels and via the Retail Improvement Scheme (RIS) and Renfrewshire Town Centre Premises Grant Scheme. • Engagement with other significant stakeholders, such as the Chamber of Commerce and UWS, to promote the benefits of the gift card to users, SMEs, and larger employers as a staff benefit. ___________________________________________________________________ Page 100 of 138
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Page 3 of 9 6 Next Steps 6.1 Council officers are supportive of the Scotland Loves Local Scheme and are keen to see it grow significantly across Renfrewshire. Further officer capacity will be committed to continue to progress the scheme. 6.2 Further reports will be brought to Board to update members on its uptake as appropriate. __________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – No additional finance is sought. All funding is accounted for within existing Council budgets. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – • Jobs and the Economy - the scheme has the potential to secure additional income for Renfrewshire based businesses, which in turn could support more investment and jobs within the local economy. 4. Legal – None 5. Property/Assets – None 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – None 9. Procurement – None 10. Risk – None 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Climate Risk – Not Applicable 13. Children’s Rights – None 14. COSLA Policy Position – Not Applicable ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers a) Report to Economy and Regeneration Board, Scotland Loves Local Update 2. 7th November 2023 b) Report to Economy and Regeneration Board, Scotland Loves Local Update 2. 7th May 2023 ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Euan Shearer; Regeneration and Place Manager Tel 07483 136235 Email: euan.shearer@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 101 of 138
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Page 4 of 9 Appendix 1: Renfrewshire Retailers currently signed up to Scotland Loves Local Scheme Business Name Merchant Address Adom Afro Paisley 46 High Street Paisley Aldi 009 - Paisley 4 Fulbar Rd, Paisley PA2 9AP, UK Aldi 012 - Erskine 1A, Bridgewater Shopping Centre, Erskine PA8 7AA, UK Aldi 055 - Renfrew 41 High St, Renfrew PA4 8QP, UK Aldi 085 - Johnstone Patons Mill Rp, High St, Johnstone PA5 8FB, UK Anderson’s Jewellery Workshop 38 High Street,Renfrewshire,PA7 5HR Aspire Academy 17 Kelvin Avenue Hillington Industrial Estate Glasgow G52 4LT Bailey’s Antiques 34 High Street Paisley Barrhead Travel service - Braehead Shopping Centre Unit 1, Intu Braehead Shopping Centre, King's Inch Road, Glasgow G51 4BN Baru Paisley 7 Moss Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 1BG Bears by Sue Quinn Threadbear, 25 Lawn Street, Paisley PA1 1HD Bianco e Nero 27 Gauze Street Paisley Body Beautiful 172 Braehead road paisley Paisley Pa2 9qd Brick Lane Studios/The Diane Mitchell Music School/Brick lane Studios Brick Lane Studios 7-9 Weir Street Paisley Renfrewshire Pa34dw Cafe Fairfull 12A High Street Paisley Caffe Lusso 4 School Wynd, Paisley PA1 2DB Caleb Outlet 14B New St, Paisley PA1 1XY, UK CANCER RESEARCH UK GBR - Greenock 32 W Blackhall St, Greenock PA15 1UE, UK CANCER RESEARCH UK GBR - Johnstone Units 1&2, 40-41 Houston Court, Johnstone, PA5 8DL CANCER RESEARCH UK GBR - Paisley 43 Causeyside Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, PA1 1YL Cardbox Cardbox15 5 Hairst Street Renfrew Renfrewshire PA4 8QU Castelvecchi 10 New Street Paisley Caulders Garden Centres Erskine Caulders Erskine Erskine Bridge Bishopton Erskine PA7 5PU Claire Reid Hairdressing 7 Mill Street Paisley Comicrazy 45 Old Sneddon Street Paisley Coop 4247 Paisley Road - Renfrew 93 Paisley Road, , Renfrew, PA4 8LH Coop 5825 Kilbarchan 20 High Barholm, Kilbarchan, Johnstone, PA10 2EQ Coop 7472 Houston 63 Crosslee Crescent, Houston, Johnstone, PA6 7DT Coop 8769 Bishopton New 26-30 Greenock Road, , Bishopton, PA7 5JN Coop 9093 Paisley - Neilston Road 60-62 Neilston Road, , Paisley, PA2 6NE Coop 9094 Bridge Of Weir Main Street, , Bridge Of Weir, PA11 3NR Domino's Pizza - Bridgewater Shopping Centre Erskine Domino's Pizza Unit 9 Bridgewater Shopping Centre Erskine Scotland PA8 7AA Domino's Pizza - Gauze Street Paisley Domino's Pizza 41 Gauze Street Paisley Scotland PA1 1 1EX Domino's Pizza - Johnstone 11 Laighcartside Street Johnstone PA5 8BY Domino's Pizza - Renfrew 9 High Street Renfrew PA4 8QL Ecigarette Outlet 35 Causeyside Street Paisley Elixir Lounge Upper Floor 12 New Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 1XY Ellen Adams Hair 24 Glasgow Road Paisley Exotic kitchen paisley 23 Causeyside Street Paisley Scotland PA1 1UH Page 102 of 138
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Page 5 of 9 FARMFOODS HILLINGTON 249 UNIT 1 EARL HAIG ROAD, HILLINGTON RETAIL PARK G52 4LY FARMFOODS PAISLEY 255 29 CAUSEYSIDE STREET PA1 1UL FARMFOODS RENFREW 250 5/6 HIGH STREET PA4 8QL Finishing Touches 7 Johnston Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 1XQ Food 46 46 High St, Paisley PA1 2AH Food At Underwood Unit 1A 35 Underwood Road Paisley Paisley PA3 1TQ Framing Art 60 High St, Johnstone Renfrewshire PA5 8SG Francis hair salon 3 Johnston Street Paisley Gael Home Interiors 4 Orchard Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, PA1 1UZ Gantry 12 New St, Paisley, PA1 1XY Gillan Green Grocers The Paisley Centre, 23 High Street, Paisley Golddust House Fashion & Accessories 26 High Street Paisley Grand Fusion Paisley First floor, 8 Moss Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 1BL H. Samuel - Braehead 38, Braehead Shopping Centre, Glasgow G51 4BP, HandCrafted Coffee 5 High Street Lochwinnoch PA12 4DB Harrods Drycleaners 8 Castle Terrace, Bridge of Weir, PA11 3EF Harvies Tobacconist 20 Moss St, Paisley PA1 1BL, UK Helen's Alterations Ltd 7 Lochleven Road Hiltons Hair & Beauty 8A St Mirren St, Paisley PA1 1UA, UK HMV/Sunrise Records and Entertainment Limited trading as HMV UNIT 167, BRAEHEAD CENTRE, KINGS INCH ROAD, GLASGOW, G51 4BN HOT Tanning Salon - 25199664 1470 Paisley Road West Glasgow G521sr Houston Kiltmakers 67 High Street , Paisley, Renfrewshire, PA12AY Iceland 782-Paisley 86/74 Glasgow Road, Paisley, Strathclyde PA1 3PN ICELAND JOHNSTONE 1 Houston Square, 56/61 High St Johnstone, Paisley PA5 8QG ICELAND PAISLEY PIAZZA 1330 Unit 55, Piazza Shopping Centre, Paisley PA1 1EH Indian By Nature Paisley/Obsession of India 32 Moss Street Paisley IVAD Gifts 29 Gauze Street Paisley Jewelfare 44 High Street Paisley John Marshall & Son Butchers 65 High St Johnstone Renfrewshire PA5 8QG John Mckay Jewellers Paisley 53 Moss Street Paisley Johnstone Convenience Store 19 high street Johnstone Glasgow UK PA58JU Justyna Bespoke Tailoring & Alterations Ltd 150 Fenwick Road Katy hair&beauty salon 27 Wellmeadow Street Kenneth Edward Hair Salon 45 Causeyside Street, Paisley PA1 1YN Kiddie Boutique Unit 106 Braehead shopping Centre G51 4BS Kiddie Boutique /Baby boutique by Claire Unit 106 Braehead Shopping centre Kings inch road Glasgow Glasgow G51 4bs Kilts 4 u 2 Erskine Square Hillington Glasgow Glasgow G52 4BJ Kooks Hairdressing 22 New Street Paisley Lidl GB JOHNSTONE 1270 10 High Street, Johnstone PA5 8JX Lidl GB PAISLEY NORTH 1725 Renfrew Road Retail Park, Wallneuk Road, Paisley PA3 4BF Luna Rossa 1-3 Canal Street Renfrew Renfrew Renfrewshire Pa48QE mackenzie property and building services 18 oldhall rd, ralston, paisley pa1 3hl Marks and Spencer - Odstock Road - Paisley Odstock Road, Paisley PA3 2ST, UK Page 103 of 138
