Paisley Town Centre: a strategy for regeneration and transformation

final report

paisley vision boardrenfrewshire councilscottish enterprise renfrewshire

July 2006

yellow book

paisley town centrea strategy for regeneration and transformation

p a i s l e y t o w n ce n t r e s t u d ya s t r a t e g y f o r

r e g e n e r a t i o n a n d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n

j u l y 2 0 0 6

yellow bookryden

mrc mclean hazelwmud

yellow book1 hill street

edinburgh eh2 3jp

t 0131 225 5757 f 0131 225 [email protected]

paisley vision board renfrewshire council

scottish enterprise renfrewshire

contents

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executive summary i

section 1 introduction 1

section 2 background 7

section 3 conditions and prospects 19

section 4 the scenarios workshop 39

section 5 developing the strategic proposition 45

section 6 action plan 53

section 7 development and delivery 77

annexes 81

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This report, commissioned by the Paisley Vision Board,

Renfrewshire Council and Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire,

sets out a strategy and action plan for the regeneration and

transformation of Paisley town centre.

The plan calls for a 10-year programme of investment in the town

centre which will deliver:

40,000 square metres of residential development

20,000 square metres of floorspace for retail/leisure

15,000 square metres of office/studio space

a new public transport hub

a multi-storey car park, and

major improvements in the public realm.

The total costs of development are estimated to be in the order of

£50m over 10 years. The private sector will lead the regeneration

process, investing up to £40-45m, primarily in residential and

retail development.

A flagship scheme will transform the Eastern Arc (an area extending

from Gilmour Street station, through the former Arnott’s site and

e x e c u t i v e s u m m a r y

into Cotton Street/Bridge Street) into a vibrant mixed-use urban

quarter comprising luxury apartments, student housing, shops,

office and new transport infrastructure.

The plan calls for an investment of around £10m by the public

sector. This expenditure will:

act as a catalyst for private sector investment

help to secure high quality mixed use development, and

contribute to a programme of investment in Paisley’s

cultural assets, transport infrastructure and to enhancing

the public realm.

We estimate that the action plan will increase the population of the

town centre by up to 1,500 people, and add around 2,000 jobs.

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The report was commissioned against the background of

continuing concern about the condition of Paisley town centre

and, in particular, the decline in retail trade in the face of severe

competition from Glasgow and out of town shopping centres,

including Braehead.

Economic and social changes have had a profound impact on

traditional town centres like Paisley. In an era of unprecedented

choice, prosperity and mobility, small and medium sized town

centres have struggled to compete with the big cities and out of

town leisure and retail complexes.

The report argues that innovation and creativity will be required to

respond to these powerful forces and create a sustainable future

for Paisley town centre. But innovation must be tempered by

pragmatism, and a realistic understanding of market conditions

and competitive threats.

The bulk of the investment required to turn Paisley around will

come from the private sector, but the public sector has a vital

role to play in creating the conditions for regeneration and

establishing a climate of confidence. The Paisley Vision Board

partners need to champion a new vision for the town centre, and

mobilise the resources of the public sector in support of a recovery

plan.

THE CONTEXT

Paisley has an extensive catchment area, but people living in

and around the town have access to a wide range of shopping

and leisure choices. Better off residents are most likely to have

transferred their custom to Braehead or Glasgow city centre. Low

income households, the young and the elderly do not have the

same choices, and they are more likely to continue to shop and

ii

spend leisure time in Paisley. The town centre is ringed by deprived

neighbourhoods, and residents of these areas remain highly

dependent on the services and amenities of the town centre.

The percentage of Paisley residents using the town centre for food

shopping, or to buy clothes and household goods fell by more than

half between 1994 and 2004. This collapse in customer loyalty

among middle and higher income households accounts for the

declining quality of Paisley’s retail offer, the closure of major stores

and the emergence of low-price value retailers.

TOWN CENTRES IN THE 21ST CENTURY

The challenges facing Paisley are typical of many medium sized

towns in the UK. The role of town centres as the focal point for the

life of the community has been undermined by four key factors:

increasing prosperity: we spend more on shopping and leisure, and we have more choice about where and how we spend

we are spending more on discretionary purchases – of goods, leisure, recreation and culture

our society is increasing mobile, with growing levels of car ownership

the rise of out of town developments like Braehead.

These drivers of change have had a profound effect on town centre

retailing, and there has been a parallel trend in the commercial

sector, with offices moving from town centres to out of town

business parks.

Increasingly, traditional town centres serve a captive market of

people who are too old, too young or too poor to choose more

attractive alternatives. Many towns are in a spiral of decline,

trading down market while the major cities and out of town centres

capture an increasing share of business.

FOCUSING ON THE POSITIVE

We need to overcome pessimism about Paisley’s prospects by

adopting a positive approach and an optimistic tone. Paisley

has many strengths and attributes, including its large catchment

population and substantial business base; a new university;

access to Glasgow airport and the motorway network; and its fine

architecture and townscape.

Paisley has been through difficult times, but it is still a distinctive

and special place which is better placed than many towns of its

size and type to transform itself into a competitive 21st century

town centre.

MARKET TRENDS AND PROSPECTS

Paisley’s status as a retail centre has declined, and this is reflected

in the closure of major stores, high vacancy rates, low demand and

a shift towards value retailing. The situation may get worse before

it gets better, with new competition coming on stream including the

Silverburn centre at Pollok, which opens in 2007.

The leisure market has followed a very similar trajectory, while

the office market (though boosted by new low cost space on the

town centre fringes) remains uncertain. Prospects are best in the

residential market, with luxury apartments coming to the market at

Anchor Mill and other locations.

THE CHARACTER OF PAISLEY

Paisley is a handsome and distinctive town, with a riverside

setting, fine buildings and townscape. Its urban form is largely

intact, but the declining fortunes of areas such as the West End and

Gauze Street have resulted in pockets of dereliction and decay.

Immediately adjoining the core area there are secondary streets

where retail is in deep decline.

Paisley has a new university, but it has not yet acquired the

character of a university town. The university needs a more

stylish and lively urban environment; Paisley needs to capture the

university’s potential as a driver of change and regeneration.

The town has suffered from a bad press and a negative reputation,

and there are concerns about litter, vandalism and crime. Too often,

Paisley presents an image of shabbiness and neglect.

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TRANSPORT AND ACCESS

Paisley is strategically located, close to the motorway network and

an international airport, and is well served by rail and local buses.

But the quality of infrastructure and services is variable. Key

issues include:

major roads encircle the town centre, cutting it off

from residential areas and business locations, and

discouraging walking

points of entry to the town are unattractive and

unwelcoming

the pedestrianised central area is attractive, but needs

better management and maintenance

there is an adequate supply of parking, but the quality of

some car parks is poor

the town centre is a hostile environment for cyclists

rail services to Glasgow and the Clyde Coast are excellent,

and the rail link to Glasgow airport has received the go-

ahead, but Gilmour Street station is unwelcoming

the quality of bus services and vehicles is mixed, and

Central Road is an ugly and threatening environment.

SUMMING UP

The challenges facing Paisley are complex and deep-seated.

Throughout the UK traditional town centres have struggled to

come to terms with a changing environment and hostile market

conditions. Paisley’s decline is not “somebody’s fault”, and there

is no quick-fix solution.

The way forward is through diversification: creating a rich mix of

activities and uses to replace an unsustainable retail mono-culture.

However, market conditions are not favourable, except in the

residential sector, so the partners will need to adopt a practical,

realistic and incremental approach.

This means creating demand conditions that will boost confidence

and attract investment, for example:

providing attractive, high quality housing bringing more students to live in the town delivering modern workspace for knowledge-based

businesses

growing the creative community.

The key message is that the continuing decline of the study area is

not inevitable. PVB has a key role to play in promoting recovery by:

championing the vision

proactive management and maintenance

mobilising public sector resources for investment

engaging with the private sector to deliver development

and regeneration.

THE STRATEGIC PROPOSITION

The report sets out a strategic proposition based on a number of

guiding principles:

there is no realistic prospect that Paisley can win back its former status as a shopping centre in the foreseeable future

the competitive pressures on Paisley will intensify in the short-medium term

the process of market adjustment means that Paisley is set to become a value retail centre

in the medium-long term, regeneration and diversification will help to achieve a quality retail and leisure revival

residential development represents the best prospect for market-led regeneration in the heart of Paisley

the office market is volatile and there is evidence of a mismatch between present day demand and available supply

the university is a key economic and cultural asset Paisley’s cultural offer is modest for a town of its size, but

there are some worthwhile assets to build on Paisley’s architecture and townscape are key assets but

the physical condition of the town centre has degraded the town is generally well-connected, but road access to

the town is confusing and compromised the environment for pedestrians and cyclists is hostile

and unwelcoming

public transport infrastructure needs to be upgraded

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LEARNING FROM BEST PRACTICE

Paisley can learn form the experience of comparable towns such

as Doncaster, Halifax and Scunthorpe. A review of best practice

in these and other towns shows that they have faced many of the

same challenges as Paisley. The strategies adopted by these towns

display a number of common themes:

reducing retail dependency by diversifying and

intensifying town centre uses

the key role of mixed-use developments to drive change

capitalising on educational, cultural and historical assets

regenerating neglected and forgotten places

establishing a coherent, legible urban form

investing in public transport and access measures

working with the market grain

building on place distinctiveness.

A VISION OF PAISLEY TOWN CENTRE IN 2016

The report sets out a 10-year strategic vision for Paisley town

centre:

Paisley town centre will emerge from a decade of transformation

with a renewed sense of pride, optimism and purpose. It will be

a living, working community: an exemplar for the reinvention

of traditional town centres in the 21st century, fulfilling a vital

and valued role in the life of the community – and the wider

metropolitan region – as an attractive historic riverside town which:

has a growing residential population enjoying the

benefits of town centre living

offers an attractive package of quality convenience

shopping, restaurants, cafes and nightlife

has a reputation for excellence in higher education and

research

is a centre for enterprise with a growing business base

has a vibrant creative and cultural life

is the local capital and administrative centre

is welcoming, accessible and connected.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

The strategy is based on eight themes and strategic objectives:

Theme 1: Living in the town centre: to repopulate the

heart of Paisley

Theme 2: Shopping and leisure: to establish a viable and

sustainable shopping and leisure offer

Theme 3: University town: to make Paisley a real

university town

Theme 4: Paisley for enterprise: to increase knowledge-

based employment

Theme 5: Culture and creativity: to enhance the quality of

the cultural offer, and grow the creative industries

Theme 6: Government and administration: to consolidate

Paisley’s role as a centre of local government and

administration

Theme 7: Accessible and connected: to make Paisley a

more accessible and welcoming place

Theme 8: Quality and style: to discover, celebrate and

enhance Paisley’s distinctive townscape.

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ACTION PLAN

The report sets out an action plan based on these eight themes,

and comprising eighteen priorities for action.

Themes Priorities for action1. Living in the town centre 1.1 Eastern Arc residential development

1.2 Student housing

2. Shopping and leisure 2.1 Convenience shopping

2.2 Events, marketing and promotion

2.3 Winter lights

3. University town 3.1 Campus design strategy

3.2 Student quarter

4. Paisley for enterprise 4.1 Serviced business centre

4.2 Mixed use development

5. Culture and creativity 5.1 Cultural experience

5.2 Creative production

6. Government + administration 6.1 Public sector relocations

7. Accessible and connected 7.1 Road access and parking

7.2 Public transport hub

7.3 Walking and cycling

8. Quality and style 8.1 Urban form

8.2 Public space

8.3 Eastern Arc

The centrepiece of the plan is a proposal to transform the Eastern

Arc – which stretches from Gilmour Street through Gauze Street to

Cotton Street and Bridge Street – into a vibrant mixed use urban

quarter. This project will change the face of Paisley town centre;

other key outputs include:

a business centre which will provide a home of knowledge

based businesses, including university spin-outs

continuing investment in the public realm, especially at

town centre gateways and around the universities

improvements to the towns traffic management and

transport infrastructure, and

investment in Paisley’s underperforming cultural assets.

The action plan will require public sector expenditure in the order

of £10m over five years, and it will act as the catalyst for up to

£50m of private sector investment.

DELIVERING THE ACTION PLAN

The regeneration of Paisley should be private sector led wherever

possible. The resources of the public sector are finite, but the PVB

partners have a key role to play in laying the foundations for private

sector activity.

The partners will champion the strategy and the action plan and

make sure that the regeneration of Paisley is on the market radar.

However, public sector investment will also be required to tackle

market failure, and to ensure that the mix of uses and quality of

development matches the new vision for Paisley.

The report also recommends an enhanced role and additional

resources for the town centre team. The team will play a key role in

coordinating delivery of the action plan, but it will also be charged

with:

introducing a zero tolerance regime to combat crime,

litter, graffiti and vandalism

designing and implementing a year-round programme

of events, festivals and cultural activities

developing a marketing, promotion and PR campaign.

We recommend that appropriate delivery arrangements should be

agreed case-by-case. However, the Paisley Vision Board should

direct and monitor progress, assisted by a dedicated town centre

team. The Board’s key responsibilities will be:

developing a 5-year business plan

championing the new vision

working with the private sector to deliver development

mobilising public sector resources

ensuring that complementary infrastructure, public

realm and cultural projects are delivered

performance management.

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 This is the final report of the Paisley Town Centre Study,

commissioned by the Paisley Vision Board, Renfrewshire

Council and Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire. A consultant

team led by yellow book was appointed to carry out the

study; the team also includes:

• Ryden: property market analysis

• wmud: urban design, and

• MRC McLean Hazel: transport and traffic.

1.2 The original brief called for a retail study which would:

“identify and analyse the causes of retail under-performance

in the town, and initiatives for improving the offer and mix

of shops, increasing the uptake of vacant units… [and]

improving the trading conditions in the town”.

A STRATEGIC APPROACH

1.3 The immediate backdrop to the study was concern about

the impact on the town centre of the closure of two major

stores, Littlewoods and the Co-op, and this accounts for the

i n t r o d u c t i o n

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Paisley Town Hall

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focus on retail issues. However, the brief invited consultants

to suggest alternative approaches, and the yellow book

proposal called for a more strategic approach, which would

encompass other town centre uses, including office and

residential, civic and cultural activities and the university.

