Lochee Matters A Design Led Approach to Regeneration Lochee is situated 2.5km to the north west of Dundee City centre. The settlement of Lochee expanded greatly during the 18th and 19th century to become part of the City of Dundee. This expansion was due to the success of the Cox family’s Camperdown Works which brought an influx of Irish immigrants in the wake of the potato famine and accommodated a workforce in excess of 5000. Global changes to the production process and market place for linen saw Camperdown Works finally close down in 1981 and since then the area has had mixed fortunes. Today Lochee is a patchwork of the old and new. Camperdown works has been sympathetically redeveloped for residential use and the clock tower of the High Mill and Cox’s Stack remain important symbols of Lochee’s industrial past. The Cox family donated important facilities and buildings during the 19th century and the public library and swimming pool are still in use today.
The legacy of the Cox Family remains today in Lochee. Camperdown Works has been restored for residential use and the buildings gifted to the community are still in use today and provide a certain richness to the public realm in Lochee.
The study area is recognised as a ‘district shopping centre’ in the Dundee Local Plan Review 2005. These centres are part of a historic legacy of shopping and service centres which have traditionally served as the focus for distinct communities within the City. The High Street is the primary transport corridor and many secondary routes of varying width serve the area by means of narrower streets and lanes which have retained much of their layout from the early 19th century. Over the years the historic built environment has been damaged by inappropriate change and vacant property which has led to poor perceptions of place. Lochee is listed in Government statistics as one of the most deprived areas in Scotland. The district shopping centre is blighted by crime and vandalism.
The Lochee Physical Regeneration Framework underpins the need to develop a role for Lochee in the 21st century. The District Centre is a major part of the regeneration plans. An ambitious vision for the District Centre will deliver – •
A high quality shopping environment
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An attractive and safe environment
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Imaginative reuse of the architectural heritage alongside development of high quality sustainable design
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A thriving economy with a mix of uses
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Easy access to and around the High Street and address the issues of pedestrian and vehicle conflict
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Improved connections communities
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surrounding
The Council have envisaged working towards short and long term plans for the area. An opportunity now exists to open up access to the High Street from the west. New development will provide a mix of retail, housing, car parking and associated landscaping.
A Government award of £2million has allowed environmental improvement works along the High Street to begin. The works have included new street calming measures along the High Street together with a one way system to improve pedestrian safety. Modern street lighting, planting and seating has also been introduced to improve amenity and several local businesses have also taken advantage of the Council’s façade enhancement grant. In difficult market conditions it is intended that these works will instil confidence and provide a tangible demonstration of future change.
Claire Myles ID 080009050 TP31002
An aerial view of Lochee District Shopping Centre highlighted in red. Weavers Mill has been demolished and offers an opportunity for a new mixed use development. Pedestrian access from residential areas to the west has been improved with a new pedestrian link over the bypass. The Council have opened up a housing office in the area.
The historic built environment has been impacted by inappropriate development. Crime rates are high in an area listed as one of the most socially deprived in Scottish Government statistics. This has led to poor perceptions of place in the wider region. .
A £2 million Government Grant has allowed environmental improvement works to begin and business owners have used the Council’s façade enhancement grant to improve shop fronts.
Poster 1
Lochee Matters Key Issues Identified in the District Centre ♦
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Safety
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Uninviting pedestrian routes Lack of natural surveillance
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Shopping Limited type of shops Range of retail unit sizes is limited Perception of high turnover of units
Transport
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High volume of traffic on High Street Evidence of conflict between pedestrians and vehicles Poor car park provision
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Access
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Employment
Limited number of experiences on offer in and around the High Street Lack of family activity Lack of evening activitylimited to public houses Quality of provision in Stack has deteriorated
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Important Service provided locally-GP and dentists Predominant employers on High Street are retailers No office space exists to encourage new business
Housing Housing Development taking place in and around Lochee Scope for further housing External fabric of properties on High Street is deteriorating
The design code will address these issues to meet the aspirations of the community so the district centre can be a place that people want to be in the 21st century. The High Street and surrounding area are home to many listed buildings including nationally important category A. Lochee’s industrial past is important and this has been recognised by the recent award of conservation area status. Dundee’s access strategy highlights a vision of a “cohesive City wide network of safe and accessible routes, which helps to improve the health and wellbeing of local people and, brings together communities and, and informs and inspires users of all ages”. This vision is at the heart of the design code. The key principles of pedestrian linkage and movement are central to establishing a thriving mixed use community. The area already boasts a traditional network of streets providing good linkages to the High Street. A key barrier to access from the west is the bypass and this has recently been improved with a pedestrian crossing. The design code will enhance this provision further by implementing environmental improvements along the underpasses. It will show new linkages to improve access from new residential developments to the north of the site. Proposed development sites and the Stack Leisure Park offer further opportunities to improve permeability and legibility. The design code applies a zero carbon standard to new building. SUDS will be introduced to larger sites to provide a visual, educational and wildlife resource. By being involved in what happens in public spaces people can have a sense of personal investment and the design code will provide opportunities for community involvement.
Claire Myles ID 080009050 TP31002
No civic space No street furniture Historic built environment needs protection
♦ Inadequate access over the bypass ♦ Underpasses are unappealing ♦ Pedestrian links and signage to other areas of interest are poor
Leisure & Culture ♦
Public Areas
Aerial view of Lochee looking east showing green space provision in the surrounding area. The large grey roofed retail units of the Stack Leisure Park are clearly visible. Cox’s Stack is a prominent landmark in the area.
