WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL

Report by the Executive Director of Housing, Environmental and Economic Development

Planning Committee: 7 October 2008

Subject : Revised Masterplan ( Harbour Site: Meadowside Quay, , Glasgow) – Outline Planning Application for mixed use development comprising retail, office, leisure, residential and public spaces including access, servicing, parking and landscaping (EIA).

1. Purpose

1.1 To inform the Committee of a consultation on a planning application and environmental statement for a mixed use development at , Meadowside Quay, Glasgow, and to recommend this Council’s response to .

2. Background

2.1 Planning permission for a large mixed-use development on a 42 ha site along a 2 km stretch of the north bank of the was granted by Glasgow City Council in June 2001, with minor amendments approved in December 2002. The site, known as Glasgow Harbour, comprises the land between South Street and the river, extending from the SECC in the east to the entrance to the in the west.

2.2 The current consultation relates to an application to revise the original consent and the approved masterplan. Although the application site is located at some distance outwith West Dunbartonshire, the proposed amendment to the original planning consent has potential to impact upon West Dunbartonshire, in particular Clydebank town centre. Since the Council is a consultee in the determination of the planning application, it is appropriate for the Committee to consider and set out a response to Glasgow City Council.

2.3 The principal changes are that the amount of retail and commercial floorspace would be increased significantly. The existing planning consent includes a major retail element located at Quay at the eastern edge of the site, for a total of 17,000 sq m (gross) of retail floorspace, comprising 15,000 sq m of comparison retail floorspace and 2,000 sq m of convenience floorspace. The revised planning application for additional retail floorspace seeks permission for around 38,333 sq/m (gross) retail floorspace of which 33,299 sq/m has been allocated for comparison floorspace. This current proposal, would represent an increase of 18,299 sq/m or 122% compared to the

Page 1 of 5 consented development. In terms of comparison retail floorspace, the proposal compares with existing retail locations in the area as follows:

Glasgow City Centre 459,858 sq/m (gross) Paisley 62,373 Braehead Shopping Centre 50,184 Byres Road/Partick 37,938 Glasgow Harbour (proposed) 33,299 Clydebank 29,034 Dumbarton 8,769

3. Main Issues

3.1 Although the proposal is for a mixed use development, it is the comparison retail element of the development which has greatest potential to impact upon West Dunbartonshire, and this report focuses on that issue. Whilst the convenience retail, office and commercial leisure facilities have some potential to draw employment or expenditure from Clydebank, it is considered that these are likely to have a much greater impact upon Glasgow City Centre and, in the case of the convenience retail, on local shops in the Partick area.

3.2 The Structure Plan and accompanying Convenience and Comparison Shopping Capacity Assessments at 2011 divides the Structure Plan area into retail catchment areas and compares projected expenditure in the retail catchment areas with projected turnover in order to identify whether a deficit or surplus of turnover in relation to expenditure exists, and therefore estimates the need for additional retail floorspace. For non-food (comparison) expenditure in the Glasgow North West/Clydebank catchment area, the Structure Plan technical report concludes that there is a surplus of turnover compared to expenditure, with a large export of expenditure to the city centre.

3.3 Strategic Policy 1(a) of the Structure Plan identifies Clydebank town centre as a renewal priority and the technical report proposes a strategic requirement of “up to 16,700 sq m gross comparison retail floorspace in Clydebank town centre, by means of restructuring and upgrading of floorspace”. This would meet an identified need for additional non-food retail floorspace in the area, and would improve the vitality and viability of Clydebank town centre.

3.4 The applicants claim that the development is an edge of centre location. However, it is clear that the application site is not contiguous with the existing retail centre of Partick, from which it is physically separated by the Clydeside Expressway and other barriers. The site is also well removed from the city centre, which is currently the main location for comparison retailing in Glasgow. Although it is possible to access the site on foot and public transport, and improvements to public transport are planned as part of the wider development, the site is not ideally situated for access by sustainable means. It is, however,

Page 2 of 5 located adjacent to the Clydeside Expressway which will provide car- borne access to the site from a wide catchment area. In these respects the proposal has the characteristics of an out-of-centre location, and it is considered that it should be treated as such.