1.4 The yellow book response to the brief suggested that a

narrowly defined retail study would:

• tell the partners what they – and town centre traders

- already know about the competitive pressures

facing Paisley town centre

• focus on social trends and market forces over which

the partners have little or no control, and

• lead to recommendations which would be

inadequate to deal with complex and systemic

causes of decline.

1.5 This analysis was accepted by the steering group, and a

revised brief was agreed:

• to review conditions and prospects in Paisley town

centre, taking account of market conditions and

trends

• to review prospects in key sectors including retail,

office, commercial leisure and residential

• to assess the character of the study area and its

architectural, townscape, cultural and historic assets

• to identify 10 year scenarios for the future of Paisley

town centre

• to agree a vision and strategy for the town centre

• to identify priorities for action, and

• to prepare recommendations on delivery.

WORK PROGRAMME

1.6 The work programme has comprised four key stages. In

Stage 1 the consultant team carried out an extensive review

of planning and other local policies and – through a series

of site visits – assessed the character and quality of the

town centre. Ryden has carried out a comprehensive study

of property market conditions and trends; wmud developed

a detailed urban design analysis; and MRC McLean Hazel

has reviewed traffic, transport and access issues.

flower stall by the Cross

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1.7 In Stage 2 we prepared a concise summary of issues,

challenges, threats and opportunities which provided the

platform for a scenario planning workshop which explored

the implications of a range of possible strategies and

development trajectories. At the same time we issued the

first draft of Ryden’s review of the Paisley property market,

subsequently updated and expanded. The workshop

brought together a group of about 30 stakeholders – elected

members, officials, business representatives, investors and

others – and resulted in a broad consensus on a strategic

direction for the town centre.

1.8 In Stage 3, following the workshop, the consultant team

developed a strategic proposition, which set out a vision

and objectives for the town centre. This vision statement

calls for a decade of transformation which will confer a

renewed sense of pride, optimism and purpose on Paisley

town centre. At this stage we also developed a set of

priorities for action by the Vision Board and the partner

organisations.

1.9 Finally, in Stage 4, we have worked up the priorities into

an action plan, and also prepared recommendations on

delivery. We have prepared this final report and also drawn

together a package of supporting evidence, including four

documented case studies. These latter are attached as

annexes to the report.

CREATIVITY, PRAGMATISM, LEADERSHIP

1.10 The Vision Board has encouraged consultants to consider

radical and imaginative solutions. We agree that creative

thinking will be required if Paisley is to break out of its

present cycle of decline. In particular, the study has

confirmed the wisdom of looking beyond retail in order to

create the conditions for a prosperous and sustainable

future.

1.11 This report contains proposals designed to promote

and accelerate the process of transformational change

in the town centre. These include ambitious plans for

mixed use development in an area that we have defined

as the Eastern Arc: these plans will regenerate an area

in long-term decline; create modern public transport

infrastructure; define the edge of the town centre and create

a contemporary urban context for the abbey.

1.12 The Eastern Arc project will create a new image for Paisley

– of modernity, quality and optimism about the future - but

innovation must be balanced by pragmatism. The impact of

market forces, economic and social change on Paisley town

centre – and many other towns of similar size and type – has

been profound. Taken together, these drivers of change

raise profound questions about the role and purpose of

traditional town centres in the 21st century. These powerful

Churchhill

4

forces cannot be ignored, and this report addresses the

key question: what – in an age of unprecedented choice

and mobility – will make more people choose Paisley town

centre as a place to live, work, shop and visit?

1.13 So this report also aims to offer a practical, realistic and

incremental approach to generating change in the study

area. This approach focuses on creating the demand-side

conditions which will boost business confidence and attract

investment by, for example:

• providing attractive, high quality housing which will

bring high net worth individuals and households to

live in the heart of Paisley

• bringing more students to live in the town, and

encouraging more interaction between the town and

the university

• delivering modern workspace that will attract

knowledge-based businesses, start-ups and

university spin-outs to the town centre, as well as

larger public sector and/or head office relocations

• growing Paisley’s creative community

1.14 We make no apologies for balancing proposals for radical

change with these basic, no-frills ideas. Over an extended

period, Paisley has lost retail trade to new and powerful

competitors, and market adjustment is leading inexorably

towards a value shopping offer catering for low income

consumers in the local catchment area; the leisure/

entertainment offer has followed a similar trajectory. At the

same time, the already small population of the central area

has been reducing, and non-retail employment has also

fallen. We need to tackle these fundamental challenges.

1.15 Our strategy, which is consistent with the objectives of

the Vision Board, aims to rebuild demand and create the

conditions for new investment in quality convenience

shopping; cafes, bars and restaurants; and – over time – the

return of quality speciality shopping, such as bookshops,

fashion stores and delicatessens. The public sector

partners cannot make this happen: their job is to create

the conditions which will restore market and investor

confidence in Paisley.

1.16 This leads us to another key theme of our approach:

leadership. There is an understandable sense of anxiety

about the condition of Paisley town centre. This study

shows that the continuing decline of the study area is not

inevitable, and it maps out a strategy for a more sustainable

and diverse future. However, the process of recovery will

take time: it could take up to 5 years for Paisley to turn the

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corner, and a decade to achieve the transformational change

described in this report.

1.17 During this period, the role of the PVB partners will

be pivotal. At a time when public, political and market

confidence in the town centre is at a low ebb, the partners

have a vital role to play by:

• championing the vision of an exciting and positive

future for Paisley town centre

• demonstrating their faith and commitment through

proactive management of the town centre, a year-

round events programme and effective marketing

and promotion

• mobilising the resources of partners and funding

bodies in support of the action plan

• engaging with the private sector to deliver

development and regeneration.

1.18 As we explain in Section 7 of this report, the partners

will need to match leadership and moral support with a

substantial resource commitment. We are well aware of the

budgetary pressures facing the public sector bodies, and

our strategy is designed to encourage and accelerate market

adjustment, and to stimulate private sector investment. We

are not dealing with endemic market failure, but the market

is producing some unlooked for results and it would be

misleading and dishonest to suggest that the development

programme outlined here can be delivered without public

sector intervention.

1.19 Similarly, the proactive management regime recommended

in this report will require significant annual revenue

funding. Contributions – in cash and in kind – may be

sought from the private sector, but the burden will inevitably

fall on the Council. We recognise that this will involve tough

decisions, but in our judgement action to create a livelier,

safer, cleaner town centre – and to spread the word in the

wider catchment area – is imperative, especially in what we

anticipate will be a difficult next 2-3 years.

STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT

1.20 The main report is in seven sections:

• Section 2 describes the background and policy

context for the study

• Section 3 sets out the key points from our analysis of

conditions and prospects in Paisley town centre

Anchor Mill

6

• Section 4 contains a summary of the key points of

discussion at the scenarios workshop

• Section 5 sets out the strategic vision and

objectives for the town centre

• Section 6 details a proposed action plan, organised

around eight key themes

• Section 7 contains recommendations on

development and delivery of the action plan

1.21 The report is accompanied by six annexes:

• Annex 1: a concise policy review focusing in

particular on the planning context

• Annex 2: a review of recent studies of Paisley town

centre

• Annex 3: a review of data on socio-economic

conditions in Paisley

• Annex 4: an updated report (May 2006) by Ryden on

the Paisley property market

• Annex 5: a report (by MRC McLean Hazel) on

transport and access issues

• Annex 6: documented case studies of four

comparator towns: Doncaster, Halifax, Scunthorpe

and Taunton.

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2.1 In this section we review the background to the study,

focusing on three key themes:

• socio-economic conditions in Paisley

• the planning policy context, and

• recent previous studies of the town centre

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

2.2 Paisley had a population of 75,870 at the time of the 2001

Census, making it the sixth largest urban settlement in

Scotland, and accounting for about 44% of the population

of Renfrewshire. Like much of west central Scotland, the

Council area has been experiencing population decline, and

is forecast to lose a further 7,400 residents by 2016.

2.3 The resident population of Paisley Central Ward in 2001 was

3,508, down 8.9% since 1991.

2.4 The principal town centre employment locations are in the

Paisley Central and Seedhill wards. The Annual Business

Inquiry shows that there were about 11,000 employee jobs

in these two wards in 2004. More than two-thirds of these

jobs were concentrated in four sectors:

b a c k g r o u n da n d c o n t e x t

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• retail and wholesale trade (22%)

• public administration (16%)

• business services (15%)

• education (15%).

POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLD

2.5 Compared with Scotland as a whole, Paisley has:

• more single person households: 38.8% in Paisley

(Scotland 32.9%), with a particularly high proportion

accounted for by people below pension age (23.1%/

Scoltand 17.9%)

• fewer detached houses (10.2%/Scotland 20.4%)

and more households living in flats and apartments

(51.4%/Scotland 35.6%)

• relatively low levels of home ownership (57.5%/

Scotland 62.6%) and an above average number of

households living in Council and other social rented

housing

• a less cosmopolitan population: 92.9% were born in

Scotland (Scotland 87.2%) and only 2.2 % were born

in Europe or the rest of the world (Scotland 3.4%)

• a broadly similar age profile

• relatively low levels of car ownership: 44.6% of

households do not have a car (Scotland 34.2%) and

there are only 0.7 cars per household (Scotland 0.9)

• more people live in overcrowded houses: 15.3%

live in households with too few rooms per resident

(Scotland 11.7%)

• an above average share of lone parent households

(8.5%/Scotland 6.9%).

HEALTH


• slightly fewer people in good health (65.8%/

Scotland 67.9%)

• slightly more people with a limiting long term

illness (22.0%/Scotland 20.3%)

The Cross

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• a higher economic inactivity rate (see below) and a

higher proportion of the economically inactive who

are permanently sick or disabled (24.7%/Scotland

21.3%).

EMPLOYMENT


• a broadly similar economic activity profile, but with:

- more people in full-time employment

- fewer people in self-employment

- slightly more retired people

- fewer students

- more people who are economically inactive

because of sickness or disability

- more very long term (3-6 years+) unemployed:

(12.2%/Scotland 9.9%)

• a broadly similar industry profile for employed

residents, but with:

- fewer people working in primary/extractive

industries

- more people working in manufacturing,

transport and health/social work

• a broadly similar occupation profile, but with:

- slightly more people working in administrative/

secretarial occupations

- slightly fewer people working skilled trade

occupations

- slightly more people working in process and

elementary occupations.

EDUCATION


• more households where no one aged 16-74 has

qualifications or is in full-time education (35.6%/

Scotland 33.1%):

- 35.0% have no qualifications (Scotland 33.2%)

- 17.0% have a Level 4 qualification (19.5%)

• a lower proportion of 16-18 years olds are in full-

time education (58.9%/Scotland 69.5%).

White Cart frontage

10

COMMENTARY

2.9 These headline figures from the 2001 Census suggest that

Paisley is less prosperous than Scotland as a whole. The

most marked differences relate to household composition,

housing tenure, the quality of the housing stock and car

ownership.

2.10 However, Paisley is a very mixed community, with pockets

of acute deprivation and poverty balanced by other areas

of relative comfort and prosperity. An analysis of the

2004 Scottish Index of Deprivation (SIMD) highlights the

concentration of poverty in housing schemes throughout

Paisley.

2.11 In Figure 2-1 the areas shaded brown and pink are among

the most deprived datazones in Scotland. The map is

based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD)

and shows that the town centre is ringed by deprived

neighbourhoods. Poverty is particularly intense in St

James and Ferguslie Park, but there are a number of other

deprived inner areas, including Foxbar, Hunterhill, Seedhill,

Gallowhill, Moorpark and Shortroods.

Figure 2-1: Incidence of multiple deprivation: Paisley, by datazone

Source: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, 2004

2.12 The Scottish Executive has generated rankings at ward level,

which show that:

• St James (ranked 11th out of 1,222) and Ferguslie

(29th) are among the 5% most deprived wards in

Scotland

• Shortroods (100th) is among the 10% most deprived

• Sandyford, Seedhill, Paisley Central, Brediland,

Saucel & Hunterhill and Foxbar wards are among the

20% most deprived.

2.13 These deprived neighbourhoods account for a very

significant proportion of the town centre catchment

population, including residents who (because they are on

low incomes and/or do not have access to a car) are most

likely to remain loyal to Paisley town centre as a shopping

and leisure location.

2.14 We can infer that people living in the more prosperous

residential areas of Paisley are more likely to be able to

exercise choice about where they shop and spend their

leisure time. These higher income individuals are more

likely to have transferred part or all of their custom to

Braehead or Glasgow city centre.

2.15 This analysis is consistent with and supports the thrust of

the property market review supplied by Ryden as well as

the findings of a shopper survey carried out by DTZ Pieda in

2004. It shows that, in addition to the economic, social and

market forces that are putting pressure on all town centres,

Paisley is catering for low income markets, with inevitable

consequences for the scale and nature of demand.

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p a i s l e y t o w n c e n t r e s t u d y : a s t r a t e g y f o r r e g e n e r a t i o n a n d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n | 1 1

POLICY CONTEXT

2.16 National planning policy has long recognised the challenges

facing Scotland’s towns and cities and, over an extended

period, a sequential test has been applied to protect and

preserve the role of town centres by restricting out of town

and edge of town developments. In practice, however, these

policies have been a failure: approvals have been granted

for a number of regional-scale out of town shopping and

leisure centres, as well as numerous retail parks and food

stores. These new retail and leisure locations account for an

increasing proportion of consumer spend, while traditional

town centres have continued to decline.

2.17 It can be argued that the policy objectives of vital and viable

town centres have not been delivered because, either:

• the objectives are unrealistic and fly in the face of

market realities and investor/consumer preferences,

or

• decision makers have lacked the will and/or

resources to resist pressure from developers and

operators for out of town development.

2.18 These matters are beyond the scope of the present study,

but they highlight the need to treat a nominally supportive

policy context with a degree of caution. There has been a

big gap between stated policy aspirations and the reality

on the ground, and it is not clear whether policy will be

enforced more rigorously in the next 5-10 years than in the

past.