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Page 6 of 9 Marks and Spencer Foodhall - Renfrew Retail Park - Paisley Unit 1, Renfrew Retail Park, Wallneuk Rd, Paisley PA3 4BF, UK Marks and Spencer Simply Food - Braehead Shopping Centre King's Inch Road Braehead Shopping Centre, Ripley, By-Pass, Glasgow G51 4BP, UK Marks and Spencer Simply Food - Glasgow Airport Glasgow Airport Priority Security, Glasgow Airport, Paisley PA3 2SW, UK McLaughlan and Co Jewellers 22 New Street Paisley Moongemz Baby & Gifts 30b High Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 2BZ Morrisons Bed Centre 24 Lawn Street Paisley Mrs Party Ltd 5 Johnston Street Paisley MULTAN Business ltd 21 Causeyside street Paisley Renfrewshire Scotland MULTAN Business ltd 16f Bridge street Linwood Renfrewshire Scotland Musclebound 14A New Street Paisley New Look 1657 Paisley 14 The Piazza Shopping Centre, Paisley , PA1 1EL New Look 2019 Braehead 1B Braehead Shopping Centre, Renfrewshire, G51 4BP Newsrack Paisley 69 High Street Paisley Noah Home and Gifts Ltd Braehead Shopping Centre Kings Inch Road Glasgow G51 4BN Nomads Coffee Shop 63 High Street Paisley. NTS - Weavers Cottage The Cross, Kilbarchan, PA10 2JG O'Neills Services Unit 43B The Piazza Centre, Paisley One O One 32 Kilbarchan Road 32 Kilbarchan Rd, Johnstone PA5 8RF Orchard Clinic Paisley 16 Orchard Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 1UZ Paisley Craft Beer Co 25 Lawn Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 1HD Paisley Gift Cart Co- Moongemz Baby 30b High Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 2BZ Paisley Photoshop 10 Silk Street Paisley Paisley Picture Framers 56 Causeyside Street Paisley Trophy Centre 5 George Place Paisley Piccolo Mondo - Renfrew 63-65 Hairst St, Renfrew PA4 8QU Print and Copy It 61 High Street Paisley Print Centre (GREENLAW GRAPHICS LTD) 31 Gauze Street Paisley PROFIX 67 Causeyside Street PROFIX Paisey Renfrewshire PA1 1YT Pure Spa and Beauty- Renfrew Pure Spa and Beauty David Lloyds Arkleston Road Renfrew Renfrewshire PA4 0RA Rainbow Turtle 7 Gauze Street Paisley Restoration & Creation 8 Browns Lane Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 2JH Riverside Beauty Crowne Plaza, Congress Road Glasgow Renfrewshire G3 8QT RSA Your Local Shop 27 Moss Street Paisley Sainsburys - Kings Inch Road 110 Kings Inch Dr, Glasgow G51 4BT, UK SEMI CHEM 003319 - Johnstone Unit 1, 9 William Street, Johnstone SEMI CHEM 3479 - Paisley 44-46 Central Way Piazza SEMI CHEM 003517 - Renfrew 93 Paisley Road Sinclair's of Paisley 30A High Street Paisley Skystar Stores 225-229 Saracen Street Glasgow Glasgow City Council G22 5JW Smyths Toys Unit 22 Phoenix retail park Linwood Linwood road Glasgow Paisley PA12AB Snappy Shopper - Online Only Snt scot ltd trading as ice & cream 38A east Hamilton street Pa15 2td Page 104 of 138
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Page 7 of 9 Spar - Erskine Bargarran Shopping Centre, Erskine PA8 6BS Spar - Lochwinnoch The Cross, Main St, Lochwinnoch PA12 4AH Spar Glenburn spar 170 BREAHEAD ROAD Paisley Renfrewshire PA2 8QD Specsavers Opticians 110 Kings inch Drive, Sainsburys , Glasgow, Strathclyde, G51 4BT Spoons Coffee House Spoons Coffee House 71 Causeyside Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 1YT St Vincent's Hospice 11a Moss Street, Paisley, PA1 1BE Stack and Still Braehead Shopping Centre Unit 1C, King's Inch Rd Glasgow Scotland G51 4BP Subway - Paisley Subway 20 High street Paisley Renfrewshire PA12BS Summits outdoor 36 moss street paisley PA1 1BA Sunset Beach - Hairst Street 59 Hairst Street Renfrew PA4 8QU Sunshine Electrical 3 Johnston Street Paisley Taste Buds 22b Lawn Street, Paisley, Paisley, Renfrewshire, PA1 1HF The Bankhouse 7 Gilmour Street Paisley The Grumpy Monkey Coffee House 22 Moss Street Paisley The keg shack 46 Hairst St Renfrew Renfrew Renfrewshire PA4 8QY The Lion’s Paw 1 Morrison Place, Main Street, Bridge of Weir, pa11 3nu The Nail and Beauty Zone LTD/PURE Spa & Beauty PURE Spa & Beauty, David Lloyd, Arkleston Road, Cockleshill Park, Renfrew PA4 0RA The Perfume Shop 66 Kings Inch Road Perfume Shop , Unit 160 Braehead Shopping Centre , Kings Inch Road G51 4BS The Pet Shop Units 3 & 4 Houston Court Johnstone Renfrewshire PA5 8DL The Ugly Duck 38 High Street Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 2DQ ThreadEx 33b causeyside street, paisley pa11ul ThreadEx Beauty Salon Paisley Centre, 23 High Street, Unit 19k, Paisley pa12aq ThreadEx Nail & Beauty Piazza Centre, 15 Central Road, Kisok E, Paisley pa11el Tom Baird Opticians 5 High Street Paisley Paisley Renfrewshire PA1 2AE Tresspass - Braehead UNIT 103 BRAEHEAD SHOPPING CENTRE KINGS INCH ROAD G51 4BN What IF Paisley 25 Moss Street Paisley Wholesale Domestic Bathrooms 50 Montrose Avenue Hillington Park Renfrewshire g52 4LA Wholesale Domestic Equipment company 400-406 Hillington Road, Hillington Estate, G52 4BL With Love Flowers 48 Causeyside St, Paisley PA1 1YH, UK WM Morrisons Ltd - Erskine Bridgewater SC GBR Bridgewater Shopping Centre, Renfrew PA8 7AA WM Morrisons Ltd - Johnstone GBR 30 Napier Street, Johnstone PA5 8SF WM Morrisons Ltd - Paisley Anchor Mills GBR Anchor Mill, Paisley PA1 1GZ WM Morrisons Ltd - Paisley Falside Rd GBR Falside Road, Paisley PA2 6JE Zambretto Italian 42-46 Old Sneddon Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, PA3 2AP Page 105 of 138
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Page 8 of 9 Appendix 2: Spend per Retailer Merchant Transactions Amount WM MORRISONS STORE 94 £3,293.88 W M MORRISON STORE 115 £2,538.48 MARKS&SPENCER PLC SACA 61 £2,437.81 BOOTS UK ECOMM 34 £1,969.28 ARGOS LTD 18 £1,279.66 MARKS&SPENCER PLC SF 35 £1,269.28 SAINSBURYS SUPERMA 20 £1,064.46 SAINSBURYS S/MKTS 16 £970.37 ALDI 55 777 31 £869.95 ICELAND 21 £865.00 ALDI STORES 20 £569.36 ALDI 9 777 14 £419.01 Snappy Shopper 10 £395.97 ALDI 12 777 11 £371.01 SPECSAVRS 2 £330.00 ivad gifts 13 £304.98 SUNSETBEACH 12 £300.07 SMYTHS TOYS LINWOOD PA 4 £257.41 LIDL GB PAISLEY NORTH 8 £219.20 SPAR 2 £199.00 DOMINOS 5 £197.30 CAULDERS ERSKINE 3 £165.02 ZAMBRETTO ITALIAN 3 £158.80 LIDL GB JOHNSTONE 6 £158.21 Fairfull 7 £154.75 GAEL HOME INTERIORS 2 £144.99 SEMI CHEM 3479 6 £144.08 HMV-BRAEHEAD 5 £107.95 THE PERFUME SHOP 1 £106.00 HOUSTON KILTMAKERS 1 £100.00 SEMI CHEM 3517 6 £97.25 RIVERSIDE BEAUTY 1 £95.00 NEW LOOK 1657 4 £87.01 MOONGEMZ BABY 3 £83.48 HARVIES 4 £82.70 SEMI CHEM 3319 2 £74.17 ELIXIR LOUNGE 2 £70.00 GRAND FUSION LTD 1 £65.00 ROWCOT LTD 1 £62.00 BIANCO NERO 4 £57.25 FARMFOODS 255 3 £52.42 SQ *HANDCRAFTED COFFEE 2 £45.00 THE KEG SHACK 2 £43.98 With Love Flowers 1 £40.00 Luna Rossa 1 £37.00 Taste Buds 2 £32.05 Page 106 of 138
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Page 9 of 9 FARMFOODS 250 1 £24.75 CANCER RESEARCH UK 2 £23.00 RAINBOW TURTLE 2 £20.00 WM Phelps Butchers 1 £20.00 NOAH HOME AND GIFT BOU 1 £15.00 The Grumpy Monkey 2 £15.00 SQ *HARRISONS FINE WIN 1 £13.50 FARMFOODS 249 1 £10.00 MCLAUCHLAN & CO 1 £10.00 THE KEG 1 £10.00 ALDI 39 777 1 £9.52 Total 633 £22,556.36 Page 107 of 138
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Page 1 of 6 ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Board On: 5th November 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Business Loans Scotland Ltd Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This is a report on Renfrewshire Council funds held by Business Loans Scotland Ltd and previously reported to Leadership Board on 19th June 2019. 1.2 At that time Board approved plans for the wind up of the West of Scotland Loan Fund (WSLF) in favour of the new Scotland-wide Business Loans Scotland (BLS) and the transfer of any excess funds back to Renfrewshire Council. At that point around £525k was transferred back to the Council for economic development uses. 1.3 The new BLS would continue to collect loan payments on behalf of the Council for loans via the previous West of Scotland Loan Fund. From 2019 Scottish Government became the sole funder of BLS. 1.4 All loans are now repaid and Renfrewshire Council has a balance figure of £393,607.49 with BLS. 1.5 This report updates Board on a recent options paper on the future of BLS and requests a Council decision on whether to reinvest the remaining funds or transfer back to the Council. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: a) Note the contents of the report and b) Agree that Option 3 for the future of BLS is preferred with the remaining Renfrewshire Council funds being returned to the Council for local business grant and loan support. Item 7 EAR051124 Page 109 of 138
