Item 13 - Appendix 1
West Dunbartonshire Council · 1 November 2023
Back to Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development Committee — 1 November 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Briefing Note Person to Contact: Gillian McNamara Date: 17 November 2021 Telephone: 07815 705769 Email: gillian.mcnamara@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Subject: Alexandria Masterplan Projects – PBIP Funding 1. Background At September IRED the Alexandria Masterplan was approved, as was the recommendation to progress suitable projects from the Masterplan using Place Based Investment Programme funding, amounting to just over £1.1M of PBIP funding in 2022/23 and 2023/24. Officers across relevant Services in the Council have assessed the deliverability of the Alexandria Masterplan projects in order to make recommendations to Members on which projects are prioritised for funding. Members will be briefed on the outcome of the assessment and asked for their input at a meeting to be held on 18 November. It is not anticipated that officers will go back to IRED with these recommendations. Following the Members Briefing meeting on the 18 November 2021, the outcome of the selection process will be reported to the Alexandria Town Centre Development Forum on 23 November 2021. And importantly wider consultation with stakeholders and relevant community interests will be undertaken during project development. 2. Assessment of Projects Projects were scored on a number of criteria including deliverability over the next 2-3 years (within the Place Based Investment Programme timeframe), capacity for lead organisation to deliver, social, economic and environmental criteria, fit with 20 minute neighbourhood apsirations and impact on the carbon zero agenda. Several projects are already underway or in the pipeline, and therefore do not require further development. Notes are provided on each of the 12 projects, below. 1. Main Street – Public Realm Improvements A project to enhance the shopping and town centre environment. Short- term disruption to road network is to be expected. Wider consultation will required on design options. ITEM 13 - APPENDIX 1
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2. Smollett Fountain Already underway 3. Property Improvements Could be delivered as a package of shopfront improvements and targeted building upgrades following a properties assessment, with discussions required on grant intervention rate for privately owned and tenanted properties. Better impact could be achieved with enhanced design guidance. 4. Mitchell Way Already underway 5. New Homes A longer term ambition to realign the street and road network, improve connectivity between town centre and railway station and in turn create housing development sites. Further feasibility is required. 6. Alexandria Library Public realm improvements to the setting of the building to complement recent interior enhancement of Library . Design and delivery could be considered simultaneously with other projects such as Main Street improvements. 7. St Andrew’s Church Already underway 8. Community Education Centre Exterior improvements to the building and to the adjacent public car park. The latter to create an attractive multi-functional outside space for markets, events etc. Vale of Leven Trust has expressed an interest in participating in this project. 9. Green Heritage Corridors Development work on this is already underway and being led by Greenspace and the Leamy Foundation. Scope for PBIF to provide grant assistance for the delivery of components of the project. Collaboration with other Heritage projects desirable. 10. Cycling and Walking Network Requires further feasibility, but could be taken forward in the context of development of other projects such as Main Street improvements, Green Heritage Corridors and Christie Park. 11. Christie Park Already underway, being led by Greenspace with input from Friends of Christie Park. Toilets refurbishment and re-opening also underway. Potential for bringing in other external funding, such as NL Heritage Fund. 12. Lomond Galleries
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Requires engagement with owners and therefore difficult to progress anything currently. Top Ranking Projects 1. Green Heritage Corridors 2. Christie Park 3. Cycling and Walking Network 4. Library 5. New Homes 6. CE Centre 7. Main Street 8. Property Improvements Issues for Consideration • There is overlap between many of the projects therefore the design and, potentially, delivery of some projects could happen in tandem. Projects where commitment at this stage can only be given to getting them “shovel ready” can also be included in a package of design development • Further feasibility needs to be done on some of the projects before commitment can be given on their delivery. • Some of the projects could be undertaken by third parties or community based organisations and further discussion with them will be required to determine their capacity to deliver. • Several projects involve public realm and roads realignment. Short-term disruption is an inevitable part of this process but this would be managed in order to minimise negative impacts 3. Next Steps • Reflect on views expressed at Members Briefing meeting and modify project recommendations as necessary • Report to Alexandria Town Centre Forum (ATCF) on 23 November • Continue to liase with other Council Services and other organisations on the capacity to deliver the projects, and on the design development • Consider sources of funding other than PBIP to develop the design and delivery of as many projects as possible from the list • Bundle projects for design development. Design development will include wider community consultation and communication as well targeted engagement with groups of interest. • Deliver priority projects • Report regularly to ATCF