Poster 2
Lochee Matters An attractive network of streets and spaces Everyday good management makes a difference to the usability of space. The design code promotes the removal of barriers to movement, removal of street clutter, attention to the layout of seating, lighting, footpath repairs and improving accessibility for all users.
New development along Harefield Road continues to bring more people to the surrounding area. With no safe pedestrian crossing points over this busy road it remains a barrier. The design code promotes safe movement over this road as a priority to improve access to the district shopping centre.
Many secondary routes of varying width serve the area. Narrow streets and lanes have retained the layout from the early 19th century. These lanes are frequented by locals but to a stranger to the area they are a sense of confusion or adventure—where will this path take me? The design code promotes appropriate signage in keeping with the character of the area. Traditional signage such as that used in the cultural quarter of Dundee is a good example.
Façade enhancement Vacant
Housing & Retail
Access from the bypass can be further improved by opening up access along this pedestrian link. Sites earmarked for housing development provide an opportunity to improve and extend the network of paths to the district shopping centre and other areas of interest.
Lochee High Street offers a mix of services common to district centres in Dundee
Commercial
Housing/Potential
Collaboration between designers and the community have helped create a more attractive environment in and around the underpasses of Glasgow. Local school children created the designs on the walls of the underpass above. Artwork provides interest, stimulation, comfort and amenity. These aspects can positively change reputation and overcome physical barriers experienced by some users. The design code offers an opportunity for local school children to be involved in a similar project to improve the underpasses in Lochee (right).
Claire Myles ID 080009050 TP31002
Brownfield opportunity
Community Services
The relative proximity of the Stack Leisure Park has created a unique problem for the district shopping centre. A ‘first generation’ leisure park developed in the 1990’s it has suffered from increasing competition from newer parks in the City offering more modern facilities in more accessible locations. A Gala bingo hall and Megabowl remain the only two occupied units. The owners of the Leisure Park went into administration and the future of the site remains uncertain until a buyer has been found. An opportunity exists to remove the units beside Cox’s Stack (see photo above) and extend the area of green space and open it up for public use as part of a new mixed use development built to zero carbon standards. A route laid out in cobbles already exists to the High Street next to a vacant commercial unit. A route along the front of the former Camperdown Works and from the south ends in locked gates. The design code promotes the removal of this barrier to an area of interest and a potential cultural/heritage site.
Poster 3
Lochee Matters An area of variety and shared space The code implements the idea of street pattern. It is based on the field of view within the street or segment of street ie the length and width of visible space. This approximates to the local experience of the user— the perception of being in a place or series of spaces with a distinctive visual character. Where street segments intersect distinctive spaces may be created. These should express difference and variation to create a sequence of memorable places to aid way finding. The diagram illustrates this principle applied to the High Street. The photos illustrate how restoration of this gateway to Camperdown Works could provide a memorable space. By removing unsightly street clutter and installing more sympathetic street lighting this space would be more in keeping with its surroundings. Redevelopment of the Highgate provides an opportunity to create a new gateway into the High Street as shown on the diagram. The photos shows a street in Tokyo. The road surface provides visual clarity and a passive signal to the motorist.
Homes for living in the 21st century
The design code promotes ‘Shared Space’ a design philosophy developed and tested in a number of European countries. Achieving efficient, smooth, slow speed movement is the key to shared space design. Achieved not through the use of conventional traffic calming devices but through creating a series of places and events through which the driver passes. Spatial elements such as pavement widening, one level and colour and texture achieve the required behaviour. Spatial elements have been introduced to the High Street and this will be developed and improved further.
By taking account of the street segment plan there is an opportunity shown to provide a distinctive space at the south end of the High Street. The photos show the car park for users of the Health Centre and GP’s surgery. It offers a prominent view down the High Street and can be seen from the brownfield site on the west of the street and along the bypass. Shared Space techniques have been put in place along the bend of the road. The photos show the spacing of planted vegetation to guide the motorist. Unfortunately this has led to confusion and near misses for the motorist and pedestrian. The nature of this open site has led to a reduction in the legibility of this section of the street for all users. The design code promotes the redevelopment an area including the car park to provide a new landmark building in this important point in the conservation area. A building will provide a sense of enclosure and be an aid to way finding along this segment of the High Street. Claire Myles ID 080009050 TP31002
Distinctive spaces can be created along the High Street
Segment plan of the High Street
Lochee is a pattern of old and new. The design code promotes a variety of building sizes from 2-4 storeys in keeping with the environment. Small block developments are encouraged on new development sites to aid visual and physical permeability and provide a continuation to the existing network of streets and lanes. The design code promotes zero carbon developments. The Scottish Passive House Centre can provide advice on the siting, height and orientation of buildings. A development of this nature provides many social, environmental and economic benefits as well as providing a greater perception of place. This could also provide an identity for Lochee in the 21st century.
New Spaces, Old places
To encourage pedestrians to use vehicular streets it must be easy for them to cross the road. Kerb distinctions should be eliminated and reduced by paving. Raised obstructions should be lower than 750mm. Street trees pushed forward provide a distinctive crossing point.
This building is an extension to a C listed property. Red sandstone has been used to reflect the current building and steel and glass introduce a modern feel. This is an example of what can be achieved on this segment of the High Street.
Poster 4