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Page 2 of 6 ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The West of Scotland Loan Fund Ltd (WSLF) was a consortium of the twelve West of Scotland local authorities and was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in June 1996, following local government reorganisation. The fund provided loan finance in individual amounts up to £100k and successfully operated across the West of Scotland as a loan fund for more than 18 years filling the funding gap to both new and growing, small and medium sized enterprises. 3.2 To support this activity, each participating local authority had an allocation of ring-fenced loan funding based on its individual budget commitment matched by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) monies. 3.3 In 2014, the Scottish Government indicated its desire to move away from regional loan funds (such as WSLF) to a national loan fund and advised that such a mechanism would be required to access any further EU resources. The Economy and Jobs Policy Board 28 January 2015 approved Renfrewshire Council’s support for a proposal to create a Scotland-wide local authority business loan fund. Business Loans Scotland Ltd (BLS) was created as the vehicle to take this forward. 3.4 Business Loans Scotland was formed with Scotland’s 32 local authorities (27 Full Members and 5 Associate Members), incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in March 2015 to provide loan finance up to £100,000 to both new and growing, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across Scotland. 3.5 The WoSLF company was wound down in 2019 at which point Renfrewshire Council had combined assets of £723,795 in the fund. This was broken down as: • loan portfolio to the value of £86,236; • ring-fenced residual European Development Funding (ERDF) of £111,914; and • excess funds of £525,645. 3.6 The Council’s Leadership Board 19th June 2019 agreed to • Withdraw the excess funds of £525,645 and transfer to Invest in Renfrewshire to support local business development grants and loans. • Transfer the loan portfolio (£86,236) plus ring fenced ERDF (£111,914) to Business Loans Scotland to continue to administer on behalf of the council. The loan funding (once paid in full from loan recipients) could then be transferred back to the local authority at some point in the future. 3.7 From 2019 BLS were funded solely by the Scottish Government but were managing the previous portfolio of loans for Scottish local authorities. Page 110 of 138
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Page 3 of 6 3.8 BLS recently wrote to all local authority Chef Executives to indicate that, after 5 years of support, BLS was no longer receiving Scottish Government funding and that three options were being considered for its future. The Council was asked for a preference of the options which are outlined in section 4 below. 3.9 BLS also confirmed the finance levels (repaid loans) in their account for each local authority totaled around £10M and for Renfrewshire specifically this is £393,607.49 3.10 All Renfrewshire Council funded loans are now complete and the balance figure can be returned to the Council under one of the options presented by BLS or reinvested under the other two options. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Business Loans Scotland Future Options 4.1 In a recent letter, to all local authority Chief Executives, Business Loans Scotland reported that the Scottish Government had decided not to recapitalise the BLS Scottish Growth Scheme for 2024 - 25 and currently there is no further lending by BLS to businesses for this financial year and potentially beyond. 4.2 BLS have provided 3 options to local authorities around their future lending capacity. Two of these options look for local authorities, once again, to reinvest funding for a new loan fund and the third looks at the “no further lending” option. 4.3 The three options are: Option 1- allocate 35% of all Council funding to be top sliced; thereby creating a £3.5 million fund to allow lending to continue to SMEs based in Scotland on a demand led, first come first served basis. Option 2 – leave local authority ringfenced cash within BLS to allow continued lending to SMEs in the Renfrewshire area. Option 3 – transfer the Council funding back to each Council for use locally for business development, BLS will cease any new lending to SMEs but continue until 2029 to manage the current loans funded via previous Scottish Government funding. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Officers recommended way forward 5.1 There are now a better range of loan funds available to SMEs across Scotland. Not least the new £60M Investment Fund for Scotland (more information in Appendix 1) created earlier in 2024 for loans from £25k to £2M for Scottish businesses. Page 111 of 138
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Page 4 of 6 5.2 The proposal from BLS to establish a new fund (whether national or by individual local authority -L/A- area) is difficult to justify. Initially the L/A funded loan funds were not commercial and there was a justification for local authority intervention on the grounds of risk, local need and gaps in the market. This is no longer seen to be the case. 5.3 In addition to the comments on the need for a new loan fund: • Option 1 (national approach) would mean only some L/As contributing funds to be distributed across Scotland. • Option 2 (local approach) would mean programmes only being delivered in some L/As and (mostly) at a relatively small scale. Neither of these options are particularly strong and officer opinion is that an additional business loan fund (at this time) is not required. 5.3 The recommendation would therefore be Option C, no further lending, and to withdraw Renfrewshire Council’s ring fenced funds of £393,607.49 and use them to support the creation, growth and sustainability of local businesses in Renfrewshire through council grants and loans. 5.4 It should be noted that the previous loan funds have been well managed and there is no criticism at all regarding BLS in this recommendation. _________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – the report requires a decision on £393,607.49 of Council funds which can either be reinvested to form a new loan fund or can be returned to Renfrewshire Council. 2. HR & Organisational Development –no impact 3. Community/Council Planning –none 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. Page 112 of 138
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Page 5 of 6 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Childrens Rights - None 13. COSLA Policy Position – Not Applicable. 14. Climate Risk – Not Applicable. __________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Leadership Board, 19th June 2019 “West of Scotland Loan Fund (WSLF) and Business Loans Scotland (BLS)” ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Ruth Cooper, Economic Development Manager; Email: ruth.cooper@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 113 of 138
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Page 6 of 6 Appendix 1: New Loan Funds for Scotland launched in the last year Investment Fund for Scotland (Smaller Loan Fund) The British Business Bank appointed DSL Business Finance Ltd in October 2023 as the Fund Manager to deliver the £20 million allocation within the Investment Fund for Scotland for “smaller loans”. • Loans from £25,000 to £100,000 • Interest rate from 10% to 14% (average expected to be 12%) • Repayment period up to 5 years • Arrangement Fee of 2% • Expect to leverage 25% from the private sector • Security – minimum of a Personal Guarantee and a Bond and Floating Charge (B&FC). Investment Fund for Scotland (Debt Fund) The British Business Bank appointed The FSE Group Ltd in October 2023 as the Fund Manager to deliver the £40 million allocation within the Investment Fund for Scotland for the “Debt Fund”. • Loans from £100,000 to £2 million (average loan likely to be £250k - £500k) • Interest rate Base plus 7% to 14% • Repayment period up to 5 years • Arrangement Fee of 2.5% • Leverage - can provide 100% finance for “right” client • Security – Personal Guarantee, Bond and Floating Charge (B&FC) and assignation of assignation of Key Person cover • Legal costs from £795 - £1,600 depending on complexity Growth Guarantee Scheme The British Business Bank launched the Growth Guarantee Scheme on 1 July 2024. This replaced the Recovery Loan Scheme and is offered by various accredited lenders. • Growth Guarantee Scheme covers asset finance, invoice finance, asset based lending, term loans & overdrafts • Loans up to £2 million • Repayment period from 3 months to 6 years • Interest rate varies and is at lenders discretion • Arrangement Fee • Security - scheme provides lender with 70% government backed guarantee. Personal guarantee at discretion of lender Page 114 of 138
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Board On: 5th November 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Shared Prosperity Fund Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report builds on previous overviews to Board on the progress and plans for the Shared Prosperity Fund programme in Renfrewshire and now updates Board on the progress to end September 2024 as reported to Glasgow City Region as managers of the region-wide approach. 1.2 UK SPF is currently funded until end March 2025 and an announcement is anticipated in the Autumn Statement on 30th October 2024 on the future of the funds. Section 7 of the report provides comment on any further extension or conclusion of the programme. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: a) Note the content of the report and the progress of UK SPF funding to date across Renfrewshire. b) Note the considerations around the future direction of the programme which should be clearer after the UKG Autumn Statement scheduled for 30th October. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) was the UK Government response to the decision by the UK to leave the European Union. Previously, as part of the EU, parts of the UK (including Renfrewshire) were eligible for economic development funding as part of continent-wide support programmes. Item 8 EAR051124 Page 115 of 138
