D- CONNECTING TESCO’S KEY ISSUES The new Tesco supermarket in the town is a major attraction for residents of Kilbirnie and towns further afield. It is currently one of the main reasons for people from outside to come to Kilbirnie.
The parking in the town is very limited and the supermarket car park is the main area of parking in the town.
The number of visitors to the supermarket is significant however at present they are slightly removed from the town and cut off by the river and northern roundabout.
A.- MAIN STREET NORTH END The northern end of the Main Street culminates in a collection of larger buildings, a three storey tenement, the Radio city Building and a terrace of new local authority controlled properties. A traffic roundabout undermines any sense of place to this area with pedestrians relegated to a wide periphery. An equally unfortunate police station building sits on the eastern edge of the roundabout.
This roundabout is the main entry point to the town from the north and for visitors to the new Tesco supermarket
B.- MAIN STREET The Main Street itself is a reasonably intact piece of townscape with a series of fine buildings. The key areas for action are cosmetic improvements to the facades of the buildings and more improtanly an economic boost to the retail and business premises.
E- THE RIVER AND THE TOWN The River Garnock runs right through the town parallel to the Main Street. Such a relationship is unusual, with the river almost hidden from the main thoroughfare. This separation fails to take advantage of the River as a natural attraction.
F. THE MILL BUILDINGS The Listed Mill Buildings to the east of the town are currently derelict. The mill is a very significant building in the town and is currently a sad backdrop to the river edge.
G.-CONNECTION TO THE MAIN STREET The Main Street has very little connection to the C- MAIN STREET SOUTH END areas of the town to the east and west. This lack of The southern end of the Main street lacks connection adds to the sense of limited activity in a sense of arrival. The clearance of the the town. The lack of presence of the river adds to western edge of the road just before this. entering the Main Street proper, while giving much needed parking, erodes the feeling of enclosure to the street.
H- THE RIVERSIDE The Garnock river is an underused feature of the town. Its route through Kilbirnie could be exploited in a wider context.
KEY STRATEGY AREAS-
The townscape study has examined the existing character, qualities and activity in Kilbirnie. This work has included examination of the building fabric, materials, land use and history.
Key areas of the town centre have been identified as making a significant impact on the activity and townscape qualities of the town centre. By addressing these key points major improvements can hopefully be made to the town.
KILBIRNIE TOWNSCAPE STUDY for North Ayrshire Council March - August 2006 SUMMARY SHEET 1
26 26 MAIN STREET ENHANCEMENT29
The north end of the main street is marked by a corner tenement structure. A sandstone three storey building the tenement is topped by a
glazed arcaded storey finishing in a round
22 22
27 corner turret.
11 TOWNHEAD Community Centre
23 25
13
21
17 1to3 19
13 15
17
11
2 12
12 12 Houston MUIREND STREET
4
2 Court 2 14 1
1 7 Club13 4 4
to 54 54 to to
3 3
50 50
6
6 BRIDGE 11
5 5
19 19
48 48 17 17
STREET
1 1 15
14 15
6 6
13 13 2 2 1
BRIDGEND
9 PH 9 SCHOOL WYND El Sub
Centre 7
7 Sta
Hall Community
Radio City
5 5
3 3
1 1
2 A 760
4
13
6to12 Superstore Police
PLACE Station 21
PADUFF 21
23 23
Inst
10
10 27 27 25 Kilbirnie Main Street is lined with predominately 23 25 Grade A
Council B 780 29 19th century buildings. The bulk of the towns 29 Offices
listed buildings lie along the Main Street. 30to36
31 31
35 35 33 33 River Garnock PC
Of particular quality are the series of early 19th
18 18
39 39
37 century two storey townhouses with 37 pedimented triple bay frontages. Mainly in Bk
42 commercial use now this series of buildings 44
make a unique contribution to the streetscape. 43 43
46 Hall GARNOCK
Alongside these listed buildings are a collection Grade B
49 49
Bk 50
of more straightforward Victorian town buildings 52
53 53
51 51 which contribute to the overall character of the 12 8
54 56 58 Factory
town. 10 6
57 57
55 4 55
60
STREET
Bk 66
66 MAIN STREET Club
68
70 69 69
67 67 PO
72
71 71 Grade C
8 74 7 76
78
CRAIGHOUSE SQUARE 80
81 81 6 6
82
84
5 5
85 MONTGOMERIESTON ST 85
83 83
86
87 87
2 to 4 to 2
2 to 4 to 2 Possible 93 93 Conservation
2 1 Area 21
22
El Sub Sta
3 3 1 1 Club
Gas Gov
3 3
1 1
1 1
3 3
15 15
13
13 THE PROPOSAL-
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13 13
9 A N E W C O N S E R V A T I O N
6a 2 6a AREA FOR KILBIRNIE 4 61 BANKFAULDS COURT 7 63 8 MILL ROAD The listed buildings in Kilbirnie are a 6 8 high quality collection of buildings which give character to the Main Street
Hall and its hinterland. This quality is 6d 6d 1 MILL COURT 2 however reinforced by the relationship
between each building and with the
9 9 6e
Hall 6e other buildings in the town. The listed 10 45 10 buildings are protected by virtue of their 47 listing. The context within which they sit Job Centre 41to43 is however equally important. STREET Riverside
WALKER STREET
60 60 58
58 To the East of the Main Street across the The proposal is for the creation of a new