2.19 The most recent statement of Scottish Executive policy

objectives is contained in the consultation draft of SPP8:

Town Centres, published in August 2005. SPP8 states that

the Executive’s key objectives for town centres are:

• promoting competitive places and encouraging

regeneration

• enabling communities to have access to a range of

shopping, leisure and other services

• improving the physical quality of town centre

environments

• improving access and reducing car dependency by

supporting development in accessible locations.

2.20 Based on these performance measures, the performance of

Paisley town centre in the past decade has been, at best,

mixed. On the negative side:

New Street from Church Hill

12

• there has been a significant decline in the

competitive advantage of Paisley town centre,

reflected in the closure of key retailers and high

vacancy rates

• vacancy rates are particularly high in secondary

retail streets, but the malaise is also affecting the

prime pitch, including the Paisley Centre

• there a number of gap sites and numerous derelict,

dilapidated and under-used buildings.

2.21 However, the ten-year balance sheet also reveals some

positive changes, including:

• evidence of market adjustment, reflected in the rise

of the low price value retail sector

• completion of a high quality pedestrianisation and

public realm scheme, including improved public

transport infrastructure

• refurbishment of the Council’s South Building

• completion of the student union in Storie Street

• success of farmers’ markets in County Square

• significant investment on the town centre fringes,

notably at Mile End and Anchor Mill.

2.22 The draft SPP8 puts a greater emphasis on the mix of

activities and uses in town centres and on creating a sense

of place and identity. Retail and leisure are still seen as key

activities, but – in an implicit acknowledgement of the new

market realities – the policy also focuses on the potential

contribution of business space, community facilities,

culture, tourism and civic space.

2.23 This renewed emphasis on the diversity of town centres is

also reflected in proposed revisions to the Glasgow and the

Clyde Valley Structure Plan, published in October 20051,

which give more explicit recognition to the economic,

administrative, educational and cultural roles of the

region’s principal town centres.

2.24 The revised plan concludes that there is no quantitative

requirement for additional convenience or comparison

retail space in Paisley, but that up to 25,000 m² of new

provision might be justified on qualitative grounds. Paisley

is identified as a strategic business centre and the plan

also highlights the potential contribution to town centre

regeneration of the university.

1 Draft Finalised Supplementary Written Statement, October 2005

Page and Park’s new student union building in Storie Street

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2.25 The current Renfrewshire Local Plan (2002) confirms the

policy of protecting the retail function of the town centre,

although recent retail consents have been granted at Anchor

Mill and Love Streets.

COMMENTARY

2.26 A more detailed account of the policy environment is

contained in Annex 1. Planning policies designed to protect

the role and status of Scotland’s town centres have failed to

stem the tide. Nowhere is this more strikingly demonstrated

than in Paisley, where the already evident decline in the

quality and status of the town centre has been exacerbated

by the arrival of the Braehead shopping and leisure

complex. Another major regional centre, Silverburn, will

open for business in 2007 and will inevitably compound the

competitive threat.

2.27 These major planning decisions may have conferred net

benefits on the city region, but it cannot be denied that they

have had a negative impact on Paisley. Equally, it needs to

be recognised that Paisley’s decline pre-dates Braehead.

The key point is that, as far as out of town retail and leisure

are concerned, the genie is out of the bottle. Braehead and,

soon, Silverburn are facts, and any sustainable strategy

for the regeneration of Paisley town centre needs to

acknowledge this reality.

2.28 We are therefore encouraged by the pragmatic tone of

SPP8 and the revised structure plan. Their emphasis on

encouraging diversity and cultivating a range of activities

and uses as the best ways to promote vitality and viability

is sensible and realistic, and we expect to see this approach

reflected in local planning policy and its day-to-day

implementation.

2.29 An appropriate and sustainable level of retail and leisure

will, of course, continue to be an important part of the

town centre offer, but they need to be complemented by a

renewed emphasis on, for example:

• town centre businesses

• civic and administrative functions

• teaching and research

• culture and tourism.

2.30 SPP8 notes that developing a rich mix of activities

also requires action to enhance the place quality and

inclusiveness of town centres by, for example:

former Arnotts store in Gauze Street

14

• improving the physical environment

• promoting quality design

• creating safe and attractive public spaces

• improving accessibility by all modes of transport.

2.31 This agenda has influenced the development of the strategy

set out in the following pages. However, implementing the

vision of a mixed use town centre (including an increase in

residential development, although this does not form part of

the SPP8 agenda) will still require strong policy direction to

counteract trends including:

• dispersal of modern offices to edge of town/out of

town locations

• shift of some public sector services from town

centres to neighbourhood delivery

• new approaches to higher education delivery

tending to undermine the social aspects of university

life.

2.32 A key message of SPP8 is the need for town centre strategies

to provide a detailed framework for action. The draft

suggests that strategies should:

• indicate the scope for change through

redevelopment, renewal, alternative uses and

diversification

• consider the constraints to their implementation

• identify clear actions, tools and delivery

mechanisms

• promote new opportunities for development, using

masterplanning and design exercises, and

• recommend arrangements for monitoring change.

2.33 This report meets these criteria, although further detailed

work will still be required to progress the priorities for action

identified in section 6.

office premises at Abbey Mill

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RECENT STUDIES

2.34 This study is the latest in a series of studies commissioned

by the Vision Board and the key partners since 2000. The

key findings and recommendations are described in more

detail in Annex 2.

PAISLEY OFFICE MARKET REVIEW

2.35 This study by Ryden (2002) reviewed the office market in

the whole town, not just the town centre. It concluded that

out of town and edge of town centre locations were most

active, but that the town centre had a role to play. The report

recommended that:

• office development should be promoted at well

located strategic sites

• the quality of town centre offices should be improved

• the area north of the railway should be assessed for

its suitability as a quality inner city business park.

PAISLEY RETAIL STUDY

2.36 This study by DTZ Pieda (2002) included a survey of town

centre users which confirmed that shopping was the main

purpose of 58% of visits, followed by work (11%), financial

services (9%) and social/leisure (9%). The survey showed

that local residents were much less likely to use the town

centre for shopping trips than at the time of the previous

survey (1994); for example:

• respondents using the town centre for their main

food shopping: down from 37% to 16%

• respondents using the town centre to buy clothing

and fashion: down from 40% to 18%

• respondents using the town centre to buy household

goods: down from 41% to 15%.

2.37 This collapse in customer loyalty was accounted for by

leakage to a combination of Braehead, Glasgow and retail

parks. The main reported advantage of the town centre was

that it was close to home; the main complaint was the poor

range of shops.

2.38 The issues highlighted in the retail study helped to shape

the agenda for the Paisley Vision operating plan.

THE FLOWERING OF PAISLEY

2.39 This study by EDI examined the feasibility of developing

a university quarter in Paisley. It discussed the declining

fortunes of Paisley town centre, and identified factors

including:

• the impact of the town’s negative image, especially

on the residential market

• the declining market for traditional town centre flats

and the need to improve the tenement stock

• an oversupply of retail space at secondary locations

and the Piazza Centre

• the impact of Braehead on town centre trade

• the small number of students living in the town.

2.40 The report identified a number of regeneration

opportunities, including:

• building a critical mix and mass of retail, hotels,

restaurants and cafes

• creating a well-rounded town centre experience,

16

making better use of arts and cultural attractions

• flagship housing developments

• concentrating university development in the town

centre, including residential accommodation

• developing arts studios and workshops

• commissioning innovative, high quality buildings.

2.41 The report set out a master plan for the town centre, based

on four zones:

• Oakshaw: the university old town

• Piazza/County Square: transport hub

• the abbey environs: civic landscape.

2.42 The fourth zone would be a university quarter, based on

the university campus, but pushing out into neighbouring

streets to create business space, studios and retail

opportunities.

2.43 These proposals were indicative, and the report called for

more detailed project appraisals to be undertaken. It also

recommended the formation of a public-private joint venture

company to drive forward the key developments.

POTENTIAL RE-USE OF UPPER FLOORS

2.44 This report by Halcrow (2000) identified opportunities to

convert vacant upper floors above shops into flats. This

might create up to 30 units in the High Street/Gilmour Street

area, with opportunities to extend the pilot scheme into

other parts of the town centre.

WEST END REGENERATION STUDY

2.45 This 2005 study by ODS and Roger Tym & Partners examined

conditions in an area centred on Wellmeadow Street, Well

Street and Broomlands Street. Retail trade in this former

suburban centre had declined “drastically”, and the area

was now predominantly residential.

2.46 The study described conditions in the West End, which were

characterised by:

• a high proportion of flats, many in the social rented

sector

University Campus

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• low housing demand and high turnover

• low sales values

• a significant private rented sector linked to the

university

• a degraded urban environment

• high levels of deprivation, crime, drug abuse and

anti-social behaviour.

2.47 The report recommended the adoption of an area

development framework (ADF) which should be delivered

by a multi-agency partnership. A core of neighbourhood

shopping should be retained, but the focus should be on

housing-related initiatives, including:

• an estate management agreement

• including the image of the area

• increasing the quality and choice of housing.

Canal Street

18

COMMENTARY

2.48 The Paisley Vision Board partners have commissioned a

number of studies in recent years. Some progress has

been made, but the underlying problems remain. This is

understandable: the drivers of change in Paisley town

centre are powerful and hard to influence. In our view,

there has been a mismatch between the scale of the

challenge in Paisley and the public sector response,

both strategically and in terms of the level of resources

committed. We recognise that the partners have to deal with

competing spending priorities. However, the fact remains

that Paisley needs to achieve transformational change if it

is to break out of the current cycle of decline; the Paisley

Vision partners will need to champion the change process

and make a significant financial commitment in order to

stimulate private sector investment in the town centre.

2.49 In preparing the present report, we have sought to

build upon the work already undertaken by others and

– where appropriate – embed it in our own proposals and

recommendations. At the same time we have aimed to focus

our attention specifically on the town centre. We broadly

endorse recommendations from some of the previous

reports which provide useful context for our proposals. For

example:

• in their previous report, Ryden identified an area

north of the town centre (in the Cart Corridor)

as a potential inner city business park2: our

recommendations on business space aim to

complement that approach by treating the town

centre as the preferred location for start ups, spin-

outs, micro-businesses, civic and administrative

uses

• we have not attempted to second guess the recent

ODS/RTP study of the West End, but we see this area

as an important gateway to the town centre, with the

potential to mesh more closely with the university:

regeneration of this neighbourhood would therefore

complement the proposals contained in this report.

2.50 The DTZ Pieda retail study has to some degree been

overtaken by events, and the more recent market analysis

(which covers other sectors as well) by Ryden which

accompanies this report. However, it remains exceedingly

valuable for its insights into the perceptions and behaviour

of town centre users, and the transfer of custom to more

attractive alternatives. It would be useful to conduct a new

2We understand that this recommendation is broadly in line with emerging proposals for the

Glasgow Airport Zone which is the subject of a separate report by EKOS

survey after Silverburn has opened for business.

2.51 The EDI study on the Flowering of Paisley is in some ways

closest to the present study in terms of its scope and

aspirations. Much of the analysis is admittedly broad brush

and less rigorously evidence based, and the consultants

acknowledge that their recommendations are “concepts”

that require further development and appraisal. The present

study provides a much more detailed evidence base and

our proposals are more fully developed, although they will

require further work.

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p a i s l e y t o w n c e n t r e s t u d y : a s t r a t e g y f o r r e g e n e r a t i o n a n d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n | 1 �

3.1 There has been a mood of pessimism about the performance

of Paisley town centre. This is understandable in the light

of recent events, but the partners recognise that there is

a danger that it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The

town’s negative image and reputation, combined with a lack

of confidence in the private and public sectors could feed

and accelerate a cycle of decline.

3.2 In the early stages of the study we discussed our approach

with the Paisley Vision Board, and agreed that it was

important to use the process to set a more positive and

optimistic tone, to challenge the prevailing mood and create

a climate of confidence in Paisley.

3.3 We noted, for example, that although the High Street and

the retail core have struggled in recent years, there has been

some major investment in the town centre fringes (notably

at Mile End and Anchor Mill) and prospects in some market

sectors, notably residential, are relatively positive.

3.4 We also enumerated some of Paisley town centre’s

strengths and assets, for example:

• it is a large town – the sixth largest urban area in

Scotland – with an extensive catchment

• it is an important employment centre with a diverse

t o w n c e n t r e :c o n d i t i o n s + p r o s p e c t s

3

study area

20

economy playing an important role in the wider city

region

• Paisley has fine townscape and architecture, and a

rich history and heritage

• there is an ambitious new university with a town

centre campus and plans for merger and expansion

• successful regeneration of the town centre fringes

has introduced a new generation of small and micro

businesses as well as luxury housing

• Oakshaw is an outstanding conservation area and a

popular and distinctive residential enclave

• Paisley is close to Glasgow‘s dynamic city economy

and an international airport

• there are excellent road and public transport

linkages to Glasgow, the Clyde coast and the central

belt.

3.5 These are advantages that many other towns in Scotland and

the rest of the UK cannot match. Paisley is, unmistakably, a

special place, with a distinctive character and personality.

We cannot afford to ignore or discount some of the troubling

symptoms of decline, but Paisley is arguably better

placed than most of its peers to become a successful and

sustainable 21st century town centre.

3.6 The study has examined how these assets can be leveraged

to create new opportunities to revitalise the heart of the

town – as a retail centre, but also as a centre of learning, a

place for leisure and recreation, a business location and a

residential community. Diversification into new uses and

activities will provide the foundation for the new Paisley.

TOWN CENTRES IN THE 21ST CENTURY

3.7 The challenges facing Paisley are typical of the problems

experienced by many medium sized towns in the UK. The

declining quality and status of high street shopping is only

the most visible symptom: many places have also seen a

decline in civic functions, leisure and entertainment and

professional and business services. Town centres are no

longer at the heart of community life in the way they were a

generation or two before. This raises fundamental questions

about the purpose, role and functions of town centres in the

21st century.