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3.2 SPF provides £2.6 billion of funding across the UK for local investment by March 2025, with all areas of the UK receiving an allocation from the Fund via a funding formula rather than a competition. 3.3 There are three core SPF investment priorities: • Communities and Place; • Supporting Local Business; • People and Skills. 3.4 In addition, the “Multiply” programme has a specific budget to support numeracy skills across all areas. This is the only Portfolio with a set budget and separate accountability, with monitoring through the UK Government’s Department of Education. 3.5 Renfrewshire Council were awarded £6,290,987 for the first 3 year programme from 2022-25. The programme was phased to increase financially over the 3 years with (approximately) 12% of the budget in year 1, 24% in year 2 and 64% in year 3. It was anticipated that the year 3 budgets would continue in future years. 3.6 An announcement on the future of the fund is expected in the Autumn Statement on 30th October. 3.7 UKSPF guidance states that any budget underspend by programme conclusion (31 March 2025) must be returned to Treasury. This was confirmed by UKG in September 2025: “Funding paid to third parties, or retained by lead local authorities to meet costs associated with activities that take place after the 31 March 2025 is not eligible for UKSPF or Multiply. Any UKSPF or Multiply underspends at the end of 2024/25 must be repaid to MHCLG. Regardless of the outcome of the Budget on 30 October, there will be no mechanism to carry forward any UKSPF underspends into future years.” ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Renfrewshire Performance in UK SPF to date – Core Programme 4.1 The three core SPF investment priorities are performing well and no underspend is anticipated at this stage. Communities and Place 4.2 The SPF Communities and Place programme commenced in April 2023 and has provided the opportunity to fund a wider range of projects through the Council’s Regeneration and Place team. Funding supports Renfrewshire’s local communities through investment in activities that enhance access to amenities and improvements to the built and natural environment to make Renfrewshire a place that people want to live, work, play and learn in. SPF has also provided a useful opportunity to support feasibility work around future activity. Page 116 of 138
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4.3 The 4 key interventions for UK SPF in Renfrewshire are: • Place based investments regeneration and town centre improvements, which could include better accessibility for disabled people, including capital spend and running costs. 7 projects improving local facilities and amenities have been funded to- date (3 capital and 4 revenue funded) • Support and improvement of community assets and infrastructure projects. This could include support for decarbonisation of facilities, energy efficiency audits, and installation of energy efficiency and renewable measures in community buildings (including capital spend and running costs). 16 community led projects have received grants (10 capital and 6 revenue) with 5 neighbourhood improvements being completed • Design and management of the built and landscaped environment. 6 projects which includes a range of surveys and restoration work have been funded and are being undertaken (2 capital and 4 revenue) • Funding to support relevant feasibility studies. To date 7 feasibility studies have been supported and being carried out with an additional 3 scheduled to start 4.4 No underspends are envisaged for this theme. Supporting Local Business 4.5 The SPF supporting local business funding commenced in April 2023 when ERDF funding ceased. It supports the Council’s overall business development approach and co-finances both staff and services through Business Gateway and business grants. 4.6 The focus for UK SPF in Renfrewshire is: • Support for expert business advice and support programmes at the local and regional level (2023-25); • Support for growing the local social economy (2024-25). 4.7 In 2024-25 £500k was allocated to a business challenge fund and 7 new and additional business support programmes were funded to support local businesses in key areas such as Net Zero, Innovation in Manufacturing, AI and exporting. 4.8 The Social Economy Officer has supported 39 local enterprises this year with four, to date, having received grants and another 12 involved in a programme of wider support to build capacity and innovation. Page 117 of 138
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4.9 Outputs and outcomes for this theme are good with 605 local businesses receiving advice and support and 439 new businesses started up and trading to date. No underspends have been declared to date. People and Skills 4.10 The SPF people and skills funding commenced in April 2023 and is a two year programme. It effectively replaced (in part) previous ESF resources and has co-funded the Council employability service and the commissioned programmes delivered through the Local Employability Partnership for the last 18 months. Regular reports are brought to Board on employability and the service will again this year support around 2,000 local people. No underspend is expected. 4.11 SPF provides around £2.144M to employability over 2 years (including around £200K from the Multiply Year 1 underspend) and to date (Sept 2024) this has directly supported 541 people into work and 533 people to gain qualifications. 4.12 29 different partners have been commissioned to work together to provide a joined up employability pathway for people looking for work. 4.13 Alongside co-funding a wide range of services UK SPF is specifically used for two priority groups: • Vulnerable young people leaving school: key worker / transition support with specialist training provision (2023-25); • Economically inactive people: Intensive and wrap-around one-to-one support to move people closer towards mainstream provision and employment (2024-25). 4.15 Outcomes across the board are strong for employability and all targets will be met for this theme. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Renfrewshire Performance - Multiply Programme 5.1 The Renfrewshire Multiply programme has offered three types of numeracy and math support programmes across the area over the last 20 months: • New intensive and flexible courses targeted at people without Level 2 maths in Scotland, leading to an equivalent qualification; • Courses designed to help people use numeracy to manage their money; • Activities, courses or provision developed in partnership with community organisations and other partners aimed at engaging the hardest to reach learners. Page 118 of 138
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5.2 Provision for Multiply was commissioned by the Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership to a wide range of local organisations already dealing with learners (West College Scotland and Community Learning and Development) or involved in community based work. Fourteen different local organisations have been involved in delivery. 5.3 Multiply was completely new to the area in 2022, with provision commencing in 2023, and has performed well overall although it has declared underspends in all years (as have all GCR Multiply programmes). 5.4 To date, in Renfrewshire, 588 people have been supported via 107 different courses / activities running in the community. Programmes of support have included: • Supporting parents to increase confidence and skills to enable them to support children with homework. • Cooking a nutritional healthy meal on a budget. • Supporting people with learning difficulties and autism to understand money. • Helping women from diverse backgrounds improve their numeracy skills and confidence. • A life skills-based budgeting programme for young people who have recently left the care system. • Providing numeracy skills courses to support people into employment including understanding wages and payslips. ___________________________________________________________________ 6. Financial Spend and Claims 6.1 Programmes across the board are performing well and spend is broadly on target across all areas except Multiply (which is underspending across all L/As in Scotland). The claims submitted, and the figures below, reflect grant fund paid out by the Council. 6.2 All four SPF programmes have developed to involve a local grant fund as part of the programme so that services can be delivered by a range of partners. While a lot of the activity is on track, the spend does not reflect the full activities due to slow invoicing by partners. Priority Spend to date by Investment Priority (end Sept 2024) Forecast Spend at end of Financial Year Brief note on expected spend Communities & Place £911,833.27 £1,539,548.10 On track, full spend Local Business £771,033.95 £1,537,976.32 On track, full spend People & Skills £1,318,126.35 £2,144,361.16 On track, full spend Multiply £326,171.00 £532,080.00 Underspend Management and Administration (4% of spend) £133,085.96 £251,639.90 On track, slight underspend relating to final figures for Multiply Page 119 of 138
