Innovative Approaches to Planning

Glasgow Planning Performance Framework Case Study: Water Row Masterplan

Context

The Water Row site is a historically significant part of Govan that connects the town centre to the waterfront. Located at the bridgehead of the proposed Govan Partick Bridge and the centre of the emerging Glasgow Riverside Innovation District (GRID). Glasgow City Council Planning Services worked collaboratively in an intensely co-creating process to form a Masterplan for the Water Row site during 2018. Due to its location the site is key to delivering the Councils Strategic Plan and the City Development Plan.

Who was involved?

A Masterplan Steering Group was formed to oversee the process comprising of Council Officers from DRS Planning and Building Standards; DRS Housing Investment, the proposed developer; Govan Housing Association; Central Govan Action Plan, a community led regeneration initiative; and Collective Architecture, the design team.

What did they do?

The Masterplan Team firstly produced a design framework with key design principles. Following this extensive engagement took place managed by a locally-based Spatial Strategy Delivery officer who co-ordinated local stakeholder and wider community involvement, with input from the various planning disciplines and other Council departments. An extensive number of consultation and design events took place to inform proposals engaging with hundreds of different stakeholders. A series of surgeries were held, 7 specific issue workshops with key local stakeholders, 5 public events, a series of consultations and a presentation to the Glasgow Urban Design Panel.

Outcome

The Masterplan proposes a mixed use scheme providing 200 new homes (mainly for mid-market rent) and 3,500sqm of commercial space within unifying, high quality, public space.

The Water Row Masterplan Planning Permission in Principle application was submitted in April 2019.

Contribution to planning

The design team expressed that the level of consultation undertaken for this masterplan project is exemplary and has set a benchmark for future masterplan projects of this scale.

For more information:

Planning Performance Framework: https://hopscotland.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/planning-performance-framework-2018-19-council-glasgow-report.pdf#page=27

Design team: https://www.collectivearchitecture.com/projects/water-row-masterplan

Masterplan Document: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=43864&p=0