3.5 The proposal fails to adopt the sequential approach to site selection set out in planning guidelines (SPP8: Town Centres and Retailing) since it ignores the strategic requirement for non-food retail floorspace in Clydebank town centre, which is in the same catchment area as the proposal and is a sequentially preferable location. Furthermore, the retail statement fails to adequately consider the impact which the proposal would have on Clydebank town centre. It is merely stated that the retail offer in Clydebank is targeted at the lower middle market segment, while the proposed retail mix at Glasgow Harbour would be targeted at the upper middle market, and the applicant therefore concludes that the impact will be minimal, without any further analysis. This totally fails to consider the potential for regeneration of Clydebank.

3.6 At present, a large proportion of the comparison expenditure for the catchment area is exported. Much of this expenditure is lost to Glasgow City Centre, which is to be expected as the city centre is one of the most important retail locations in the UK, with a very large number and wide range of shops. Although incremental out-of-centre developments such as Braehead and the current proposal for Glasgow Harbour may in the long term reduce the vitality and viability of the city centre as a retail destination. The city centre will continue to draw a significant proportion of comparison expenditure from the Clydebank area for the foreseeable future. Given that the existing level of exported expenditure is so high, any new development which encourages the exportation of even more expenditure has the potential to detract from the viability of Clydebank Town Centre, thereby reducing its attractiveness as a location for retail investment and endangering the delivery of the additional retail floorspace identified in the Structure Plan.

3.7 The proposed retail development at Glasgow Harbour is considered to be a particular threat to Clydebank due to its accessibility by car, which will be further enhanced as a result of the planned North Clyde Development Route. The damage which large out-of-centre retail development can inflict upon established town centres is well documented, with a relevant local example being the impact of Braehead Shopping Centre on Paisley. Although the application proposal is smaller than Braehead, it also has a smaller catchment population, and it is considered that the potential negative impact on surrounding towns may be equivalent. Furthermore, the proposed gross comparison retail floorspace would actually be greater than the existing comparison floorspace within the whole of Clydebank town centre.

Page 3 of 5 4. Personnel Issues

4.1 There are no personnel issues.

5. Financial Implications

5.1 Should a development of this scale proceed it would be likely to have a significant impact on Clydebank, notwithstanding the views expressed by the applicants’ retail statement, and this could impact upon the viability and vitality of the Clyde Shopping Centre, which in turn would impact upon income to the Council.

5.2 In the event of the Council objecting to the application and Glasgow City Council being minded to approve it, the application may be ‘called in’ by the Scottish Government. This would have resulting implications for staff resources and may involve legal expenses.

6. Risk Analysis

6.1 This development has potential to cause a serious adverse impact upon Clydebank town centre, and could undermine the efforts of the Council and Clydebank Re-built to enhance Clydebank town centre as a retail destination through the provision of additional retail floorspace, as set out in the Clydebank Retail Strategy and endorsed through the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan 2006.

7. Conclusions

7.1 The revised proposals for comparison retail development at Glasgow Harbour are greatly in excess of the level which was originally approved. It is considered that the proposal fails to comply with national and structure plan policies concerning the sequential approach to retail development. The information which has been submitted in support of the application fails to give proper consideration to the likely impact upon Clydebank town centre. However, it is considered that the impact is likely to be significant and unacceptable.

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8. Recommendations

8.1 It is recommended that the Committee agree that the Council should object to the application on the grounds set out in this report, and that this report shall form a basis of a response to the letter of consultation.

Elaine Melrose Executive Director of Housing, Environment & Economic Development Date: 1.10.2008

Person to Contact : Pamela Clifford Section Head Development Management Tel : 01389 73 8656 E-mail: [email protected]

Appendices: None

Background Papers : Glasgow & Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan 2003 Glasgow & Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plan 2006 SPP 8 Town Centres and Retailing Clydebank Retail Strategy

Wards Affected : 2 and 5

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