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___________________________________________________________________ 7. UK SPF Programme conclusion / extension 7.1 As noted in section 3.7, UKG have confirmed there will be no opportunity to carry-forward any UKSPF budget into the new financial year. The UKG Autumn Budget Statement is scheduled for 30 October 2024. GCR and other stakeholders have made representations to UKG regarding the requirement for a one-year funded extension. UKG civil servants have also indicated this has been their advice to Ministers. 7.2 If a positive announcement is made in the Autumn Budget Statement, it is proposed to provide the next available Economy & Regeneration Policy Board with an updated UKSPF report explaining the detail and implications of any extension. The figures below provide a summary of the Year 3 UKSPF allocation and officers are currently scenario planning for any extension of UKSF funded activity at the same or lower level. Core Multiply Total Renfrewshire £3,309,716 £378,975 £3,688,691 7.3 It is not expected that UKG will require a ‘full’ Investment Plan for any one- year extension to the current programme, more than likely it will be a version of the ‘credible plan’ that was submitted to UKG at the end of Year 1, detailing any significant changes from current activity. 7.4 It is anticipated that if a one year extension is announced, a new UKG (SPF) programme for the following 3 years will be announced during 2025. _________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – the report outlines the current spend against budget. The underspend in multiply has no effect on council as the programme is 100% funded through SPF. 2. HR & Organisational Development –no impact in current programme however the UKG budget announcement for future years could have a significant impact if funding is reduced. 3. Community/Council Planning – UK SPF supports 4 different challenge funds across Renfrewshire. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. Page 120 of 138
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7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Childrens Rights - None 13. COSLA Policy Position – Not Applicable. 14. Climate Risk – Not Applicable. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, 23rd August 2022, “UK Shared Prosperity Fund Update” Economy and Regeneration Policy Board, 23rd May 2023, “UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Year 1 Report” Economy and Regeneration Board, 7 November 2023, “Shared Prosperity Funding: Business Challenge Fund” ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Ruth Cooper, Economic Development Manager; Email: ruth.cooper@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 121 of 138
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy & Regeneration Policy Board On: 05 November 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Cultural Infrastructure Programme Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. This report is to update the Board on the progress of Renfrewshire Council’s Cultural Infrastructure Programme, being delivered on behalf of the Council by the City Deal & Infrastructure Team (with project management expertise from the Council’s Property Services team) with the Paisley Museum Project being delivered by OneRen. 1.2. The Cultural Infrastructure Programme investment in Paisley town centre will use our internationally significant cultural and heritage story to transform our future for visitors and events within Scotland. This programme of work will bring new footfall and life to the town centre, new homes for top class cultural events, whilst preserving the heritage of the town. 1.3. The Cultural Infrastructure Programme has seen continued success in 2024 with the completion of Paisley Arts Centre. The programme of work continues with the flagship Paisley Museum well underway. This report also outlines other works included in the wider spectrum of the programme including external sports and the successful TH.CARS2 regeneration scheme. ________________________________________________________________________ Item 9 EAR051124 Page 123 of 138
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2. Recommendations 2.1. The Economy & Regeneration Policy Board is asked to: i) Note the progress and current stage of construction of the projects outlined in this paper. ________________________________________________________________________ 3. Project Updates 3.1. Whilst each of the Cultural Infrastructure projects individually contribute to economic growth in Renfrewshire, it is important to note that the combined social and economic outcomes from across these investments are greater than the sum of the individual parts. Coupled with the Council’s wider economic investments in City Deal, AMIDS, housing, and other regeneration projects, these social and economic outcomes for our local residents and visitors are enhanced further. 4. Paisley Town Hall Redevelopment 4.1. Paisley Town Hall has been transformed into one of the top class entertainment venues in Scotland. The completion of the major refurbishment has brought this venue high onto the cultural map with the benefits already being realised. The building has now been operating since September 2023 with several events having taken place. 4.2. Due to the scale of construction in Paisley Town Hall, a period of snagging and defect management was undertaken. This has now been drawn to a close with no significant issues. 4.3 A review is currently underway of the lifecycle and maintenance requirements for the Town Hall which will in time be widened to include the Paisley Arts Centre and the Museum as it is imperative that the ambitious investment in these venues is safeguarded in the coming years. When concluded this will be the subject of a future report. 5. Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub 5.1. Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub is a 21st century community hub and a modern home for library services at the heart of Paisley High Street, bringing new footfall into the town centre. The venue opened its doors to the public in November 2023. 5.2. The transformation of an empty shop unit on Paisley High Street into a learning and cultural hub, which has Paisley Central Library at its heart, has been recognised with a number of awards nominations. The project has won the ESG Refurbishment of the Year at the Scottish Property Awards, Judges’ Special Recognition Award at the Herald Property Awards for Scotland, and the Physical category at the EDGE Awards, as well as taking home silver in the Regeneration Category at the Scottish Design Awards. It is also nominated for an AJ Architecture Award which will be announced in December 2024. Page 124 of 138