3.8 A number of factors have served to undermine the

traditional role of town centres. Four key, inter-connected

Town Hall

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factors are among the most important:

• UK society is more prosperous than ever before, and

most people have experienced a long term rise in

living standards and disposable income: this means

that citizens consume more goods and services, and

have more choice about where and how they spend

• increasingly, we are a society of empowered

consumers of goods and services: as disposable

income has increased so discretionary expenditure –

on comparison goods, leisure, recreation and culture

– has grown

• there has been a dramatic increase in personal

mobility: more people own cars and we drive more

than ever before – to work, to shop and for leisure

and recreation

• these trends have created the conditions for a

dramatic rise in out of town development: new

centres of consumption on the fringes of every urban

centre in the UK: supermarkets on the edge of towns,

regional shopping and leisure centres and business

parks.

3.9 Together, these forces – which have been unfolding over

several decades - have had a transformational effect on the

urban hierarchy. Previously, people had little choice but to

“go to town” to shop, visit the bank or go to the pub, but in

an era of unprecedented choice and rising aspirations town

centres now need to compete with the attractions of major

cities and out of town shopping and leisure centres. Instead

of buying groceries in local shops, we drive to supermarkets

and fill a trolley: on average, we make fewer shopping trips

a week, but we buy in bulk. The impact of internet shopping

is also beginning to make itself felt: the value of UK internet

sales is closing in on total sales in department stores.

3.10 Meanwhile, businesses have been leaving traditional town

centre locations and moving to more convenient modern

space on the edge of town. Banks and building societies

have been closing their high street branches, moving the

customer interface to telephone and online services, and

consolidating staff in back office locations and contact

centres.

3.11 The result of these powerful economic and social trends

has been a dramatic diminution of the role and status of

small and medium-sized towns. Their share of retail and

leisure expenditure has been squeezed as consumers have

transferred their loyalty to the resurgent big cities; and to

the value, convenience and improving quality of out of town

centres. People have decided that traditional town centres

Sma’ Shot Cottages

22

cannot compete, and they have been voting with their feet

– and their wallets.

3.12 Of course, not everyone is sharing in Britain’s wealth and

prosperity. A significant minority of people are excluded.

Traditional town centres are increasingly dependent on a

captive market of people who are too old, too young or too

poor to exercise the choices that the rest of society can

make. This is a key factor in Paisley, where the town centre

is ringed by low income neighbourhoods, whose residents

are more likely – through lack of choice – to remain “loyal”

to the town centre than people living in more prosperous

areas.

3.13 In Paisley, like many other towns, department stores (often

much-loved institutions) have closed, and many of the top

multiple stores have left town. This is reflected in vacancies

in Paisley’s prime retail pitch: a third of the units in the

Paisley Centre are empty.

3.14 The problem is compounded because shop units in the old

town centres are often small and inconvenient to service:

they cannot compete with the large, flexible floorplates and

dedicated service access available at out of town locations.

3.15 In the face of these events, the market adjusts more or

less successfully. Town centre vacancy rates have risen in

response to new competition, but over time new occupiers

emerge. In some high income areas these have included

independent specialist shops, but typically premium retail

brands are being replaced by value stores, amusement

arcades and similar activities.

3.16 This is a market response to changing conditions; at least in

the medium term, it will be the defining trend in Paisley’s

retail offer. We can see the rise of value retail in the Piazza

Centre and Causeyside Street, but also now in the High

Street. The problem is that the quality and presentation of

these new occupiers tends to have a negative impact on the

town’s image and ambience. This can be seen as the start

of a vicious circle, undermining the confidence of existing

occupiers and deterring new investment except at the

budget end of the market.

3.17 However, without value retailing, conditions would be even

worse. The only sustainable response is to acknowledge the

market realities while at the same time stimulating demand

for higher order goods and services by increasing visits and

footfall, especially by higher earners and more sophisticated

consumers.

3.18 This is the difficult background to the present study. What

has happened in Paisley in the past decade is reflected in

towns of similar size and type throughout the UK. Nowhere

top: Gauze Street below: County Square

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is immune to these powerful forces and it would complacent

and dishonest to suggest that there are any easy answers to

a complex challenge.

3.19 What is needed is a radical and fundamental re-appraisal

of the future role and function of Paisley and other town

centres. Paisley’s future cannot lie in a return to the past:

the world has changed fundamentally and traditional town

centres need to find a new raison d’être. In our view, Paisley

is better placed than most to make a change by virtue of its

size, townscape quality and assets.

SHOPPING IN PAISLEY

3.20 Traditional town centres have been exposed to fierce

competition from major city centres and out of town

retailing. The challenges for Paisley are particularly acute

because the town is in the catchment area for Glasgow

– consistently ranked second after London as the UK’s top

retail location – and the Braehead shopping centre.

3.21 These competitive pressures will be compounded when the

1m square feet, £350m Silverburn shopping centre opens

for business at Pollok in autumn 2007. Silverburn will be the

fourth largest shopping centre in Scotland, after Glasgow,

Edinburgh and Aberdeen; Debenhams, Marks & Spencer

and Tesco have been signed up as anchor tenants, and the

centre aims to attract up-market high street fashion and

other multiples, as well as various leisure facilities.

3.22 Paisley’s town centre retailers cannot be expected to resist

this array of competitive forces. The town centre has been

“trading down” over an extended period, and the rate of

decline has accelerated in the past 2-3 years, culminating

in the recent closures of Arnotts and Littlewoods, and the

impending loss of the Co-op department store. Marks and

Spencer and WH Smith still occupy their traditional pitches

at the heart of the town, but elsewhere Paisley has been

losing a war of attrition as familiar brands depart the town

and are replaced by value retailers.

3.23 The retail vacancy rate – though still high at around 20%

of units3 – had been declining as the market adjusted to

the effects of competition from Braehead. The closures

of Littlewoods, the Co-op, Etam and others will push

the vacancy rate up again, and the low level of retailer

requirements reflects a lack of market confidence. A third of

the units in the Paisley Centre are vacant, and the large Co-

op store will close shortly. Renfrewshire Council has been

very active, working alongside owners to try to attract new

tenants.

3 This represents 12% of floorspace, reflecting very high vacancy rates in secondary locations. However, this pattern will shift as the effects of large scale closures feed through the system.

3.24 Ryden report that prime retail rents in Paisley increased by

11% between 2000 and 2006 while the Scottish average

rose by 12%. However, substantial incentives such as

rent-free periods are being offered, reflecting low demand.

There are only nine national retailers currently seeking town

centre pitches, and Paisley has declined from the 148th most

required town in the UK, to 411th in 2005.

3.25 Nevertheless, the market has responded to these conditions

and departing high street names have been replaced by

value retailing, especially in the Piazza Centre. Vacancy

rates in the Piazza Centre remain relatively high, but

are declining, and there is a sense that this location

has adjusted more successfully to Paisley’s changed

circumstances than the High Street or the Paisley Centre.

3.26 In the short to medium term the prospects for retail in

Paisley are not good. The situation may well get worse

before it gets better. Planned diversification at Braehead,

the opening of Silverburn in 2007 and the consent

granted for a superstore at Love Street will all ratchet

up the pressure on the town centre. National retailers

will inevitably review their positions in the light of these

events and in advance of lease expiries. Some secondary

locations are already beyond the point of no return, for

example in Wellmeadow Street and at the south end of

Causeyside Street, and here vacant units may need to revert

24

shopping in Paisley

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pubs and restaurants in Paisley

26

offices in Paisley

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residential in Paisley

28

to alternative uses, although this will be a complex process.

3.27 Faced with these pressures, a sensible course might well

be to consolidate retail in the heart of the town centre,

and actively encourage secondary locations to shift to new

uses. The town needs to adapt more quickly to change, but

this strategy may be constrained by:

• the modest level of demand for residential,

commercial and other uses in these transitional

locations

• the lack of incentives for institutional investors to

reduce rents of upgrade vacant premises

• the complex building configuration and tenure of

traditional tenement buildings.

MARKET TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES

3.28 The commercial leisure market has followed a similar

trajectory to retail, with a very high share of expenditure

going to Glasgow and out of town locations; the opening of

X-Scape at Braehead has introduced a major new attraction

for local residents and the wider catchment area, and

Silverburn will also have a significant leisure component.

3.29 Leisure developments in Paisley can be expected to serve

an overwhelmingly local catchment, although there is

always the possibility that a nightclub or restaurant will

gain a wider reputation. We are seeing the development of a

“convenience” leisure offer based on bars, restaurants and

cafes.

3.30 The quality and market positioning of the offer will reflect

the changing demography of the town’s resident and

daytime populations. An increase in footfall, and in the

number of high income households and high wage jobs in

the centre of Paisley, will create more aspirational consumer

demand and encourage entrepreneurs. The same effect

could feed into speciality retail.

3.31 Similarly, a revival in Paisley’s fortunes as a business

centre (and an expansion of commercialisation activity at

the university) may help to create opportunities for a town

centre hotel, perhaps associated with a health and fitness

club.

3.32 There has been steady growth in the supply of office space

in recent years, driven by conversions and redevelopments

on the town centre fringes. The town has a total office stock

of about 100,000 sq m, in 500 units. Vacancy rates are very

high, with 68 units (14% of stock) available offering a total

of 27,000 sq m of floorspace (27%)4. Vacancy rates are

particularly high for larger units.

3.33 The increase in the amount of flexible, relatively low cost

space has created volatile market conditions, but it has

undoubtedly added to the vitality of the town. Conversion

of existing buildings (for example, Mile End and Mirren

Chambers) is viable in a market where office rentals are

sub-marginal for new-build developments, and there may be

opportunities to introduce new supply into the heart of the

town.

3.34 The market for good quality office space is very competitive.

Ryden advise that Braehead Business Park and the edge

of town centre Anchor One developments will satisfy much

of the local and mobile demand for space in the near term,

although the action plan (section 6) identifies opportunities

for commercialisation activity and public sector relocations

to boost demand for town centre locations.

3.35 The residential market has been strong in Paisley in recent

years, and has played a key role in regeneration on the

town centre fringes, for example, at Oakshaw and Anchor

Mill. Residential development will have a key role to play in

reviving the heart of the town. In this respect, Renfrewshire

4This excludes Renfrewshire Council’s North Building, which will be replaced by residential development.

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Council’s decision to offer the 1.15 ha site of the North

Building in Cotton Street for residential development could

be vitally important. Creating a high quality residential

enclave around the abbey will be a defining challenge for

the new Paisley.

3.36 Glasgow Airport is not included in the study area, but is

the subject of a separate study. It is one of the area’s key

economic assets, although efforts to establish the airport

as a catalyst for local development have met with mixed

fortunes. For the purposes of this study, two issues should

be highlighted:

• the planned rail link between Gilmour Street and the

airport will strengthen Paisley’s status as a gateway

to and from Scotland: although many passengers will

simply pass through Paisley, others will access the

airport using inter-connecting rail, coach and bus

services (we return to this below)

• the north end of the Cart Corridor continues to

represent the best opportunity to create a modern

business district serving the airport zone and

providing space for Scottish and international

businesses.

URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISAL

3.37 Although many of the challenges facing Paisley are common

to most towns of its size and type, the study has also

analysed the distinctive place qualities of Paisley town

centre. We believe that Paisley is better placed to respond

to the challenge of change than most of its peer group

precisely because it has physical features and attributes

that they lack.

3.38 Paisley has a somewhat tired and lived-in look, but it is a

handsome town, with some distinguished historic buildings,

fine townscape (including a skyline of towers), splendid

public statues and a riverside setting. It has a rich history

and heritage, reflected in the built form of the town, and its

museum collections. Major roads and developments have

had an impact on the town, but left the historic centre more

or less intact.

3.39 However, the quality and integrity of the urban form tends to

fall away on the edges of the town centre:

• the area immediately north of the railway (Niddry

Street, Weir Street and Old Sneddon Street) is

entirely dominated by traffic which – combined with

the barrier effect of the Gilmour Street wall – is a

severe constraint on development opportunities

• the West End – which has itself been the subject

of a recent study – has fallen on hard times: local

shopping has almost collapsed, leaving a legacy of

vacant and derelict buildings on Wellmeadow Street;

housing in this area is unpopular and characterised

by low prices and high tenant turnover

• the eastern edge of the town centre is a transitional

zone: the closure of the Arnott’s store had a major

impact on this area, and the area bounded by

Smithhills Street, Gauze Street, Incle Street and the

railway is largely vacant and derelict, although there

is still a parade of shops and commercial premises

on the north side of Gauze Street.

3.40 Paisley has a new university, with a large student body

including a growing number of overseas students who

are beginning to give the town a more cosmopolitan feel.

However, the consensus of opinion is that Paisley is still a

town with a university: it has not yet acquired the character

of a true university town. There are a number of reasons for

this:

• a high proportion of Paisley’s students are local

residents who commute from home to study rather

than live in the town

30

• a significant proportion of the available student

accommodation is in out of town locations

• like other universities of its generation Paisley aims

to optimise utilisation of its estate: the timetable

aims to fill blocks of student time, and to discourage

“downtime” on campus

• the campus, though located close to the heart of

Paisley, does not encourage interaction between

town and gown: it is an enclosed area that

contributes little to the public realm or to a more

permeable urban form.

3.41 These are constraints that must be recognised. Paisley is

not a traditional seat of learning and a conscious effort will

be required to promote integration with the life and work

of the community. Nevertheless, all parties have an interest

in encouraging integration, especially at a stage when the

university is planning to expand (through merger with Bell

College) and, in all probability, re-brand:

• the university needs to offer a more stylish,

enjoyable and lively urban environment – including

attractive places for students to live – if it is to

succeed in the increasingly competitive higher

morphology

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education market, and attract the best students,

researchers and academic staff

• the town needs to cultivate the university as one of

its most important economic and cultural assets, and

a key driver of change and regeneration.

3.42 Paisley town centre has the potential to become an

attractive and special place, making a valued contribution

to the life of the community and the wider region. However,

we are aware that this is not the popular image of Paisley,

and that the town has suffered over many years from a

bad press and a negative reputation. Our consultations

confirmed that the town is too readily associated with

violent crime, drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, heart

disease and other social ills.

3.43 Whether or not this is “fair” is immaterial. The perception

is that Paisley is a town in crisis and this will only change

when the town has good news to tell and achievements

to celebrate. This takes time: Dundee has achieved a

remarkable turnaround in the past 15 years, but it has taken

a long time to shake off the old image of poverty and bad

labour relations.

