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GCC Select Drumchapel Developer : Housing

Drumchapel Development for Bishopsloch + Cannon Kirk Homes + Laing O’Rourke

15 Sep 2005

Glasgow City Council – New Housing

Developer chosen to build Drumchapel new neighbourhood

Glasgow City Council has chosen its preferred developer for the £100m Drumchapel New Neighbourhood.

Drumchapel Housing

The winning consortium – New City Vision – is made up of developers Bishopsloch, Cannon Kirk Homes and Laing O’Rourke.

The proposals for Drumchapel will see the transformation of 124 acres across eight brownfield sites. Over a five year period 1208 new family homes will be built along with neighbourhood shops, new roads, footpaths, lighting and greenspaces.

Councillor Steven Purcell, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Drumchapel has really been transformed in recent years, including new homes, leisure facilities, schools and play areas. However, we know there’s still more to do.

“This new neighbourhood is going to bring real benefits to the area. These new houses will help attract people to live in Drumchapel and ensure that it remains a thriving community.

“This isn’t just about new homes – there will also be jobs and training opportunities for local people created as a result. This is social renewal in action and part of the agenda I am promoting all across Glasgow.”

The consortium have indicated that they will be also be working with IKEA, the Swedish furniture manufacturer, to build affordable flat pack houses on a section of the development. Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries will also be providing 20% of the components for the development, which will be manufactured off site.

The project, in accordance with the Council’s brief, asked for a strategy for the delivery of a priority purchase scheme for first time buyers and key workers.

The Council also built in a number of important elements into the tendering process including a requirement for the winning consortium to work with Drumchapel Opportunities, the local development company, to operate an apprenticeship scheme on the site and employ local people.

The consortium have gone much further than this, pledging to work with local employer Blindcraft, the creation of 40 local apprenticeships and also steps to ensure their own employment/recruitment agency works with Drumchapel Opportunities to employ Glaswegians throughout the sites and also in the canteen they are setting up for their construction workers.

New City Vision has also said that once the project is completed, a £1 million community endowment fund will be set up to ensure local people are employed to maintain the site.

Councillor Hanzala Malik, Convener of Development and Regeneration Services Committee, said: “This regeneration scheme will dramatically change the look of Drumchapel bringing with it economic and social benefits for the local community.

“It will also offer families a ladder of opportunity with a variety of housing from affordable to executive level.

“We believe that are many Glaswegians as possible should benefit from such a huge revitalisation. The Council stipulated that the preferred developer must work to create on site jobs and training for local people. We are delighted to say that this will be the case during the five year development programme and beyond.”

The Council’s brief challenged the developers to come up with unique designs of exceptional quality which included a wide range of housing choice to ensure that it is an attractive, desirable and sustainable suburb of Glasgow.

Councillor Paul Carey, councillor for Summerhill, said: “This is great news for Drumchapel. We want to build a community where people choose to live – this new housing will certainly help achieve this and attract people to live in the area. The prospect of new jobs and training is very welcome too.

“The Council is committed to working for Drumchapel. This new housing is just the latest major change in the area and I’m very proud as a local member to have played my part in securing this investment.”

Councillor Lawrence O’Neill, councillor for Drumry, said: “I’m delighted to see this project starting to take shape. From a personal point of view, as one of the local councillors, I am extremely happy to be involved with this key piece of regeneration which will bring new homes and jobs to Drumchapel.

“This has been a long time in planning, but I am positive that everyone will be delighted with the end result. Once completed, I believe, that this will help Drumchapel become one of the best areas to live in Glasgow.”

Glasgow City Council – Drumchapel Housing information received on 8 Sep 2005