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5.3. Herald Property Awards for Scotland Judging Panel Chair Tom Barclay said: "There has often been an awards project that has captured the judge’s imagination, sometimes for their bravery and often for the determination of the partners involved, to succeed. This year was one of those years. As one of the judges who visited this project, I couldn't fail to be blown away, not just by the technical challenge and architectural solution, but by the human stories that emerged from this venture, taking a building that dates back to the 1870's and creating a 'public living room', promoting a safe space for all generations to come together, to play, to learn, or simply to engage." 6. Paisley Arts Centre 6.1. The modernisation of Paisley Arts Centre into a unique and intimate performance venue and creative hub has been completed and is open to the public. Work was undertaken to transform the performance facilities, audience experience and venue space and includes new back-of-house and performance facilities, improved sound and lighting, upgraded dressing rooms for artists, and enhanced workshop space for rehearsals and other events. The main auditorium has been refurbished with new retractable seating to improve the audience experience and there is an expanded bar area for pre-and post-show drinks. The public space at the front of the building has also been redesigned, removing the railings and adding new paving and seating, and a small extension has been added to the entrance of the building on New Street. Year-round activity of music, comedy and theatre has been programmed following the success of the first test event, When Mountains Meet, which took place on 31 May. 7. Paisley Museum Reimagined 7.1 Paisley Museum Reimagined will be a world-class destination telling the inspirational stories of Paisley’s people and pattern and showcasing its internationally significant collections. This project includes repairing and renovating all buildings on the museum campus delivering a 20% increase in the overall usable area. The construction also includes a new extension housing a visitor reception and café, the installation of new mechanical, electrical and plant systems, as well as the introduction of a public courtyard. Importantly, this work enables an increase in the interpretation of the collections and number of objects on display, with a strong focus on digital interpretation. 7.2 The project consists of three key phases – Main Contract dealing with construction, followed by Exhibition Fitout to prepare the infrastructure for the display systems, completed by Object Install. 7.3 International Award for Cultural Regeneration 7.4 Paisley Museum’s redesign has been recognised as internationally award winning. Our Architect AL_A won the Cultural Regeneration category at the AR Future Projects 2024 Awards in March 2024, organised by the global architecture magazine The Architectural Review. The museum was on a shortlist of 13 Page 125 of 138
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projects including the Prado Museum in Madrid, the Shanghai Opera House and the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum. 7.5 Construction 7.6 A revised programme to completion was received from our Main Contractor, Kier Construction Ltd on 25 October 2024. They are currently reporting progress against construction programme forecasting contract completion in July 2025. Once the main contract is complete, this will allow the second and third stages of the project (exhibition fitout and object install) to be completed. 7.7 As is expected in a heritage building such as the museum, years of neglect and lack of maintenance has resulted in the uncovering of many unforeseen site conditions, including rotted roof joists, dry rot, wet rot, asbestos, extensive plasterwork repairs that have hampered and delayed progress on site and for which Keir have been entitled to additional time to remedy and complete the project. This is further compounded by other contractor issues and delays to progress on site. The OneRen PMR project team including external Project Managers Currie & Brown are working with Kier to establish mitigation measures to try to bring in this date by including suggested improvements to resource and sequencing of works. Completed display structures are in offsite storage awaiting installation in the museum next year once construction is complete as part of the exhibition fitout. This then enables the final stage of object installation. 7.8 Consultants Gardiner & Theobald and Currie & Brown have completed a strategic, commercial and programme project review to address these challenges in completing the main contract. 7.9 In the reporting period there has been progress in the following areas on site: • All roof works on the main museum building and Oakshaw properties including Observatory are practically complete. • The new mains gas, water and electricity services are live with meters installed and pre-commissioning work is progressing. • Wall-lining, historic plaster, and cornice repairs are complete in the upper galleries and decoration is nearing completion. Plaster repairs continue to progress in most other areas. • Floor screeding works in the new West Extension and Entrance have been completed and the new entrance doors have been installed. • Work in the Oakshaw buildings is nearing completion with final decoration in areas ahead of new floor finishes. • External hard and soft landscaping work is practically complete at the Oakshaw buildings and Transit House with the formation of footpaths and steps to the new bin store and café terrace. The new sandstone paving to Page 126 of 138
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the external courtyard is complete and grading of the landscape gardens to the east and west is progressing. • Building Warrants 1-23 are approved. 7.10 Exhibition Fitout 7.11 Our Exhibition Fit-out Contractor, The Hub, and their sub-contractors have now manufactured 95% of the exhibition components including aluminium display units, showcases and mounts. The remaining displays to be produced mostly include joinery items which will be manufactured nearer the time of install. All completed displays are in offsite storage awaiting installation in the museum next year. 7.12 Digital Interactives 7.13 Smiley Charity Film Award - One of the museum’s digital productions, The Guild film, which is a co-produced stop-motion animation with Kairos Women+ Group, won Bronze in the People's Choice category at the Smiley Charity Film Awards in London on 20th March 2024. The film, about the suffragette Molly Mercer and the Scottish Cooperative Women’s Guild, was created with Media Co-op. The Guild film was also entered into the Paisley HB film Festival 2-6 October 2024, giving the group an opportunity to view the film in front of a public audience. 7.14 The Audio Visual & Information Communication Technology Systems Integration Contract was formally awarded to Heritage Interactive Ltd on 30th July 2024. They are responsible for the purchasing, installation and commissioning of the digital AV hardware equipment in the museum displays. 7.15 All other digital software contracts including interactives, film, animation and AV shows are progressing well. 7.16 Collections and Conservation Work 7.17 The survey of the conservation work required to the paintings confirmed for replacing the PAI work has been completed and following a procurement process Sylvia Krauss Painting Conservation was identified as the preferred bidder. All conservation work to the paintings is expected to be completed by the end of December 2024. 7.18 Paisley Museum Reimagined Collections Install Coordinator has developed a detailed programme and identified the necessary resource required to install the collections into the museum as the Exhibition Fit-out Contract completes. This programme has been discussed with The Hub and their object mount-maker Orbis. 7.19 Paisley Museum Reimagined project photographer has to date taken 2081 site photos, 695 location images and 1550 objects photos, resulting in a total of 4976 images. In addition, there have been 1012 project photographs (groups action and portraiture). Overall, there have been 10314 photographs with 3991 photos uploaded to the collections management system, AdLib. Page 127 of 138