3.44 Crucially, Paisley needs to help itself. In this report we have

highlighted concerns about litter, vandalism, graffiti and

character areas

32

anti-social behaviour – as well as the presence of derelict

buildings and long-term gap sites. The town has made a

big (and, in our view, successful) investment in the public

realm, but this has not been matched by a commitment to

the proper management and maintenance of streets and

public spaces.

3.45 Successful places create a sense of comfort and well-being,

but Paisley still presents an image of shabbiness and

neglect. For example:

• the squalid pedestrian underpass linking Seedhill

and the town centre

• streets and alleys in the Oakshaw area strewn with

glass

• litter and rubbish in the river next to the town hall,

and in public spaces.

3.46 There is a challenge here for the Council, property owners

and traders. Despite the difficulties facing the town there

has been a lot of investment in Paisley – by the private

and the public sector – in the past decade. But poor

maintenance, crime and anti-social behaviour undermine

the effectiveness of this investment, and determine users’

experience and impressions of the town.

physical characteristics

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3.47 The monthly farmers’ markets are an undoubted success,

but there are not enough events and activities to animate

the town centre or to create an expectation among potential

visitors that, if they go to town, there will be “something

going on”. We recognise that the straitened circumstances

of many town centre retailers make it difficult to enlist

private sector support and sponsorship, but a partnership

effort is required to create a climate of optimism and

confidence.

TRANSPORT AND ACCESS

3.48 MRC McLean Hazel has reviewed transport and access

issues in the study area. Their analysis has confirmed that

while the town is generally well-connected to Glasgow

and the wider region, the quality of much of the transport

infrastructure leaves much to be desired. A number of

general points can be highlighted:

• the town centre is almost encircled by dual

carriageways and the north side is bounded by the

Gilmour Street wall: as in many towns, the roads

infrastructure isolates the centre of the town from

the surrounding neighbourhoods and business

locations

views and landmarks

34

• points of entry to the town are generally unattractive

and unwelcoming and – for drivers – hard to

navigate

• the town is generously provided with public transport

services, but the quality of infrastructure and

services is variable.

3.49 Pedestrian access to the town centre is relatively

straightforward, but it is an inhospitable experience. All

the principal routes into town involve crossing major roads,

and waiting times at pedestrian crossings are often lengthy.

Entry points under the railway or through underpasses are

unpleasant and sometimes intimidating.

3.50 Extensive pedestrianisation means that walking in the town

centre is a more positive experience, although we have

observed (and had reports of) anti-social behaviour in the

principal streets. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there are

concerns about crime and safety, especially on the fringes of

the town centre and out of hours.

3.51 It has been reported that some retailers and other

stakeholders believe that pedestrianisation has been a

cause of Paisley’s retail decline, although it should be

noted that this view was not expressed at the scenarios

Central Road Town Centre transport

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workshop. We have not been able to test this proposition

in the course of this study, but in our opinion (and

based on the experience of other towns) it is unlikely

to be a significant factor. However, the upkeep of the

pedestrianised area, through proactive management and

maintenance, is vital: good housekeeping helps to create

a climate of confidence among traders and a sense of well-

being among visitors (see para 3.44).

3.52 It is demonstrably the case that shoppers today prefer

car-free environments, whether in malls or pedestrianised

streets. However, especially in fragile retail environments

there is a risk that street closures or restrictions on private

cars may make access/egress problematic and deter people

from visiting the town centre. For this reason we have

recommended (in section 6) that traffic restrictions on

Smithhills Road and Gauze Street should be reviewed.

3.53 Provision for cyclists is generally poor, with a lack of cycle

lanes, strategic routes or bike storage to encourage usage.

There is reportedly very little cycle traffic in Paisley, but

this is hardly surprising in a hostile and unwelcoming

environment.

3.54 The town has an extensive array of public transport services

by rail and bus. Gilmour Street has 8 trains an hour to and

from Glasgow Central, supplemented by services on the

Paisley Canal line. Proposals for the rail link to Glasgow

Airport are also well advanced, although realising the full

benefits of Paisley’s rail connections would require a cross-

Glasgow link. Though heavily used, Paisley Gilmour Street

is an unwelcoming station, and facilities for passengers are

limited and spartan.

3.55 Paisley is the hub for an extensive network of local and

sub-regional bus routes, including services to Braehead.

Arriva is the principal operator, but there are also numerous

small operators. Some of the vehicles used by the latter

are shabby and dirty and we understand that there are also

problems with service reliability and information. The recent

town centre streetscape scheme provided good quality bus

shelters on the principal streets, but other services operate

out of the grim and forbidding Central Road bus station.

3.56 The town’s road network is extensive, though fragmented in

places. There is easy access to the M8 east and west of the

town centre, and main roads to other local centres. Driving

to and around the town is not a problem, but access to the

town centre is more problematic and appears to require a

degree of local knowledge. Drivers enter the town “through

the back door”, there is no sense of arrival, and orientation

is difficult.

3.57 A recent parking study by Buchanan suggests that parking

Gilmour Street Station

36

provision is adequate, with two multi-

storeys and some surface and street

parking. The Paisley Centre car park, though

some distance from the shops, is clean and

well-lit. By contrast Central Road is well

located but ugly and forbidding.

transport and access

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CONCLUSION

3.58 The challenges facing Paisley are complex and deep-

seated. They reflect the effects of profound economic

and societal changes which have, among other things,

undermined the traditional role of town centres and

left Paisley – like many other places of its size and type

– searching for a raison d’être in the 21st century.

3.59 This study has shown that there is a high level of awareness

and understanding among the PVB partners of these drivers

of change. We have tried to show that, far from being

unique, Paisley’s experience is typical of a whole raft of

post-industrial towns in the central belt of Scotland and

throughout the UK.

3.60 Paisley’s decline is not “somebody’s fault”. We believe

that there are things that the partners should do differently

and better, but if there was an easy answer to Paisley’s

problems someone would have found it already. The fact

is that the challenges facing town centres are complex and

intractable: there are no easy answers and no quick-fix

solutions. Indeed, as we have indicated, things may well get

worse before they get better.

3.61 However, this short review has shown that, while Paisley’s

declining status as a shopping centre is the most obvious

symptom of the present malaise, the way forward lies in

diversification: creating a rich mix of activities and uses to

replace an unsustainable retail monoculture.

3.62 We do not pretend this will be easy. As we have seen:

• leisure developments are subject to much the same

market forces as retail

• the office market – though volatile and hard to

“read” – is very competitive and there is some

evidence of over-supply, or at least of supply-

demand mismatch

• the university is an important asset, but resources

are constrained and the institution will have to

balance the estates requirements of three locations

(Paisley, Ayr and Hamilton)

• low cost space for the creative and cultural

industries may add to the diversity and urbanity of

the town centre, but will inevitably require public

sector intervention; so will new cultural assets.

3.63 Only the residential sector offers the prospect of private

sector led development on a significant scale, although

even here it is by no means certain that it will be possible

to cross-subsidise mixed use developments or investment

in the public realm and/or transport infrastructure without

public sector funding.

3.64 The clear conclusion, therefore, is that – while there is a

pressing need for an exciting vision of the future to inspire

and motivate the community and stakeholders – it will need

to be underpinned by a practical, realistic and incremental

approach to generate change in the study area, based

essentially on creating the demand-side conditions which

will boost business confidence and attract investment. This

means, for example:

• providing attractive, high quality housing which will bring high net worth individuals and households to the heart of Paisley

• bringing more students to live in the town, and encouraging more interaction between the town and the university

• delivering modern workspace that will attract knowledge-based businesses, start-ups and university spin-outs to work in the town centre, as well as larger public sector and/or head office relocations

• growing Paisley’s creative community.

38

3.65 Over an extended period, Paisley has been losing retail

trade to new and powerful competitors, and market

adjustment is leading inexorably towards a value shopping

offer catering for low income consumers in the local

catchment area; the leisure/entertainment offer has

followed a similar trajectory. At the same time, the already

small population of the central area has been reducing, and

non-retail employment has also fallen.

3.66 We recommend a strategic response which will rebuild

demand and create the conditions for new investment in

quality convenience shopping; cafes, bars and restaurants;

and – over time – the return of quality speciality shopping,

such as bookshops, fashion stores and delicatessens. The

public sector partners cannot make this happen directly:

their job is to create the conditions which will restore

market and investor confidence in Paisley.

3.67 This approach is consistent with the objectives of the draft

SPP8 as well as those of the Paisley Vision Board, namely:

• encouraging investment in retail, office, commercial, leisure and housing

• increasing footfall in the town centre

• developing Paisley as a university town

• capitalising on key buildings and spaces, and

• marketing and promotion.

3.68 This study has shown that the continuing decline of the

study area is not inevitable, and it maps out a strategy for a

more sustainable and diverse future. However, the process

of recovery will take time: it could take up to 5 years for

Paisley to turn the corner, and a decade to achieve the

transformational change described in this report.

3.69 In this period, the leadership role of the PVB partners will

be pivotal. At a time when public, political and market

confidence in the town centre is at a low ebb, the partners

have a vital role to play by:

• championing the vision of an exciting and positive future for Paisley town centre

• demonstrating their faith and commitment through proactive management of the town centre, a year-round events programme and effective marketing and promotion

• mobilising the resources of partners and funding bodies in support of the action plan

• engaging with the private sector to deliver

development and regeneration.

3.70 The partners will need to match leadership and moral

support with a substantial resource commitment. We are

well aware of the budgetary pressures facing public sector

organisations, and our strategy is therefore designed

to encourage and accelerate market adjustment, and to

stimulate private sector investment. However, it would be

misleading to suggest that the development programme

outlined here can be delivered without public sector

intervention. We return to this in Section 7.

3.71 Similarly, the proactive management regime recommended

here will require significant annual revenue funding.

Contributions may be sought from the private sector, but

the burden will inevitably fall on the Council and its public

sector partners. We recognise that this will involve tough

decisions, but in our judgement action to create a livelier,

safer, cleaner town centre – and to spread the word in the

wider catchment area – is imperative, especially in what we

anticipate will be a difficult next 2-3 years.

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they could look 10 years ahead. The purpose of this exercise

was to reveal the group’s natural agenda by identifying

some of the critical uncertainties.

4.4 Responses focused on nine key issues:

• the future of retail: what kind of shopping offer? will

there still be any major national brands?

• employment: how many jobs, and in what sectors?

• the property market: will Paisley still be running with

a high level of retail vacancies, or will the market

have adjusted to new conditions?

• residents: how many people will be living in the town

centre? what kind of social mix will there be?

• will the town centre be safe and secure, or afflicted

by crime and fear of crime?

• how will people travel to the town centre, and will

roads and public transport have been upgraded?

• will the town centre have a positive and attractive

INTRODUCTION

4.1 A first-cut analysis of the challenges facing Paisley town

centre formed the basis for discussion at a stakeholder

workshop held in March 2006. The event was attended

by about 30 people, including elected members,

representatives of the PVB partners, business leaders and

others.

4.2 The objectives of the event were:

• to reach broad agreement on a diagnosis of the

condition of the town centre and on its future

prospects

• to develop a series of future scenarios for Paisley,

analysing how they might come about and what the

implications might be, and

• taking account of the results of this exercise,

mapping out a broad strategic direction.

THE ISSUES AGENDA

4.3 In the first exercise, delegates were asked what they would

like to know about the condition of Paisley town centre if

t h e s c e n a r i o sw o r k s h o p

4

image, or will it still be run down?

• will Paisley attract more tourists and day visitors?

• how will the relationship between the university and

the town have evolved?

4.5 We used this natural agenda as a reference point throughout

the workshop, to ensure that the emerging strategy was

addressing the partners’ aspirations and concerns for

Paisley

A SUCCESSFUL PLACE?

4.6 The group was then invited to assess the Paisley town centre

experience against the six key criteria for successful places

set out in the Scottish Executive policy statement, Designing

Places:

• distinctive identity

• safe and pleasant

• easy to move around, especially on foot

40

• have a sense of welcome

• can adapt to changing conditions

• are sustainable and make good use of resources.

4.7 Five break-out groups gave Paisley marks out ten for each

of these criteria. There were some variances, but the results

were generally consistent, and the average scores were as

follows:

Criterion Score

Identity 8.2

Safety 4.0

Movement 6.4

Welcome 5.6

Adaptable 5.6

Sustainable 4.4

Total 5.7

4.8 All the groups felt that Paisley had a strong and distinctive

identity, which was reflected in its history, culture and

heritage. However, it was acknowledged that this was

a mixed blessing, and that the town was also popularly

associated with crime (hence the low scores for safety)

and a combative, confrontational attitude. The latter was

thought to be in contrast to the friendly staff in shops and

cafes, resulting in mixed scores for welcome. Scores for

movement were generally positive, reflecting the perceived

benefits of pedestrianisation.

4.9 Opinions varied on the town’s adaptability: some felt that

the town’s strong urban form lent itself to adaptive re-use;

others focused on a perceived failure to adapt to change

and competitive threats. The declining physical condition

of the town – reflected in gaps sites and the poor condition

of many buildings – was taken as evidence that the town

centre is not sustainable.

AUDITING THE ASSETS

4.10 A further plenary discussion identified existing or potential

strengths and opportunities in Paisley town centre. In a

short working session the group identified a provisional list,

which included:

• a large catchment population

• a strong (though sometimes ambiguous) brand

image

• a strong community spirit, forged in adversity

• a diverse mix of town centre activities: retail,

administration, ecclesiastical, educational etc

• a substantial employment base

• a rich history and architectural heritage

• accessibility to the airport and the motorway

network and good public transport

• the creation and expansion of the university

• success of residential developments around the

town centre, such as Anchor Mill.

DEVELOPING THE SCENARIOS

4.11 We then split into groups to develop three 10-year

scenarios:

• the university town

• the urban village, and

• the enterprise centre

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4.12 The consultant team prepared a fourth scenario, Scotland’s

Shoreditch, to describe a future based primarily on the

creative and cultural industries (Figure 4-1).

4.13 The scenarios are not forecasts. Rather they are intended

to explore the boundaries of the possible, and to test the

feasibility, practicability and desirability of a range of

strategic directions.

4.14 The University Town scenario described a vibrant, youthful

and cosmopolitan town, with a large and growing resident

student population helping to create the conditions for a

lively evening economy, niche retailing and a café culture.

