Awards for planning projects in Alexandria and Bowling

Top: Work in porogress at the Alexandria project. Below :Mark Wilson, Contracts Director at MacKenzie Construction; Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Local Government and Housing; Karen McChesney, WDC Lead Planner; Helena Huws, Scottish Canals.

West Dunbartonshire Council has won two coveted awards at a Scottish Government event celebrating excellence in planning.

The project to redevelop Bowling Basin and a development of affordable housing on the site of the former Kippen Dairy in Alexandria scooped the prizes at 2017 Scottish Quality Awards in Planning (SQAP) event this week.

On the ongoing Bowling Basin project, which is being run by Scottish Canals in partnership with the Council,, the SQAP judges said they were impressed with the work achieved so far, adding: “It was a delight to see what had been accomplished through the commitment of all the parties involved as well as the careful application of limited, but continued funding.”

And of the 11 houses and 44 flats at the Kippen Dairy development, the judges said they considered it to be “a good solid social housing development using a sensitive palette of materials. The scale blended in well along the High Street as well as supporting some bold regeneration within the town centre and positioning social housing at the heart of the place.”

Both projects won their prizes in the ‘Place’ category.

Pamela Clifford, the Council’s Planning & Building Standards Manager, said: “It is always very nice to receive recognition for the hard work that our teams carry out and we could not be happier to win these SQAP awards. The judges’ comments show that we have got it right when it comes to the planning of these two very different projects and I pass on my congratulations to everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this happen.

“What is particularly pleasing is that the community has had a real input into these projects, particularly the Bowling Basin through the charrette process.”

The Kippen Dairy site is operated by Cordale Housing Association in partnership with Caledonia Housing Association.

At Bowling Basin, Scottish Canals has developed a masterplan for the area featuring housing, commercial and leisure related opportunities. The Council agreed to invest £2m to the project.