68 68
66 66 Prebytery river stands the grade B listed Garnock Mill. conservation area encompassing the key NEWTON This five storey stone mill building is a fine listed buildings of the Main Street and
30 56 56 example of 19th century industrial architecture. The mill buildings in Kilbirnie extending across the river to the Mill. 1 to 17
Church represented a major stage in the towns This designation will ensure the whole
50 50
39 development providing the structures for it area is given greater protection from
14 economic deConnellvelopm Courtent through the 14
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. uns y m pa the tic de velopm ent and 18
33 18 hopefully encourage the enhancement of 16 DENNYHOLM WYND The Garmock Mill building comprises two 16 the town centre. main wings, a three storey pedimented main block with a five storey gabled wing adjacent
to this. To the rear lies a smaller pump house 4
36 building. Thoroughly deserving of its listed
status the mill building and its setting is a key 6
18 18
22 22
20 20 21 component in any development of the town. 40 KILBIRNIE42 TOWNSCAPE STUDY
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44
12 10
for North Ayrshire Council 10 March - August 2006
20 20
8 8
9 21
SUMMARY21 SHEET 2 2 2
7 5 1to3 OUTLINE STRATEGY
D.- CONNECTION TO SUPERMARKET The pocket of land between Tesco and the river is a small Council car park and recycling centre. Redeveloping this to allow a connection through to the river will help make the river more accessible.
Allowing small scale commercial use adjacent to this space and overlooking the river would help enliven the river edge. Development could be of a small scale or a more significant structure in conjunction with redevelopment of the police station site.
A. MAIN STREET NORTH END The northern end of the town offers a number of possible areas for improvement.
The roundabout while necessary for traffic E.- RIVER CROSSING control could be treated with a more urban Opening up a new route from the Main Street across to characteristic- resurfacing, more thoughtful the river and beyond to the supermarket would serve transitions and a creative approach to the several purposes. central feature. This could help create a landmark termination to the Main Street rather The connection would allow greater accessibility to the than the present road engineered solution. supermarket from the Main Street and vice versa. By connecting through between the existing buildings, the The terrace of modern buildings on the Labour Club offers the best potential, a new west-east western edge of the roundabout is not route is created opening the river to the town centre. wearing well. The facing block while of its own time has weathered badly and now presents a poor quality elevation to a key part of the town. Some cosmetic treatment perhaps rendering of the elevations would significantly brighten a drab corner of the town. F- THE MILL BUILDINGS The Mill is an important structure in the town both Redevelopment of the police station site with physically and historically. A new use for this should be a building of more stature would help focus encouraged to ensure the long term future of the building attention of the space as a landmark and give and to regenerate the river frontage. a more presentable frontage. The most likely feasible use is in a residential conversion. This would provide unique apartments and add to the numbers of people living right in the town centre.
G- CONNECTION TO THE TOWN B.- MAIN STREET The redevelopment of the buildings to the east of the Kilbirnie Main Street is a narrow well defined town and opening a connection to the river reinforces a town street. Enhancement of the existing new route across the centre of town. The greater historic buildings will greatly improve the accessibility between the supermarket and parking and perception of the town as a place. the town centre shops will lead to a higher level of activity in the Main Street The main vehicle for such improvements is the creation of a town centre conservation area.
H.- THE RIVERSIDE On a wider context the river offers an opportunity for a new recreational route across the town. Again this could open up new pedestrian connections to the east.
THE PROPOSALS- OUTLINE IDEAS FOR THE TOWN CENTRE
C.- MAIN STREET SOUTH END Outline proposals have been prepared A new entry to the town centre could be created to enhance the sense of arriving in a for a series of key areas of the town. special place. The development of the waste These show indication of how new ideas site at the bottom of Bankfaulds Avenue with can benefit the use and enjoyment of the a new building of landmark structure would help create a small sense of enclosure with town and enhance the existing qualities. the existing buildings. Kilbirnie has some unique qualities Treatment of road surfacing, traffic calming and pavements would also help make a which if allowed to develop can help statement of moving from through road to regenerate activity in the town. Each Main Street i area has a different characteristic whether ecomonic, historic, recreational or visual and all the highlights taken together can add up to a more vibrant busy town.
KILBIRNIE TOWNSCAPE STUDY for North Ayrshire Council March - August 2006 SUMMARY SHEET 3