An expanding university would create iconic buildings

on derelict land, and be the mainstay for a year-round

programme of events and festivals.

4.15 The attractions of this scenario were clear, and there would

be further spin-offs in terms of knowledge based jobs and

new cultural attractions. The town would become more

attractive to sophisticated, high paid individuals, whether or

not they were directly associated with the university. Paisley

would be plugged into new global knowledge networks.

4.16 However, the group was sceptical that the university could

bear the burden of the whole regeneration effort. It does

not have a high profile in UK or international markets, and

there is a long way to go before it becomes the dynamic

driving force described in this scenario. The university is

also held back by the town’s negative image and reputation.

Above all, the group was not convinced that the resources

required for a major capital investment programme would be

achievable.

4.17 The Urban Village scenario described a repopulated town

centre following a decade of residential development. Most

of the new housing would be flats built in the heart of the

town and offering an affordable city living experience for

young urban professionals, academics and others. Many

of the new residents would travel to work in Glasgow, but

others would work locally – in the university, the public

sector and knowledge-based businesses. This influx of

higher earners would support new cafes, restaurants and

speciality shops, as well as sports and leisure facilities.

4.18 The benefits of this scenario would include a more liveable

town, with more day-round activity and cleaner and

safer streets. Increased local demand would encourage

investment and the development of gap sites and redundant

buildings.

4.19 However, there was a perceived risk that gentrification

would polarise the community, and that the urban village

would not address the needs of local people. The town’s

Figure 4-1: The scenarios

42

current image – especially its reputation for crime – was

thought to be a constraint on this scenario.

4.20 The Enterprise Centre scenario envisaged a town centre

based on a thriving population of small and micro-

businesses. A combination of high quality new build offices

and conversions of existing premises would accommodate

start up businesses, professional services, creative

businesses and university spin outs. The town would

develop a reputation for entrepreneurship, stimulated in

part by the Paisley Enterprise Research Centre, and new

mixed use developments would include live-work units.

4.21 The benefits of this scenario in terms of wealth creation,

jobs and town centre vitality were recognised, and it was felt

to reflect the potential for synergy between the university

and the town. It would boost demand for town centre shops,

cafes and restaurants, and for a business hotel.

4.22 However, doubts were expressed about the viability of this

model. The town centre was perceived to be a less attractive

business location than some more convenient out of town

locations. Significant public sector support would be

required, and conversion of much of the traditional town

centre stock would be complex and time consuming. It was

argued that Paisley might require a dedicated regeneration

vehicle such as an urban regeneration company to mobilise

the necessary resources.

4.23 Scotland’s Shoreditch described a scenario based on the

creative and cultural industries. Paisley would become a

community of practising artists and creative enterprises. Key

features would include: a WASPS-style studio/production

complex and a creative industries incubator. Vacant shops

would be used as artists’ studios and theatre workshops;

the museum would document post-industrial life; and there

would be a major annual festival of the contemporary arts.

4.24 This would be lively, edgy, cosmopolitan Paisley. There

would be some rough edges, but the town would become

a magnet for Scotland’s creative community, attracted by

the availability of low-cost workspace and a vibrant cultural

scene.

4.25 Delegates saw this as an attractive strategy for regeneration

and recovery, but they acknowledged that it might be

resisted by local people and businesses fearing that the

economic benefits would be limited. The economics of

the strategy were problematic: it would require capital

and revenue funding and was unlikely to be attractive to

conventional investors and property owners.

IMPLICATIONS FOR STRATEGY

4.26 Each of the scenarios had its attractions, and the exercise

demonstrated how existing and/or latent assets could be

translated into new strategic directions to create economic

opportunity. The common theme to emerge was the need

to encourage new groups of people to choose Paisley as a

place to live, work, study and create.

4.27 At present the town centre is over-dependent on a declining

captive market of low-income individuals and families.

It was recognised that, in an inclusive society, Paisley

needs to continue to serve the needs of these people for

convenience shopping and value comparison goods and

services. But this needs to be balanced by action to:

• increase the resident population of the town centre,

and to attract higher income groups

• grow and diversify the employment base, with a

particular focus on knowledge-based jobs

• attract more students to the university and,

in particular, increase the number of UK and

international students living in Paisley

• grow the creative community.

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4.28 The group recognised that none of the scenarios was

feasible or sustainable on its own, but that taken together

they showed the potential for regeneration and renewal. It

followed that the strategy should aim to reduce dependency

on retail by creating new attractors based on a rich mix of

town centre uses and activities.

4.29 The scenarios also highlighted potential risks and pitfalls,

including:

• ignoring market realities and pursuing a highly subsidy-dependent development model

• a dash for gentrification, which may alienate local people

• the risks of a supply-led approach running ahead of demand for workspace, artists’ studios etc

• inability to mobilise sufficient private and public

sector resources.

4.30 It was agreed that there were genuine grounds for optimism,

and that Paisley was well placed achieve transformational

change in the next decade. However, the group recognised

that the change process will take time, and that it will

require leadership, courage and patience to achieve a

positive outcome.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EARLY ACTION

4.31 Recognising the long-term nature of the task, the group was

asked to identify some early actions that would make a

positive difference in the next 2-3 years. Recommendations

included:

• better management, maintenance and cleaning of

streets and public spaces

• more energetic marketing and promotion to generate

a flow of good news stories

• providing street wardens and increasing the police

presence in the town centre

• incentives to improve unattractive and low quality

shop fronts and decaying buildings

• productive short-term use (for example, galleries or

studio space) for empty shops.

44

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5.4 Our approach is therefore based on a set of guiding

principles:

• there is no realistic prospect that Paisley can win

back its former status as a shopping centre in the

foreseeable future, but the right strategies can help

to maintain a viable retail core

• the competitive pressures on Paisley will intensify

when Silverburn opens for business in 2007, and

may trigger more store closures

• the process of market adjustment means that Paisley

is set to become a value retail centre, anchored by a

small core of quality high street brands

• however, in the medium-long term, regeneration

and diversification will help to create the demand

conditions for a quality retail and leisure revival

• residential development represents the best

prospect for market-led regeneration in the heart

of Paisley, and may present opportunities for cross-

subsidy and mixed use development

• the office market is volatile and there is evidence

of a mismatch between present day demand

5.1 Following the scenarios workshop the consultant team

started work on developing a strategic proposition for

Paisley town centre. We set out to develop a robust,

evidence-based proposition that would combine:

• a positive and inspiring vision of the future, with

• a realistic, practicable, market-led approach to

delivery.

5.2 In particular we were anxious to avoid the optimism bias

which is endemic in economic development practice in the

UK. The Treasury has highlighted optimism bias as a chief

cause of under-achievement and overspend in regeneration

initiatives. The implicit assumption underlying many of

these flawed initiatives is that “innovative ideas” or “iconic

buildings” will somehow cause the laws of economics

and human behaviour to be suspended: they won’t be,

and this approach leads inevitably to disappointment and

frustration.

5.3 In framing this strategy we have therefore taken a rigorous

and dispassionate view of the evidence summarised in

section 3, while also seeking to identify the strengths and

assets (sometimes hidden or forgotten) that might provide

the basis for regeneration and renewal.

d e v e l o p i n g t h e s t r a t e g i c p r o p o s i t i o n

5

and available supply: the town centre should be

the preferred location for start-ups and small

businesses, as well as public sector relocations

• the university is a key economic and cultural asset

which has not been fully exploited: integrating town

and campus should be a top priority

• Paisley’s cultural offer is modest for a town of its

size, but there are some worthwhile assets to build

on

• Paisley’s architecture and townscape are key assets

but the physical condition of the town centre has

degraded as its economic fortunes have declined:

the strategy therefore needs to focus on making

Paisley a more attractive place

• the town is generally well-connected, but road

access to the town is confusing and compromised,

the environment for pedestrians and cyclists is

hostile and unwelcoming, and aspects of the public

transport infrastructure need to be upgraded

• the strategy is designed to change the demographic

base by attracting under-represented social groups

to live, work and visit, but it must also be an

46

inclusive and welcoming place for disadvantaged

and lower income residents

• regeneration and redevelopment in the town centre

will be a complex process: the physical configuration

of the tenemental stock, multiple ownerships and

existing long leases all need to be factored into the

equation.

LEARNING FROM BEST PRACTICE

5.5 In developing the strategy we have also aimed to learn from

the successes and failures of comparable towns and cities

in the UK, especially those located close to large regional

cities. We have identified four comparator towns:

• Doncaster

• Halifax

• Scunthorpe

• Taunton

5.6 The criteria we used to select the towns can be summarised

as follows:

• broadly comparable scale: we have focused on

medium-sized towns with a population between

50,000 and 100,000

• proximity to a major city: like Paisley, Doncaster

and Halifax are second tier centres close to a major

regional city

• post-industrial towns: Doncaster, Halifax and

Scunthorpe are towns which, like Paisley, were

previously major industrial centres

• towns that have developed innovative regeneration

strategies and delivery mechanisms.

5.7 None of the four towns is offered as an exemplar. Their

respective regeneration strategies are best described as

work in progress, and it is too early to say whether they have

succeeded in achieving sustainable regeneration. However,

our review has confirmed that the towns selected exhibited

many of the same symptoms of decline as Paisley, and that

each has developed an imaginative and holistic response to

the challenges identified.

5.8 Three of the towns (Doncaster, Halifax and Scunthorpe) are

participating in Yorkshire Forward’s Renaissance Towns

and Cities programme, which has gained an international

reputation for its innovative work in towns that were

previously off the policy radar. In some respects, Taunton

is the outlier in this peer group: it is a medium-sized

rural town, within striking distance of Bristol but not fully

integrated into the city-region. However, the Taunton Vision

is regarded as an exemplar urban regeneration strategy, and

it has some important themes in common with Paisley.

5.9 Doncaster (population 100,000) is in South Yorkshire and

is one of three medium-sized towns (the others are Barnsley

and Rotherham) in the Sheffield city region. The partners

developed the Doncaster Renaissance Charter, which set out

their shared ambitions for the town. The Charter provided

the basis for a strategic vision for the town, underpinned by

eight key themes:

• converting a section of the inner ring road into a

great urban street, lined with shops and commercial

buildings

• reconnecting the town centre to its neglected

waterways

• creating a mixed-use urban quarter

• restoring the town’s covered market and creating a

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new town square

• creating a hierarchy of public spaces

• regeneration of the town centre’s Waterdale district

as a mixed use quarter for the arts, culture and

education

• creating an education city

• promoting ease of movement.

images from the Doncaster Renaissance Masterplan

48

5.10 Halifax (85,000) is a former textile manufacturing town

in the Leeds-Bradford conurbation; it was one of the

renaissance towns identified by Yorkshire Forward and is

now the subject of a regeneration strategy whose themes

include:

• development of the Dean Clough Mills complex as a

focal point for the creative and cultural industries

• restoration of the distinctive Victorian markets and

arcades as a speciality shopping centre

• regeneration of the historic Piece Hall as a visitor

attraction and events space

• reclaiming the abandoned valley of the Hebble Brook

as a new urban village of 300-400 homes in a town

centre location, and resisting proposals for more

retail sheds in this sensitive site

• a lighting strategy for Halifax’s rich architectural and

townscape heritage.

images from the Halifax Renaissance Masterplan

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5.11 Scunthorpe (77,000) is a steel making town in North

Lincolnshire. The Scunthorpe Declaration sets out a vision

underpinned by seven strategic themes, one of which is

about creating a strong, attractive, vibrant town centre,

capable of pulling its weight in the sub-region. The

signatories to the declaration will focus on four priority

actions in the town centre:

• promoting and developing the centre of Scunthorpe

as an attractive, distinctive and well-performing

destination

• intensification and diversification of the town centre

through mixed use development, focusing on four

key nodes

• improving the quality of the town centre by

enhancing the public realm, and

• developing a cultural quarter around Church Square.

images from the Scunthorpe Framework - a transformational strategy

50

5.12 Taunton, Somerset (61,000) is a less obvious comparator,

although its role as an administrative and educational

centre is relevant, and like Paisley it has a fine medieval

church at its heart, as well as an under-exploited riverside.

The recently published town centre masterplan (by Terence

O’Rourke) is widely regarded as one of the best of its type,

setting out a compelling vision for the town, including the

recovery of under-used and brownfield sites on the fringes

of the town centre. The key outputs include:

• 80,000 sq m of employment space, including modern

offices and a 150-bed hotel

• 50,000 sq m of retail and leisure facilities

• 2,000 new residential units (houses and apartments)

• upgrading the cricket ground to international

standard

• a new theatre, library and cultural centre

• a new transport interchange

• two new river crossings

• enhancement of 2km of the riverfront.

images from the Taunton Urban Design Framework

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5.13 The common themes running through the four case studies

are:

• the critical importance of reducing dependency on

retail by diversifying and intensifying town centre

activities

• the key role of mixed use developments as a driver

of change

• capitalising on educational, cultural and historical

assets

• regenerating neglected and forgotten places such as

rivers, redundant buildings and brownfield land

• establishing a coherent, legible urban form and a

hierarchy of public spaces

• investing in public transport infrastructure and

improving access to the town centre.

5.14 These themes inform our recommended strategy for

Paisley town centre. They reflect the merits of working

with the market grain and of capitalising on the distinctive

attributes and qualities of the place. They reflect the

experience and insights of stakeholders and practitioners

in comparable post-industrial towns, and in particular the

fruits of a multi-million pound investment in Yorkshire

Forward’s Renaissance Towns and Cities programme.

A VISION OF PAISLEY TOWN CENTRE IN 2016

5.15 Based on the guiding principles, and drawing on the case

studies, we have framed a 10-year strategic vision for

Paisley town centre:

Paisley town centre will emerge from a decade of

transformation with a renewed sense of pride, optimism

and purpose. It will be a living, working community: an

exemplar for the reinvention of traditional town centres in

the 21st century, fulfilling a vital and valued role in the life

of the community – and the wider metropolitan region – as

an attractive historic riverside town which:

• has a growing residential population enjoying the

benefits of town centre living

• offers an attractive package of quality convenience

shopping, restaurants, cafes and nightlife

• has a reputation for excellence in higher education

and research

• is a centre for enterprise with a growing business

base

• has a vibrant creative and cultural life

• is the local capital and administrative centre

• is welcoming, accessible and connected.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

5.16 We have developed a strategy for the regeneration and

transformation of Paisley which is based on eight themes

and strategic objectives:

• Theme 1: Living in the town centre: our objective

is to repopulate the heart of Paisley by making it a

popular and attractive place to live.

