Supporting documents - Renfrewshire Council

Proposed Mixed Use Development, Braehead: Socio-Economic Impact Report
2.0 Planning Policy Context
2.1 This section provides a review of the policy context as it relates to socioeconomic
issues and draws on the accompanying Planning Statement prepared
by RDPC. The development plan for the Braehead area consists of the Glasgow
and The Clyde Valley Strategic Development Plan (SDP) and the Renfrewshire
Local Plan. The Local Plan was adopted in March 2006 and will shortly be
replaced by the new proposed Renfrewshire Local Development Plan (LDP). The
SDP was approved by Scottish Ministers on 29th May 2012, and therefore
represents the up-to-date strategic planning context for the area. However the
development plan will not be fully up to date until the proposed LDP is adopted.
Glasgow and The Clyde Valley Strategic Development
Plan
2.2 The SDP consists of several tiers of policy, starting with the ‘Spatial Vision’
which in turn leads to the ‘Spatial Development Strategy’. Proposals are tested
against the Spatial Development Strategy to establish whether or not they
support the strategy and therefore the delivery of the Spatial Vision.
2.3 Core components of the Spatial Development Strategy are several geographical
areas in which a particular focus on investment and regeneration is to be
encouraged. The Clyde Waterfront is one such area, where it is intended that
there should be a focus on mixed use developments, including the following
uses and functions: economic activity, housing, tourism, fixed and green
infrastructure, culture, leisure, education, health and public transport. The
Clyde Waterfront is regarded as a sustainable location for these uses and
activities.
2.4 Paragraph 4.8 of the SDP describes the Clyde Waterfront area in the following
terms:
The Clyde Waterfront is a key component of the SDS model and is a major longterm
mixed use regeneration and urban community restructuring project. It is
designed to revitalise the River Clyde section of the Development Corridor;
reconnect its communities with the river and provide a new central development
focus for the city-region. It is the most advanced project in development terms of
the SDS, and whilst significant progress has been achieved, e.g. Pacific Quay, the
Exhibition Centre campus, Glasgow Harbour, Renfrew Riverside, the scale of the
challenge remains strategically significant.
2.5 Of all the areas listed as examples of where significant progress has been
achieved, the Renfrew Riverside area – centred on Braehead – is the one which
displays by far the greatest range of achievements in terms of sheer scale of
urban renewal and environmental transformation, from a derelict contaminated
power station site, disused railway sidings and run-down factories, to a thriving
new business and residential community, with Braehead’s retail, leisure and
community facilities at its heart. Without the success achieved at Braehead,
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