North Clyde Riverside is an ambitious vision for the future of the River Clyde within West Dunbartonshire and provides an exceptional opportunity for sustainable growth and regeneration, bringing together a number of interconnected sites all bound by a common goal; the rediscovery of the Clyde as a vital social, economic and environmental resource.
The Council wants to see an intensification of the physical activity on the River Clyde and on the land that lines its shores, including the key regeneration sites at Queen’s Quay and Carless in Clydebank; Bowling Basin; and the Exxon and Scott’s Yard sites. Activity could take many forms; living; working; recreation; energy production; advanced manufacturing; assembly and fabrication to support offshore wind and wave technology.
North Clyde Riverside will be an exemplar of a joint living and working environment, linked to the creation of healthy places and a focus on wellbeing and recreation, on the stretch of the Clyde from Clydebank to Dumbarton. The vision for this area has the potential to create a ‘Green Clyde’ that is a gateway to rediscovering the River and transform the future of Scotland’s West Coast, as well as, the many towns and villages within West Dunbartonshire and linking into the Kilpatrick Hills and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
National Planning Framework 4
National Planning Framework 4 will set the vision for Scotland until 2050 and the Scottish Government have commenced its preparation, The National Planning Framework will include a number of national developments required to improve Scotland’s economy, environment, transportation links and so on. The Council has submitted the North Clyde Riverside proposal to the Scottish Government seeking its inclusion within the forthcoming National Planning Framework 4 as a ‘national development’. The Scottish Government will publish the draft National Planning Framework 4 in June 2021 with the final National Planning Framework 4 being approved by Parliament in June 2022.
A national development focussed on the West Dunbartonshire waterfront will elevate this part of the River Clyde and the unique opportunities it brings to a national level, as a key dimension of the Clyde Mission. It will also have real benefits for businesses in West Dunbartonshire and will increase the opportunities of the area securing additional investment and support from all areas of Government and the private sector.
The proposed national development aligns with the current ambitions and projects of the Glasgow City Region, City Deal and will feed into the future Regional Spatial Strategy for the Glasgow City Region. It will also provide the Council with a focus on how to transform this area with its partners as well. The Scottish Government are currently assessing the merits of the proposal alongside other submissions for national developments with a decision to be made in the coming months.
The North Clyde Riverside submission can be viewed here
Further information on North Clyde Riverside can be obtained by contacting: ldp@west-dunbarton.gov.uk.