Scottish Scenic Routes Brief for Designers – - March 2014

Introduction

Banavie is a key location on the Caledonian because for many people, other than boaters, it marks the start of the canal and it is where the UK’s longest staircase flight, Neptune’s Staircase is located. A feat of engineering at the time, it raises boats 20m to join the next stretch of the canal up to and on to . The location is already an important tourist attraction but this has happened with little or no promotion nor thought to creating a tourist attraction. This thought is now being undertaken with a view to creating a first class tourist destination and the Scenic Routes project will be key in delivering this vision.

Landscape Context

The combined impact of historic canal in the foreground and in the background is truly unique and the design brief for the Scenic Routes project is to celebrate this in an appropriate way that balances the majesty of the view with the sensitivity of Scheduled Ancient Monument that is the canal and residential settlement to the north.

Scottish ’ Vision for Banavie

Scottish Canals have a twofold vision for Neptune’s Staircase:

1. First class tourist attraction centred around the lock flight with ancillary interpretation, shop, café and toilets. This will appeal to coach and independent tourists and through additional signage from the road and promotional material, we hope to be able to double the number of visitors. We hope to monetise these visits through charging for car parking and offering the opportunity to purchase products and spend money in the café. The north side of the lock flight affords one of the best views of Ben Nevis and we would like to celebrate and promote this.

2. Activity Hub – being at the entrance to the , this is the ideal place from which to travel up the canal and Gairlochy is a manageable 7 mile journey which takes in some key heritage and nature features. We are promoting Banavie as an activity hub and are looking to refurbish the cluster of 3 listed buildings on Neptune’s as the base for a canoe and bike hire outlet (amongst shop and interpretation facilities). We are also about to sign a deal with a commercial boat operator to run trips up to Gairlochy, and beyond as a cruise and also as a hop on / hop off ferry service which will allow people to walk/cycle/canoe to Gairlochy and get the boat back. Additional activities such as Segway tours and small motor boat trips will result in Banavie being a place to go for an interesting, fun, educational and active day or half day trip. For more intrepid visitors, Banavie is at the start of the Way (boat, boot or bike) and this is another market to which to promote the Activity Hub, but the main thrust here is to appeal to day trippers. Scottish Canals have recently signed up two new operators, Rockhopper and Free Spirit, to help deliver this vision.

Scenic Routes Design Brief

Designs are sought for an installation that seeks to celebrate the unrivalled view of Ben Nevis and provides interpretation of the mountain (the content of such interpretation to be provided by others). The location will receive approximately 100,000 visitors per annum and wide promotion of the fact this is the best place to view Ben Nevis will be undertaken to maximise visitor numbers and therefore, the design must be worthy of such importance. Busy days could see 1,000 people visiting the location.

Designers are encouraged to think freely about what form an appropriate installation could take but close adherence to the constraints, listed below, is absolutely necessary. DDA compliance is required. The provision of litter bins that are designed to compliment the installation is required.

Please see attached Rankin Fraser landscape plan to see how the site is laid out.

Constraints

The following constraints must be balanced with the huge opportunity presented by the Design Brief.

 The proximity of the Scheduled Ancient Monument – the site is immediately adjacent to the SAM and Historic will help to judge the entries. The listed Telford House, with its bay window fronting the canal, and its setting, will also be under close scrutiny by Historic Scotland;  The proximity of private dwellings and the sub-urban immediate context. The site is owned by Scottish Canals but presently occupied under agreement by the residents of the private dwellings.

Vacant Possession of the land will be provided. Designers must have consideration to maintaining the view for these residents and also their privacy.

The site is to the right of the fence and down its line to Telford House

 The operation of the canal – vehicles and pedestrians use the adjacent path and large boats travel through the waterway;  Health & Safety risk of the proximity of water (both in building the installation and once it is in operation);  Ground conditions. The site is on the canal embankment and is mainly made ground to a depth of 9m from towpath level, consisting mainly of sand with some gravel, therefore any

structure will either need to be on a raft foundation to spread the loads or piled. Maximum bearing pressure in the region of 40kN/sqm.

 The management of large numbers of visitors who wish to use the installation must be considered and these visitors can often appear in large loads delivered by buses and so effective pedestrian management, taking account of the constraints outlined above, is a strong design consideration. The proximity of water is important and visitors should not have to be within 2m of the edge of the canal for safety reasons.