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7.20 Signage & Wayfinding Design 7.21 Signage & Wayfinding icons testing was undertaken on 11 May 2024 and the consultant, DNCO is since finalised Icons and Maps for further testing. External museum signage is being coordinated with AL_A and a prototype package is being prepared and tender preparation work is underway. 7.22 Economy & Regeneration Board Members Briefing and Site Visit 7.23 On April 30th members of the Economy & Regeneration Board were hosted at Paisley Town hall for a special briefing on the Museum progress, followed by a site visit, with insights from industry experts including Gordon Morrison, CEO, Association of Cultural Enterprises, Dr. Mark O’Neill, Former Head of Museums & Arts Glasgow, and Research Fellow, Research Centre for Museums and Galleries, University of Leicester, Amanda Levete MBE, Principal Architect, AL_A Architects. 7.24 Gordon Morrison reflected the UK wide interest in Paisley’s economic development through culture and the importance of the museum in building secondary spend in the wider economy through domestic and international visitation, while Mark O’Neill provided insights from research on the socio- economic case for renewal through culture and the benefits to population health. Both contributors applauded the ambition of the Council’s investment as part of a longer-term plan for Renfrewshire. 7.25 Amanda Levete’s contribution placed the Council’s plans and vision for the museum on a global stage and this has been endorsed through the Museum’s first award, being internationally recognised for its design in delivering to Cultural Regeneration. 7.26 Aileen Strachan, Content Delivery Manager for the project showcased the scale and impact of the life-changing work that has been going on while the museum has been closed and how this work is supporting the design of displays and programmes. 7.27 Renfrewshire Council is creating a world-class museum with community at its core. We believe that as well as the museum’s design the ‘community’ aspect of our work is truly world-class that will bring our museum to life. That by working with people and communities, we are bringing fresh perspectives to the treasures we hold, creating real and vibrant connections that allows our museum to reflect on the past, but very much look forward to the future. A truly contemporary, world- class museum that has active rather than passive displays, that bring joy and challenge in equal measure. A museum that will never stand still, evolving stories and connections to build and engage with audiences in the years ahead. 7.28 Participation and co-production 7.29 We have Co-created the Schools Learning Programme through work with every Primary school in Renfrewshire, so we know it meets the needs of local teachers and pupils: Page 128 of 138
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• 18 Primary Schools directly involved in the creation of new experiences for the museum. • A further 32 Primary schools peer reviewed of resources and experiences. • Over 500 primary & secondary pupils involved in the testing and development of activities. 7.30 For our public programme, we spoke to over 70 local services, organisations and groups about how the museum could serve their needs: • 27 community and partner organisations were then involved in creating and testing new approaches to and creation of resources for audience engagement. • Over 500 participants have been attending test events, workshops and coproduction activities. 7.31 We have prioritised consulting and testing at every stage from ideas for themes through to testing the specifics of content produced with over 600 people. We have tested text for 25 stories with audiences and sense checked six. For four of those we have also done digital testing. 7.32 The story or interpretation is co-produced, or based on substantial partnership work, for 19 displays. There has been further, extensive participation around designing the Introductory Gallery. 7.33 50 of the 88 stories have been co-produced, text tested or there has been some kind of significant consultation with experts. Page 129 of 138
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8. Townscape Heritage and Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme 2 (TH.CARS2) 8.1. The Paisley Townscape Heritage, Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme 2 - better known as Paisley TH.CARS2 – sought to preserve and improve the town’s history and make it a better place to live, work and visit now. Led by Renfrewshire Council, with significant funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic Environment Scotland, plus additional contributions from property owners, Paisley TH.CARS2 has been hugely successful and supported the wider town centre strategy. Delivered between 2016 and 2024, this multi-million pound project has given grants to restore historic buildings, supported local businesses to improve shopfronts, and made identifiable improvements to the town centre’s paths, roads and streetlights. 8.2. Grants totalling more than £1.6 million have been invested in 10 historic buildings within Paisley’s town centre Conservation Area. 8.3. Nine were listed buildings and include local landmarks such as Sma’ Shot Cottages and the former Liberal Club. Works included roof restorations, refurbished façades and window repairs and replacements to match originals, and hidden repairs like rot and drainage works. 8.4. Investment in Paisley TH.CARS2 has encouraged private investment elsewhere in the town centre, with 6 buildings within the Conservation Area now removed from the Buildings at Risk Register and others currently undergoing refurbishment. 8.5. Paisley TH.CARS2 has also enhanced the visual of the town centre for residents and visitors by reinstating historic shopfronts through the Shopfront Improvement Scheme. 10 projects have been supported through Paisley TH.CARS2 with a grant total of over £400,000. Investments in shopfronts improve the perception of the town centre painting it as a vibrant, exciting place to live, work and visit. 8.6. A Small Building Grants scheme aimed to repair and reinstate striking architectural features in the town centre. 8.7. In total, 12 small grants with a total value of approximately £60,000 were awarded. Refurbishments included traditional sash and case timber windows, with Nomads a particular example thanks to its etched deco-styled travel symbols. In addition, specialist work was supported at 26 New Street to reinstate cast iron railings and lighting columns to the original 1894 design. 8.8. Improving the pavements, roads and streetlights in the town centre has been an important focus of the programme. Areas improved include George Place, the southside of the High Street, between Storie Street and the University of the West of Scotland, and Weighhouse Close. To maintain the integrity and character of the streets, recycling of cobblestones and kerbstones has taken place wherever possible. 8.9. A parallel programme of community engagement was delivered between 2017 and 2022. Delivered in collaboration with over 100 local and national partners, more than 2,700 people took part in training and activities across 630 workshops. Page 132 of 138
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8.10 An estimated audience of more than 65,000 people were reached through 40 exhibitions, 32 performances and 30 conferences, talks and demonstrations. 8.11 The programme created a legacy of over 70 digital resources - including films, maps and learning packs for schools - and 360 young people from Renfrewshire took part in traditional building skills workshops and training, and construction site visits. 8.12 Paisley TH.CARS2 invested in not only the town’s historic buildings, but in its people too. Celebrating and showcasing and the town’s heritage remains a fundamental part of the future vision for Paisley as we continue to offer people new reasons to visit the town centre and create a Paisley that residents, businesses and visitors can be proud of. 9 St James’ Playing Fields & Ferguslie Sports Centre 9.1 These projects will work towards delivering Renfrewshire’s vision to ‘make sport a way of life’. In 2018, Council approved the upgrading of changing facilities at Ferguslie Sports Centre and for the demolition and replacement of the existing pavilion at St James Playing Fields. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, a decision was made to put these projects on hold until such time that it was appropriate to proceed. 9.2 Ferguslie Sports Centre 9.3 Work to completely refurbish all existing changing facilities within the sports centre have been completed. Additional works have also been undertaken on the roof, while the boilers in the building have also been upgraded. The contractor is working through a final snagging list with the facility set to reopen in the near future with an enhanced visitor experience at the well utilised facility in Ferguslie. 9.4 St James’ Playing Fields 9.5 New modern changing facilities hosting eight changing rooms and office space for staff are being installed the playing fields, known locally as ‘The Racecourse’, as part of a £2.7million investment by Renfrewshire Council. In addition to the new changing facilities, four football pitches will be brought back into use and new walking path around the perimeter will be installed. Work is currently underway and is due to be completed before the end of the year. 10 On-X - world-class running track and hockey pitch 10.1 A World-Athletics standard running track has been installed at the On-X which will benefit hundreds of athletes of all ages and abilities on a weekly basis. The £450,000 investment, which includes £100,000 from Kilbarchan AAC, will allow the club to host league meetings, championship events and any records set on the track can be ratified by Scottish Athletics. The installation of the new track was hailed by Scottish athletics whose Chief Executive said: “We recognise and appreciate the challenging financial climate that Councils are operating within and are delighted that Renfrewshire Council value so highly the importance of investment in their sports facility infrastructure." Page 133 of 138
