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Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning 2003

Application form

This application form can either be completed by hand or electronically (pdf version) on the Planning homepage at www.scotland.gov.uk/planning . Please complete all four questions. The deadline is 12 September 2003. An acknowledgement letter will be sent to the person who has completed this form.

Please provide a name and contact details of the organisation responsible for this work. If partners were involved, identify the lead organisation, and then list the other partners/bodies who had a key role.

Name of key partners (if appropriate)

Please complete the form by providing a brief summary (in no more than the space provided) of the piece of work you have entered. You must also conclude, with a key reason, as to why you think this work merits an Award.

Please tick the key criteria which relate to this entry:

You must describe in your written submission (below) how the criteria which you have ticked relates to your project.

Description of project

The project which East Dunbartonshire Council and Russell and Bryce Architects are submitting is a high quality new build residential development in the heart of the Old Bearsden Outstanding Conservation Area.

The site is an area of 1.26 acres which was part of the garden of the two large Victorian houses in Manse Road, Bearsden. It slopes down towards the Manse Burn and in its lower reaches contains a large number of trees which are protected by a Tree Preservation Order.

After considerable discussion and negotiation the Council approved a proposal for three large residential buildings, two houses and one unit with the appearance of a house containing an upper and lower flat. The proposal did not ape the designs of the older surrounding buildings but is high quality modern architecture which compliments the neighbouring buildings and the Conservation Area in general. The relationship has resulted in three large buildings in large policies which reflect the established character of the area whilst giving the Architect a reasonable level of freedom with design.

The project was a partnership between Glasgow Architectural Practice/Developer and the Council to produce a built form which compliments the Old Bearsden Outstanding Conservation Area. This residential site in the heart of the Conservation Area came onto the market and the Planning Division was faced with the usual pressures which occur in this highly desirable residential town on the northern outskirts of Glasgow.

a) Pressure from volume builders to build a high density housing development with standard house types.

b) Pressure from volume builders to get permission for a modem high density flatted development.

The account below is the history of how:

i) the Planning Authority through a good working relationship with the Architects negotiated for the agreed to a low density development of large houses.

ii) how this was achieved with a small Conservation and Development Control Team working under great pressure to process a large number of applications within target periods.

iii) how the Planning Service resisted inappropriate development through pre-application discussions.

iv) how robust Local Plan and Conservation Area Policies were applied both to protect and enhance this area.

Timescale (over which the project has developed)

The site was assembled from the under used parts of the rear gardens of 2 villas and came on the informal housing market in early 1999.

Discussions took place with various developers during that year.

Russell and Bryce approached East Dunbartonshire Council Planning with sketch proposals.

Russell and Bryce made a bid for site.

34 legal offices were received of which only 2 were for detached houses. The others proposed flatted development.

Russell and Bryce submitted application 1999.

East Dunbartonshire Council granted planning permission 2000.

Work commences on site late 2001.

Houses completed, sold and occupied September/October 2003.

Context (the problem which had to be addressed)

Bearsden is a high value, popular residential town immediately to the north of Glasgow where all property new sites create great interest from big national building companies who wish to develop at high density with standard house types.

The problem was to direct development pressure to produce a high quality compatible development. This was achieved through the Commitment of the DQ Team. This was a high value site there was a considerable pressure for inappropriate development. This pressure was successfully resisted and the architects development.

The key was application of robust Local Plan Policies and commitment of team to development quality.

Action taken

The Development Quality team published their availability to discuss all the pro psed developments and especially key sites like this one.

The Team clearly indicated to the landowners and the prospective purchase who were involved in pre-application discussions that a high quality design and low density development was required.

The Team encouraged the Architects to be innovative in their design, to use the highest quality natural materials and to protect the natural heritage on the site.

Results achieved

By a partnership between the Architect/Developer and the Planning Authority we produced a residential development that fits into its setting and is a fine example that can be pointed out to other landowners and developers in East Dunbartonshire and beyond as to how a site can be developed to the benefit of the landowner, and all our other customers.

Conclusion - Why does this piece of work merit an Award?

This is a model partnership between Architectural Practice and a Planning Sevice resulting in a built form which complements a Conservation Area and protects land which could have become overdeveloped.

By careful briefing the Planners set an objective to the Architects. The design of the buildings and the materials used (both hard and soft) have been innovative.

The community has benefits as the wildlife has been left relatively undisturbed (use deer and raptors still live on site) and the customers have expressed satisfaction with the finished product.

Whilst residents of the hearby housing and especially modern flats to the south did express concerns during the early development phases, these concerns have been overcome when they saw the quality of the development and some people have expressed their satisfaction to the builders and architects on site.

Date
11 September 2003

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