BIGG Regeneration, a joint venture between Scottish Canals and PfP Capital, has acquired 10 acres of land from Scottish Canals for residential development and has sold the adjacent 100 Borron Street and industrial trading estate, Payne Street to Scottish Canals as part of the deal.

Located within Port Dundas along the northern edge of Glasgow city centre on the banks of the Forth & Clyde Canal, Dundashill is the site of the former Diageo distillery which closed in 2011. Scottish Canals, working alongside Glasgow City Council, BIGG and igloo Regeneration, which together form the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Partnership, subsequently acquired the brownfield opportunity, before securing planning permission in principle for a 600 home residential-led masterplan framework in 2017.

This work builds on the recommendations of a ‘charrette’ exercise – an open design workshop run over four days in Spring 2014 - undertaken by the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Partnership, working with local businesses, adjoining communities, members of the public and key agencies to explore the vision for the transformation of the area.

The transformation of the former distillery site started in 2018, with Scottish Canals awarding a £5.7 million enabling works package, with funding support from the Glasgow City Region City Deal. These works have now completed and in 2020 were awarded a Scottish Design Award, in recognition of the ambitious and confident decision taken by Scottish Canals towards investing in a landscape led approach to brownfield regeneration.

BIGG’s land acquisition will enable the delivery of up to 260 of these new houses that will respond to the daring and distinctive character of this rapidly changing neighbourhood, which is becoming known as a creative and urban sports waterside destination with a DNA of its own.

This next development by BIGG follows Maryhill Locks, where Whitelaw Street won Starter Home of the Year in 2017 and was followed by Lochgilp Street picking up the Glasgow Institute of Architects Best Residential Award (large) in 2019. BIGG is now working to bring forward proposals in a similar distinct style, that will again put the community and sustainability and placemaking at the heart of proposals for Dundashill.

The asset sale of 100 Borron Street, previously known as Port Dundas Business Park, and Payne Street to Scottish Canals, also includes Glasgow’s indoor skatepark, The Loading Bay and Everyday Athlete gym. This mix of office, industrial and commercial leisure spaces, provide Scottish Canals with a diverse portfolio and long-term income generation.

John Tatham, finance director at PfP Capital, part of Places for People, said: “The land acquisition from Scottish Canals was critical in our plans to bring the next phase of development forward at Dundashill. We’ve seen from the success of Maryhill Locks, which saw the latest phase of 33 family townhouses sell completely off plan, that there is a significant demand for well-designed homes and places.

“The transference of 100 Borron Street and Payne Street over to Scottish Canals will also allow us to focus entirely on future phases of development around Dundashill, safe in the knowledge that the assets will be well-managed with Scottish Canals being such an important, long-term custodian of the area.”

Catherine Topley, CEO of Scottish Canals, said: “Scottish Canals is delighted to be working alongside our partners Places for People Capital, Glasgow City Council and igloo Regeneration in transforming this brownfield site into innovative and quality canal-side housing.

“This dynamic new development will allow people to live and work in the area, adding value to North Glasgow through additional spend, job creation and improved public realm. It will also see the canal used to capture surface water run-off from Dundashill, in an environmentally innovative way to successfully make a positive impact on climate change in this part of the city.”

A planning application for the 260 new homes at Dundashill will be submitted in July 2021.