Fergus MacLeod has represented Inverclyde Council on the GCVGNP Board for the past five years. As Fergus’s article elaborates his engagement with the Green Network agenda has grown during that time leading to Partnership commissioned studies now being embedded in Inverclyde’s Local Development Plan. Fergus will shortly retire from the council and so his time on the Partnership Board has come to an end. He leaves as an advocate for Green Network thinking. We thank him for his contribution to the work of the Partnership and wish him well for the future.
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East Renfrewshire Council have been commended at the Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning in the 'Development Plans' category. ERC were one of 12 projects given a Commendation at the prestigious awards event held in Edinburgh on 5th November.
The Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning recognise the commitment, actions and achievements of Scottish planners from delivering strategic visions to development on the ground. This year categories were: Development Plans; Development Management; Development on the Ground; Delivering in Partnership; Community Involvement; and Quality of Service.
East Renfrewshire Council’s Maidenhill Development Framework, which is a large scale residential development, has the Green Network and Green Infrastructure as central components of its Masterplan and Design Guidance.
Councillor Tony Buchanan, Convener for Infrastructure and Sustainable Growth from East Renfrewshire Council, said “We are delighted with this Commendation, it proves how innovative and well-received the Proposed Local Development Plan at Maidenhill has been. Through an Integrated Green Network approach to masterplanning this project can potentially become an exemplar of Green Infrastructure Integration at Masterplan level.
“Winning a Commendation is a tremendous honour and demonstrates how robust our commitment to development of the overall Vision of the Central Scotland Green Network is. Our work with the GCV Green Network Partnership at the early stages of this project will deliver demonstrable benefits to existing communities, developers, land owners and the wider environment through creation of a Better Place.
To learn more about the Partnership’s Integrating Green Infrastructure approach click here>>
To view ERC’s Maidenhill Masterplan and Development Framework, click here >>
* Picture from left to right: Derek Mackay MSP, Minister for Local Government and Planning; Gillian McCarney, Planning and Building Standards Manager, East Renfrewshire Council; Julie Nicol, Principal Planner, East Renfrewshire Council; Anne McAleer, Senior Planner, East Renfrewshire Council
GCV Green Network Partnership
Foreword by Max Hislop
Since the launch of our ‘Seeing the Bigger Picture’ Vision 5 years ago, the Partnership has achieved a great deal particularly with the Green Network now written in to the Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework 3.
Getting here however, hasn’t been easy. Earlier this year Nigel Hooper retired as Policy and Support Manager for East Dunbartonshire Council and as the Council’s representative on the GCV Green Network Partnership Board.
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East Renfrewshire Council has identified a 90ha greenfield site as the location for a new large scale development to the south of Newton Mearns.
The council has been proactive in its ambition to see the development based around the principle of a strong Green Network and the Integration of Green Infrastructure (IGI).
The Partnership has worked closely with council officers to assist with the production of a detailed Development Framework which has the Green Network as a central pillar and to which developers will have to respond in their masterplan.
The Framework was extensively based on a detailed Hydrological Study which identified sustainable surface water management options which also provided the skeleton for other Green Network components such as open space, access routes and habitat corridors.
The Design Framework is currently with developers for consideration.
Read more about our Integrating Green Infrastructure projects here.
Plans for Scotland’s largest urban nature park took a big step forwards today with the offer of a £256,000 development grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The funding will help take forward plans for the park, and support work on a second application for £4.2 million of HLF funding to deliver the Seven Lochs vision.
The Seven Lochs Wetland Park will span the Glasgow City and North Lanarkshire boundary between Easterhouse and Coatbridge. The area can best be described as a ‘hidden heritage gem’, and HLF funding for the Seven Lochs Heritage Project will help highlight the fantastic range of history and nature in the area. As well as taking its name from the seven lochs in the area, the proposed park includes one of Glasgow’s oldest buildings, the medieval Provan Hall in Easterhouse, and the woodland walks of Drumpellier Country Park on the edge of Coatbridge. Added to this are 5 local nature reserves, Iron-Age archaeological sites and a network of paths.
View across Hogganfield Loch
The HLF award coincides with the launch of a new Seven Lochs project website - www.sevenlochs.org - featuring photos, video and music created as part of the Sound Out @ Seven Lochs project. The Sound Out project, which was supported by Creative Scotland as part of the Year of Natural Scotland 2013, brought together local schools and music groups to create music to help promote the Seven Lochs, and raise awareness of the area’s amazing heritage.
A vision and plan for the Seven Lochs Wetland Park has been developed, setting out how the area’s heritage buildings and nature reserves could be protected, improved and brought together to create a new visitor attraction of national significance. New paths and visitor facilities are planned, along with a range of activities to help local people and visitors enjoy, learn about and help to improve the area’s heritage.
Over the next 12 months the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership (GCVGNP) will work with the Seven Lochs Partnership, which brings together Glasgow City Council, North Lanarkshire Council, The Conservation Volunteers Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland, and Scottish Natural Heritage, to secure the funds needed to create the park. GCVGNP will also work with landowners, communities in and around the park, and local volunteers to develop plans for the park. Glasgow Building Preservation Trust will advise on restoration plans for the medieval buildings at Provan Hall.
Scott Ferguson, Development Officer for the Seven Lochs Wetland Park said;
‘This HLF award is fantastic news for the Seven Lochs area. It recognises that it is a great place for heritage and wildlife, and that the area should be protected and improved so that more people can enjoy and learn about it. We now want to work with local people to find out how plans for the Seven Lochs can help bring a range of benefits to communities in and around the park.’
