Clydebank East Community Consultation
INTRODUCTION
Anderson Bell + Christie architects along with CCG have been appointed on behalf of West Dunbartonshire Council to develop a housing proposal for the site at the corner of Glasgow Road and Mill Road junction in Clydebank.
The intention of this page is to present the current proposals and illustrate the design approach in the context of its surroundings. This will allow any interested party to comment on the proposals.
PROPOSAL SUMMARY
The proposal comprises of 89 new dwellings in total, that includes: 39 Houses, 8 Cottage Flats and 42 Flats. The proposal includes one flatted block which is four storeys high with a six storey corner, along with a mix of terraced, semi-detached and detached houses over one or two storeys in height. The proposal includes new road layout, associated parking for future residents and visitors, landscape design proposal, adequate bike storage and bin provision.
CONSTRAINTS & OPPORTUNITIES
The site is highly connected to public transport offering excellent connections with Queens Quay, Clydebank Town Centre or Glasgow City Centre. The construction of new Renfrew bridge linking the site with Renfrewshire Council will improve the sites accessibility with the south side of the city.
The proposed site is isolated from nearby residential communities and the immediate surrounding land is designated as industrial or commercial in nature. The physical edges to the site such as railway line to the north or busy roads to the South and West isolate it further, reinforcing the island character. This gives a great opportunity to create a new strong identity and individual character to the site, with an emphasis on a place making approach.
The site is located on the boundary between West Dunbartonshire Council and Glasgow City Council and has the potential to act as a Gateway into Clydebank. It is an opportunity to deliver a landmark building that will symbolise the fresh modern approach of West Dunbartonshire Council and acts as a catalyst to Queens Quay and further developments around the site.
There is an existing underground sewer network with stand-off zones that limit the development areas, as it is not viable to reroute these. Any proposal for the site must consider these stand-off zones as non-buildable areas. Due to ground conditions the mound to the North has also been identified as non-buildable area.
URBAN STRATEGY
The proposed site layout design is developed in order to respond to its complex urban setting as well as its unique character of an island site located on the council boundary line. The design hierarchy applied in the development process is reflected by variety in scale, massing, roofscapes, edge treatments and architectural design. Starting from outside edge of the site there is a strong active urban frontage created on the main corner of the site at the Mill Road / Glasgow Road junction. Moving onto the central cluster of terraced houses, a secondary frontage is created that clearly defines the boundary between public and private zones. The western and northernmost edges of the site employ a reduced density with two storey housing with gable ends addressing the railway and a single storey bungalow cluster facing the mound.
The concept is to create a shared zone within the site where a road network is shared safely by vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. The aim is to prioritise people and cyclist over car users. The design of streets and public spaces within the site encourages active and public travel routes. Part of the movement strategy is to manage vehicular traffic and parking to keep the streets as free of cars as possible whilst understanding that car use will be import for future residents of the development.
PLACE MAKING APPROACH
The proposed blocks arrangement has been developed simultaneously with open spaces and a landscaping strategy, to define different character zones. Developing the housing design in tandem with the spaces between the buildings was a key principle of the place making approach to support the emerging character and identity of the site. A clear definition and purpose of spaces between buildings is enhanced with the hierarchy of the proposed zones. A clear designation of private gardens, semi-public amenity space, public green open space and buffer zones on the edge of the site was achieved with a landscaping strategy that minimises maintenance and reduces management issues.
ACCOMMODATION MIX
The scheme was developed together with the West Dunbartonshire Council housing department to ensure that the proposed housing mix meets the current council requirements. The demand tends towards individual family homes with private gardens. In response to the urban context the flatted block also provides smaller dual aspect accommodation. This creates a range of housing typology and sizes from 1bed flats up to larger 5 bed houses, accommodating for individual couples through to multigenerational families. Car parking is provided on a basis of 1 allocated space per house and at a rate of 64% for the flats with 6 additional visitor spaces.
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN POPOSAL
A similar architectural approach is taken to both the housing and the flatted block to create unified development. The proposed building forms across the site reflect a traditional dual pitch house typology. It varies in scale and direction, forming ridges either in line with the main frontage or perpendicular to it. The ‘saw tooth’ roof and tall gable features are used to create a dominant corner to Glasgow Road and Mill Road. A common language of vertical fenestration has been applied on all housing types. A well proportioned, simple window arrangement creates a strong feature characteristic of the development. The proposed material of two brick colour tones: buff and dark grey enhance the robustness of the scheme. The entrances have been marked by chamfered recesses creating additional depth on the building facade as well as providing covered entrance spaces. Delicate architectural details such as soldier brick courses, deep window reveals and ‘zig-zag’ metal railings are used to enhance a modern residential aesthetic.
SUMMARY
The proposal of the new Housing Development at the corner of Glasgow Road and Mill Road responds to the site opportunities and constraints maximising its potential and creating a new identity for the site. The proposed architecture will create not only much needed new housing but also well connected public and semi-public spaces.
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