• Theme 2: Shopping and leisure: our objective is to

establish a viable and sustainable shopping and

leisure offer focused on serving the needs of growing

52

resident, student and workforce markets.

• Theme 3: University town: our objectives are to

move Paisley from “a town with a university” to a real

university town – lively, stylish and cosmopolitan

– and to integrate the campus into the fabric of the

town.

• Theme 4: Paisley for enterprise: our objective

is to increase knowledge-based private sector

employment in the town centre by encouraging

commercialisation and providing modern workspace.

• Theme 5: Culture and creativity: our objectives are

to enhance the quality of Paisley’s cultural offer, to

encourage cultural production and grow the creative

industries.

• Theme 6: Government and administration: our

objectives are to consolidate Paisley’s role as a

centre of local government and administration, and

to attract public sector relocations.

• Theme 7: Accessible and connected: our objectives

are to make Paisley a more accessible and welcoming

place, and to improve the quality of its parking and

transport infrastructure.

• Theme 8: Quality and style: our objective is to

discover, celebrate and enhance Paisley’s distinctive

townscape.

5.17 A recommended action plan, which describes priorities for

action under each of these objectives, is set out in

Section 6.

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PLANNING FOR A DECADE OF TRANSFORMATION

6.1 In this section of the report we set out a recommended

action plan for the next five years. The plan is designed to

accelerate the process of change and market adjustment

in Paisley town centre, and to create the platform for

continuing transformational change in the next decade.

6.2 In framing the action plan we have adhered to the

following guiding principles:

• the plan should be ambitious and challenging,

but also realistic: the challenges facing Paisley are

complex and deep-seated and they require a bold

response, but they must be grounded in a robust

appraisal of market conditions

• the plan should offer a comprehensive package of

measures: the decline of Paisley town centre has

been long-term and systemic, and narrow single-issue

responses will not make a lasting difference

• the plan should set out clear priorities for

action, recognising that resources – financial and

organisational – are under severe pressure

• implementing the plan will require long-term

commitment and determined leadership from the

Paisley Vision partners

• the plan should be predicated on mobilising private

sector investment, but a significant investment by the

public sector will be required to create a climate of

confidence

• the plan should comprise a sustainable mix of capital

investment and revenue programmes: management

and promotion of the town centre is key.

6.3 The following action plan is based on the eight themes

highlighted in Section 5, and embraces a total of 18

recommended priorities for action. The action plan is

summarised in Figure 6-2 overleaf, and described in

detail in the following pages. Figure 6.3 illustrates the

principal physical interventions proposed in the action

plan

6.4 The summary includes nominal cost estimates, which

should be treated as indicative only. In total we estimate

that the programme will require additional public

expenditure in the order of £9.5m over the next 5-7 years,

depending on the rate of progress. The broad breakdown

of expenditure is summarised in Figure 6.1:

a c t i o n p l a n

6

Expenditure Type

PublicSector

(£K)

Total Development

Costs (£K)

Assisting property development

5,000 40-50,000

Cultural investment 1,000 not known

Infrastructure 1,000 not known

Public realm 2,100 not known

Consultancy/project development

385 not known

TOTAL �,585

Figure 6.1: Estimated public sector funding

54

Figure 6-2: Action Plan Summary

Themes Priorities for action Lead partner(s)(Support)

Timescale(Indicative)

Indicative public sector expenditure (£k)5

Y1 Y2+

1. Living in the town centre 1.1 Eastern Arc residential development Private sectorRenfrewshire CouncilCommunities Scotland

Year 1: development brief/master planYear 2: delivery modelYear 3+: development in phases

See 8.3

1.2 Student housing University of PaisleyPrivate sectorRenfrewshire Council

Year 1: agree strategyYears3-5: deliver housing

Nil6 Nil

2. Shopping and leisure 2.1 Convenience shopping Private sectorTown Centre TeamRenfrewshire Council

Year 1 and ongoing Nil Nil

2.2 Events, marketing and promotion Town Centre TeamRenfrewshire CouncilSE Renfrewshire

Year 1: develop programme and early actionsYear 2+: deliver

Nil7 Nil

2.3 Winter lights Town Centre TeamRenfrewshire Council

Year 1: commission lighting designYear 2: switch on winter 2008

20 100

3. University town 3.1 Campus design strategy University of PaisleyRenfrewshire CouncilSE Renfrewshire

Year 1-2: develop design strategyYears 3-5: implementation

50 500

3.2 Student quarter University of PaisleyPrivate sectorRenfrewshire Council

Years 1-2: agree strategyYears3-5: delivery

See 1.2/4.1

4. Paisley for enterprise 4.1 Serviced business centre Private sectorSE Renfrewshire

Years 2-3: develop business modelYear 4+: develop centre

Nil 1,0008

4.2 Mixed use development See Eastern Arc (Priority 8.3) See 8.3

5. Culture and creativity 5.1 Cultural experience Town Centre TeamRenfrewshire Council

Year 1: develop programmeYear 2+: deliver

30 1,0009

5.2 Creative production WASPS or similarPrivate sector SE Renfrewshire

Years 1-3: develop business modelYear 3+: deliver

30 50010

6. Government and administration

6.1 Public sector relocations Renfrewshire CouncilSE Renfrewshire

Year 1: Research and develop package as part of Eastern Arc strategyYears 2-3: provide serviced siteYear 3+: promote and develop

30 See 8.3

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Themes Priorities for action Lead partner(s)(Support)

Timescale(Indicative)

Indicative public sector expenditure (£k)

Y1 Y2+7. Accessible and connected 7.1 Road access and parking Renfrewshire Council

Private sectorYears 1-2: research, design and development (factor parking into private sector-led packages)Years 3-5: implement

50 50011

7.2 Public transport hub Renfrewshire CouncilStrathclyde Passenger Transport

Years 1-2: Project development and early actionsYears 3-4: Deliver hub

50 50012

7.3 Walking and cycling Renfrewshire Council Year 1: planning + implement management etc measuresYears 2-4: implement proposals

25 100

8. Quality and style 8.1 Urban form Renfrewshire CouncilSE Renfrewshire

Year 1: urban design strategyYear 2+: staged implementation

50 Nil13

8.2 Public space Renfrewshire CouncilSE RenfrewshireUniversity of PaisleyPrivate sector

See Priority 8.1 1,50014

8.3 Eastern Arc Private SectorRenfrewshire CouncilSE Renfrewshire

Year 1: development brief / masterplanYear 2: delivery modelYear 3+: development in phases

50 3,50015

TOTAL 385 9,200

5 Additional expenditure; excludes recurring revenue expenditure 6 Assumes student housing is funded by the University: no additional expenditure7 Revenue expenditure: see Section 78 Estimated total development cost £3.5m9 Nominal partner contribution to 5-year capital programme to upgrade cultural venues10 Estimated total development cost: £1.5m11 Nominal public sector contribution over 5 years: projects to be part funded by private sector. Cost of new car park included in Project 8.312 Nominal additional expenditure. Project assumed to be part-funded through Eastern Arc (8.3); improvements to Gilmour Street station assumed to form part of SPT/Scottish Executive proposals for the airport rail link13 Costs included in Priority 8.214 Nominal contribution to 5 year programme; significant elements will be delivered through the Eastern Arc (Priority 8.3)15 Estimated total development cost £35-40m for housing-led scheme. Table shows nominal public sector contribution to deliver office space, affordable housing, public realm, parking and transport infrastructure

56

Fig 6.3 physical interventions overview

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affordable housing in the development.

6.11 We recommend that the Council should give guidance

and direction to potential investors by commissioning

a development brief for this key location. The aim

should be to create a new urban quarter which will

have a transformational effect on the image and urban

environment of Paisley, and to set the benchmark for

housing-led regeneration in Scotland. With this in mind,

we recommend that the development brief should include a

requirement for energy efficient homes.

6.12 Under Priority 8.3 we have mapped out some guiding

principles for the redevelopment of the Eastern Arc. Given

the importance and sensitivity of this area, we recommend

that Renfrewshire Council should seek early advice and

guidance on the scheme from Architecture + Design

Scotland.

Priority 1.2 Student Housing

6.13 The University of Paisley is likely to require new sites for

student housing, to accommodate increased demand

by students from the rest of the UK and overseas as well

as temporary accommodation for visiting academics,

researchers and conference delegates. There is also a need

Theme 1: Living in the town centre

6.5 This is the element of the strategy most likely to attract

private sector investment in the short term, encouraged

by the recent success of Anchor Mill, the regeneration

of Oakshaw and other residential schemes. However,

a key challenge for the partners will be to ensure that

the architectural/design quality of residential schemes

enhances the town centre and helps to create a positive new

image for Paisley.

6.6 The success of the Anchor Mill development shows the

potential to capitalise on Paisley’s fine buildings and

townscape to create popular and stylish new locations

for urban living. Now we want to see new houses and

apartments in the heart of the town, especially in the

Eastern Arc, which will help to animate the town centre and

create demand for local shops and other services. Student

housing will also have a key role to play.

PRIORITIES FOR ACTION

Priority 1.1 Eastern Arc: residential-led mixed use

development

6.7 The site of the Council’s north building is available for

residential development. There is also potential to extend

mixed use development into the area north of Gauze

Street, and to re-establish street form along Bridge Street.

The regeneration of this area – the Eastern Arc - may also

include a new multi-storey car park and a transport hub

(Priority 8.3).

6.8 We see this as a key location, which requires high quality

development to provide an appropriate context for the

abbey church and the town hall, transforming under-used

open spaces around the abbey into a modern abbey close.

Development in this area also provides an opportunity to

restore integrity and coherent form to the eastern edge of

the town centre, mitigating the visual and environmental

impact of the dual carriageway on Mill Street, and creating

an attractive new riverside street.

6.9 The area north of Gauze Street includes a significant

proportion of derelict/under-used land and buildings,

including the former Arnott’s store. This area is an ideal site

for mixed use development, which may accommodate office

space (priority 4.2) as well as student housing.

6.10 Abbey Close will be a very attractive and distinctive

location, and we envisage that the majority of the units

(principally apartments, but with some town houses) will

be for sale at prices at the top of the local market range,

although the partners may also want to seek an element of

58

to replace existing stock in George Street, which is not

considered suitable for modern requirements and is likely to

be sold off.

6.14 Increasing the number of students living in the town centre

will add to the vitality of Paisley town centre, not least

because levels of car ownership will be relatively low.

Vacation lets to overseas students, budget travellers and

conference delegates will help to generate year-round

benefits. The Paisley Vision partners need to encourage

the University to commit to locating the next generation of

student accommodation in the town centre, rather than in

peripheral locations, and must be prepared to influence the

content of mixed use developments to achieve this.

6.15 There are a number of specialist developers of student

housing, but design standards are often disappointing.

Although these will not be high-spec units, every effort must

be taken to ensure that design quality and construction

standards make a positive contribution to the town centre.

Possible locations include the Arnott’s site in Gauze Street,

the derelict County Bingo site in Wellmeadow Street, and the

West End.

“cheap and cheerful” shopping experience which is at odds

with the partners’ aspirations for the town centre and the

image of Paisley. Other towns in the west of Scotland such

as Clydebank, Airdrie, Dumbarton and Motherwell have

followed a similar trajectory, and none has been able to

stem the cycle of decline.

6.18 Paisley cannot realistically expect to claw back its former

status as a comparison shopping centre, or to attract

premium high street names in the face of intense local

competition. A more productive and sustainable approach

may be to focus on developing Paisley’s role as a local

centre, providing convenience shopping and leisure for

growing residential, student and office worker markets

– augmented by a programme of markets and events to

capture discretionary expenditure from the sub-regional

market.

6.19 In the short term there is inevitably an element of managing

decline, but the strategy aims to generate new sources of

demand which, over time, will create the conditions for a

sustainable retail/leisure revival, reflecting the spending

power and lifestyle aspirations of new residents, office

workers and students. We therefore believe that a quality

comparison shopping offer (including, for example,

delicatessens, fashion, books and music) can be re-

established, but not in the short term.

BEST PRACTICE MODELS

6.16 Exemplar schemes reviewed by the consultant team include:

• masterplan for a high density, mixed use riverside

development at St Mary le Port, Bristol, subject of a

recent positive appraisal by CABE

• New Islington: a large scale residential-led

regeneration scheme in Manchester: the masterplan

has recovered lost waterways

• residential development at St Mildred’s Tannery,

Canterbury inserted successfully into an historic

urban setting and including the re-use of industrial

buildings

• student housing as part of a mixed use development

at Brayford Quays, Lincoln: like Paisley, Lincoln

is a new university and the local partners have

encouraged the creation of a student quarter.

Theme 2: Shopping and leisure

6.17 The market mechanism is repositioning Paisley as a value

shopping centre. The problem is that this is creating a

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6.20 We reviewed the experience of Gateshead, Dudley,

Rotherham, Birkenhead and other medium-sized towns

faced with competition from nearby out of town shopping

centres and large regional cities. By general consent,

these towns have struggled to adapt and diversify, while

comparable centres such as Halifax, Darlington and

Wolverhampton have diversified and enriched the town

centre offer in order to offer an attractive alternative for

shoppers and visitors.


Priority 2.1: Convenience shopping and leisure

6.21 The public sector partners should work in partnership

with property owners, investors, retailers and agents to

encourage a shift towards quality town centre convenience

shopping and leisure to serve growing residential, student

and office worker markets.

6.22 Over a 3-5 year period, the aim will be to shift the retail

balance in the prime High Street/Paisley Centre pitch away

from a failing comparison shopping offer and towards

a more sustainable mix which will include food, cafes,

restaurants and bars. Maintaining a sustainable level of

quality comparison shopping will continue to be a priority,

and particular attention should be given to the marketing

and promotion of the key Littlewood’s store, and to raising

occupancy levels in the Paisley Centre and immediately

adjoining units in the High Street in order to maintain a

viable retail core.