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10.2 A world-class hockey pitch has also been installed which meets Federation for International Hockey (FIH) standards. The £456,000 investment allows Scottish Men’s and Women’s Premiership and Scottish Women’s National League matches to be played in Renfrewshire on the new pitch now it meets governing body regulations. We are delighted to strengthen ties with our local University as the UWS hockey moves to On X to train and compete with a further seven senior teams from Renfrewshire club Kelburne all now able to relocate from their previous bases in Glasgow. A further two Renfrewshire senior teams from Anchor and Ferguslie Ladies take the total number to 11 all looking to train and compete at this exciting new facility. The facility will also support Kelburne’s youth section which currently supports approximately 130 under 18’s to learn and play hockey at all levels as well as Anchor’s Centurions who support a further 15, with all ability levels supported to immerse themselves in the sport. Kelburne’s ongoing schools programme is also set to be enhanced working with the Council’s leisure, culture and sport partner OneRen’s Active Schools. ________________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – There are a number of significant risks associated with capital investment on the scale outlined in the report, many of which have been previously advised to members. Construction and refurbishment works in historic buildings are intrinsically subject to a higher degree of cost volatility due to the nature of the works and the fact that the complexity and detail of the works required are in many instances not fully known until the works are in progress and the building condition is fully understood. The existing capital budgets for those works in progress –Paisley Museum – are under considerable pressure due to these issues and also due to the extended timescales of the works which were severely affected by the pandemic closedown and subsequent modified working practice period. Council agreed in June 2023 to pause elements of the wider cultural venues and town centre infrastructure programme in order to release funding towards those projects whose budgets are under pressure; and as these projects conclude and final costs are clarified, further updates to Board will be provided. It should be noted however that even with the above Council decision there remains a significant degree of risk and potential cost which could place further pressure on total capital resource. There has been ongoing discussion and updating of the business cases for each of the cultural venue with colleagues in OneRen, including critically the updating of base assumptions in terms of operating costs and potential income generation. While core assumptions and the projected revenue operating position of Paisley Town Hall and the Arts Centre currently remain broadly consistent with original projections, they continue to be refined as the venues become operational. The updating of assumptions is indicating that there is likely to be revenue funding pressures associated with Paisley Museum which are above original business case assumptions. These predominantly relate to a revised catering offer and emerging clarity on potential income from touring exhibitions; as well as updated projections of utilities, maintenance and soft FM costs. The Council will continue to discuss with OneRen options to mitigate Page 134 of 138
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these additional costs, however it would also be prudent for the Council to build these updated cost projections into future revenue plans. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is thriving – These projects will link our communities and facilitate a significant increase in footfall to Paisley and surrounding areas. The infrastructure will enable Renfrewshire to host world class performances and attract new footfall from far beyond the local area. • Our Renfrewshire is well - The outputs of these projects will enable safe and inspiring locations for all. From arts and performances to learning and educational space, Renfrewshire will offer anyone the ability to engage and take interest in either a new subject matter or an existing passion that is now much more accessible. Driving world class performances to the area and having 21st century work and education spaces will support people from Renfrewshire to engage in beneficial activities that will in turn support education and interest. • Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – These infrastructure projects allow access to new and existing jobs for people in our communities. Significant increase in footfall will benefit local businesses who can grow as a result and in turn support their ongoing viability in the area. An increase in arts and performances will allow a platform for Paisley becoming a cultural hub in Scotland which can be used to drive new educational agendas with greater access to this subject matter. • Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all – A specific focus has been applied to the redevelopment and construction of these projects to ensure accessibility is a key feature. A significant amount of thought has gone into making historic, and predominantly inaccessible buildings, available for anyone to enjoy and utilise. There are no barriers to utilising any of these buildings, and One Ren will continue to deliver an events programme that caters for everyone including those in more deprived areas. • Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy – With these buildings being in the heart of Paisley Town centre, it means they are accessible sustainably due to the well-connected nature of the town centre. Limited town centre parking will force the use of public transport which will work towards the net zero ambitions of the Council. Recently completed infrastructure through AMIDS, including the shared cycle and walkway, also enhances the connectivity, and in future years with the opening of the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside bridge, Paisley will become a vastly accessible route by sustainable travel. • Working together to improve outcomes - Officers and contractors continue to work closely with local businesses and a business Page 135 of 138
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engagement programme will commence shortly to bring this to focus. Throughout the development of these projects, several organisations were engaged to design the outputs including accessibility groups, the Scottish Government, Historic Environment Scotland, multiple private sector organisations and the local community. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – Note the improvements being delivered to current assets. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – all contracts are tendered in accordance with Council procurement procedures and where relevant taken to FRCS Board for approval. 10. Risk – Project specific and Programme level risk registers have been established for all projects. These are kept under regular review and reported to the Council’s internal City Deal and Infrastructure Programme Board. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – Not applicable. 13. Climate Risk – these projects will significantly improve all mechanical, electrical and plant systems within existing and new buildings affected. This, coupled with improved efficiency in windows and doors will drive down the requirement for heating, in turn lowering the carbon footprint from key council buildings. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers None. __________________________________________________________________ BW October 2024 Page 136 of 138
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Author: Barbara Walker, City Deal and Infrastructure Programme Director; Email Barbara.walker@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 137 of 138
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