6.23 The vision is of a scaled down core of quality food and

comparison shopping, complemented by:

• value shopping in the Piazza Centre and Causeyside

Street: this is an essential element of the town

centre mix, catering for the needs of local residents,

but the aim should be to steer the value sector into

these preferred locations and to discourage “creep”

into the prime pitch

• a mix of leisure (cafes, bars, restaurants) and retail-

commercial premises in the transitional areas

immediately adjoining the core including High Street

(west), New Street and Causeyside Street (south)

• a food store as a key element in a mixed use

development on the former Arnott’s site.

6.24 In the medium term, establishing a viable and sustainable

trading position will create the conditions for the return

of quality retailers to Paisley, as new residents, including

students, and a growing workforce generate demand. Over

time, the core area should see the arrival of speciality

shopping - including books, music, fashion and food – as

well as quality restaurants, cafes and bars.

6.25 By definition, these objectives will be delivered by the

private sector. The public sector partners cannot compel

operators to invest in Paisley, but they can create the right

environment for market adjustment by:

• establishing and championing a clear vision which is

challenging, but practicable and realistic

• creating a supportive policy context, including

rigorous application of the sequential text to prevent

counter-productive local competition from retail

parks and edge of town sites

• engaging with the private sector and promoting the

vision to prospective investors/ operators

• confidence-building measures, including grant

support for building facelifts and encouraging

positive short-term use of vacant units

• pro-active marketing, promotion and housekeeping.

60

Priority 2.2: Events, marketing and promotion

6.26 A year-round programme of events and festivities will help

to generate additional footfall, stimulate trade and create a

climate of confidence. A targeted programme will also help

to penetrate new markets by attracting visits from customers

who would not normally come to Paisley.

6.27 A key element of the programme should be to maximise the

use of County Square as a market place and events venue.

The markets programme might include: increased scale

and frequency of the popular farmers’ markets, perhaps

including an annual food festival; antiques/book fairs; craft

markets; flower/plant markets; annual Christmas market.

6.28 County Square should also act as a focal point for a year-

round programme of events and festivals, acting as a

welcome/orientation point, an outdoor performance space

and a market place. There is an opportunity for further

investment in County Square, linked to proposals for an

upgraded transport hub (priority 7.2). This might enable

high quality temporary tented structures to be erected.

Neighbouring indoor exhibition/performance spaces (for

example, the Town Hall and Wynd Centre) may also be used.

Possible events themes include:

• arts festivals: street performance/open air cinema

• food festival

• community events

• civic festivities

• university freshers’ week

• classic car rallies.

Priority 2.3: Winter lights

6.29 Paisley’s Christmas lights are a much-loved institution, but

they have become tired and dated. We recommend that the

partners should explore the potential to create a dazzling

new winter lights display, as part of a winter festival

programme which would also include a Christmas market

and other outdoor entertainments. The display should be

designed so that, at reasonable cost, it can be adapted and

updated every year.


6.30 Exemplar models reviewed by the consultant team include:

• the urban renaissance strategy for Barnsley, which

recognises the need for refocusing and scaling down

retail, and diversifying town centre activity

• successful insertion of food stores in town centre

locations such as Ludlow, and retail as a key

element of mixed use development at Raglan Street,

Wolverhampton

• Canterbury has introduced a highly successful

programme of events and festivals, targeted

primarily on local/sub-regional markets

• Gloucester has introduced new Christmas lights

designed by a lighting artist working in collaboration

with local school children; the annual switch-on

includes an artificial snow storm in the centre of the

city

• Walsall’s autumn illuminations are a long standing

tradition which attracts tens of thousands of visitors

to the town each year.

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Theme 3: University town

6.31 Following the planned merger of the University of

Paisley with Bell College, the Paisley campus will be the

administrative headquarters of an expanded university

for the west of Scotland. The new university will aim to

raise its profile in the Scottish, UK and international higher

education markets, and to attract more graduate and

undergraduate students.

6.32 There is an expectation that the university will expand and

build on existing research strengths such as accounting

& finance and European studies, and that the Innovation

and Research Office will be the catalyst for increased

commercialisation activity; the Scottish Institute for

Enterprise will play a key role in stimulating new firm

formation.

6.33 An ambitious new university will need to invest in its estate.

Although funding for capital projects in the HE sector is

limited, it is clear that the quality of the Paisley campus

needs to be enhanced to create an appropriate image for a

progressive, modern higher education institution.

6.34 Our understanding is that (in the short to medium term)

development of the core administrative and teaching

facilities will be contained within the existing footprint of

the campus, and that student accommodation in George

Street may be sold off. The action plan envisages a long-

term programme of investment to upgrade the campus and

the university gateways, based on the implementation of an

urban design strategy.

6.35 The university can also be expected to have a significant

presence elsewhere in the town centre, notably in an

emerging student quarter close to the university and

through student accommodation in town centre sites

(Priority 1.2).


Priority 3.1: Urban design strategy

6.36 The University of Paisley campus has been the subject of

significant capital investment in the past decade, including

new build, cladding of existing buildings and internal

re-organisation and re-fits. This investment has enabled

the university to respond to changing patterns of learning

and to improve the utilisation of its estate. However, the

architectural and design quality of the campus remains

undistinguished and the university still reflects its origins

as a technical college rather than the image of a modern

centre of higher education and research.

6.37 We recognise that any programme to upgrade the campus

must be pragmatic and realistic. The resources are not

available for a radical re-casting of the site in the short

term, and the aim must therefore be to adopt a robust urban

design strategy, including architectural guidelines and

proposals for the public realm, which will guide and direct

the development of the campus over the next 5-10 years.

6.38 The strategy should identify a number of affordable short-

term interventions, including investment in public and

semi-public spaces designed to create meeting places and

events spaces on the campus; and to improve permeability

and strengthen connections with the town. This will help to

transform an enclosed campus into a lively urban quarter.

We also recommend that the gateways to the university

should be upgraded.

Priority 3.2: Student quarter

6.39 The influence of the university extends beyond the

campus, especially into the area bounded by Storie Street,

Witherspoon Street, New Street and High Street (west).

This area includes the recently completed Student Union

building. However, while a number of clubs, cafes and shops

appear to serve staff and student markets, the impact of

the university on its immediate neighbourhood is muted. In

62

particular, Wellmeadow Street west of the campus has fallen

into severe decline and physical decay.

6.40 We recommend that the partners should seek to encourage

the development of a vibrant off-campus student quarter

in the area surrounding the campus. In part, this can be

encouraged by adopting a more permeable urban form (see

priority 3.1) but also by actions including:

• identification of buildings/sites suitable for

university-related off-campus activities (for example,

business space: see priority 4.1)

• identification of town centre sites (for example,

Wellmeadow Street) for student housing (priority

1.2)

• using planning policy and engagement with the

private sector to encourage the replacement of

former retail premises in New Street by cafes, bars

and convenience stores (priority 2.1).


6.41 The Paisley campus is typical of many new universities, with

its legacy of utilitarian architecture reflecting its status as a

technical college serving local markets. However, other HEIs

have made more progress towards creating a positive new

image. For example, in Scotland:

• the University of Abertay Dundee has transformed

its city centre site into an attractive and accessible

urban campus, with an impressive new library and a

recently completed student services facility

• Glasgow Caledonian University has upgraded a

sprawling campus on the edge of the city centre

into a more coherent urban form; new buildings

have been incorporated into the estate and others

have been upgraded; there has been a significant

investment in public spaces and landscaping.

6.42 Elsewhere in the UK relevant models include the creation of

a city centre campus for the University of Wolverhampton,

incorporated into the civic heart. Christ Church University

College Canterbury has its main site at a small edge of

city campus, but it has located various publicly accessible

facilities (recruitment, arts performance spaces) in the city

centre.

Theme 4: Paisley for enterprise

6.43 The analysis in section 3 shows how the office market in

Paisley has tended to gravitate towards:

• sites in the Glasgow Airport Zone (for larger office developments)

• St James Street and sites north of the railway

• Abbey Mill and other edge of town locations (for

start-ups and small businesses).

6.44 Our assumption is that the Cart Corridor between the town

centre and the airport will continue to be the preferred

location for larger new-build commercial development, and

that this area will become a regionally significant business

district within the metropolitan area.

6.45 However, office and studio space should certainly be part of

the mix in a revived town centre, and we recommend that the

study area should be positioned as the preferred location

for the next generation of start-ups and small businesses.

Three market segments can be identified, some of which

may be co-located in shared premises:

• office space for start-up and micro-businesses in the

service sector

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• affordable workshop and studio space for the

creative and cultural industries (see theme 5 below)

• serviced accommodation (including incubator space)

for university spin-outs.

6.46 Development opportunities may be identified throughout

the town centre, but our action plan recommends that

priority should be given to creating a dedicated new

business centre in the heart of the town, and to securing

office space as part of the proposed mixed use development

in the Eastern Arc. Proposals for studio/workshop space are

dealt with separately (theme 5).

6.47 An increase in town centre employment combined with

the planned expansion of the university may create the

opportunity to attract a medium-sized business hotel to the

town centre. A revived town centre would also make this is

an attractive option for airport user.


Priority 4.1: Serviced business centre

6.48 We recommend the formation of a joint venture partnership

to create a dedicated serviced business centre in the heart

of the town, ideally close to the University at a site such as

Witherspoon Street. The aim here should be to create a high

quality environment targeted at small knowledge-based

businesses (for example, professional practices, financial

business services and university spin-outs).

6.49 We envisage a partnership led by a private sector developer

with experience of providing serviced office centres,

supported by the public sector partners and the University.

The aim should be to achieve high levels of occupancy at full

commercial rentals; pump-priming funding may be required

to achieve this, with the public sector partners clawing

back their contribution once the centre is fully operational.

Timing will be key: in the short-term there is a risk of over-

supply which will distort the developing office market.

Priority 4.2: Mixed use development

6.50 We have identified a medium term opportunity for the

comprehensive redevelopment of the largely derelict area

north of Gauze Street to create a mixed-use development

and a site for a new multi-storey car park. The development

– which forms part of the proposed eastern arc (see Section

6) will have a substantial residential element, including

student housing, and we envisage active retail/leisure uses

on the Gauze Street frontage, including a new food store.

6.51 However, we also recommend that the development should

include office accommodation, either in the form of office

suites on upper floors or a dedicated office building for a

single or multiple occupiers.


6.52 The drift of office development out of traditional town

centres is a recurring theme of strategies for urban

regeneration in UK cities. Of particular interest are plans to

create modern office space in towns – like Paisley – located

close to major regional centres.

6.53 The “mixed economy” model advanced for the Yorkshire

urban renaissance towns is of particular relevance, and we

have reviewed proposals to increase the stock of modern

office space in, among others, Doncaster, Halifax and

Doncaster.

64

Theme 5: Culture and creativity

6.54 The study has revealed considerable enthusiasm for culture

and the creative industries as key themes of the town centre

strategy. As we have seen, Paisley has some strengths and

assets in this field, but our candid assessment is that the

town does not have any significant competitive advantage

as a centre for the creative and cultural industries. In

particular, the town does not have a degree-awarding art

school – although Reid Kerr College has a good reputation

for its arts and media courses. The university’s arts and

media courses are delivered at the Ayr campus.

6.55 Paisley’s situation is analogous to Birkenhead, where Single

Regeneration Budget (SRB) initiatives in the 1990s aimed to

(i) enhance the town’s cultural facilities by upgrading the

Wirral Museum and creating a new performing arts venue,

and (Ii) attract creative businesses to low cost town centre

accommodation. This initiative has enjoyed mixed success,

but the signs are that – after a decade of effort and targeted

support – Birkenhead has begun to establish a distinctive

role in the cultural life of the city region.

6.56 In the following paragraphs we have mapped out the two key

themes of a strategy for creativity and culture in Paisley, but

a successful programme will require dedicated resources

and proactive facilitation, starting with a robust appraisal

of the asset base and the regional context. Assuming this

exercise confirms the potential for development in this area,

and if there is an appetite among the partners for a long-

term initiative, we believe the focus should be on: improving

and enriching Paisley’s cultural offer, and nurturing a

community of practising artists and creative businesses.


Priority 5.1: Cultural experience

6.57 This priority calls for the development of a coordinated

year-round programme of high quality cultural events

and activities. The programme should aim to improve the

programming and utilisation of venues including Paisley

Arts Centre, the Wynd Centre, the Student Union, and the

Town Hall. It should also aim to raise the profile and quality

of the Museum & Art Gallery’s exhibition programme. There

may be opportunities to establish regular arts festivals

and other events (for example) art fairs forming part of an

enhanced events programme (see priority 2.2).

6.58 An innovative programme may also involve the creative use

of “found spaces” such as the former Littlewood’s store for

special performances, perhaps celebrating aspects of the

culture and history of Paisley.

6.59 A detailed appraisal of existing cultural venues (including

the Museum and Art gallery, Paisley Arts Centre, the Student

Union, the Town Hall and the Wynd Centre) is beyond the

scope of the present study, but we envisage that the town

centre team (see Section 7) will commission a review, and

develop a capital programme.

6.60 Another theme should be public art. Paisley has some

outstanding public sculpture and Sandy Stoddart – who

is one of the UK’s finest living exponents in the classical

tradition – has his studio in the town. We recommend that

high quality public art commissions should be a key feature

of planned developments, including the regeneration of the

Eastern Arc.

Priority 5.2: Creative production

6.61 Paisley already has a number of working artists and arts

organisations. Redundant churches, industrial buildings

and other sites offer opportunities for conversion to low

cost studio and rehearsal space. Such developments

can add to the vitality of declining areas, and create an

environment of greater comfort and safety. However, they

will inevitably require funding, both for capital works and, in

all probability, ongoing revenue support.

6.62 We recommend that the partners should explore the

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possibility of creating a dedicated, serviced centre for

creative/cultural production and/or artists’ workspace on

the WASPS model. Consideration should also be given to

using vacant shops as temporary studio/gallery space.


6.63 The creative and cultural industries have been a recurring

theme of urban regeneration projects throughout the UK. We

have reviewed a number of relevant initiatives including:

• SRB-funded projects and services in Birkenhead (see above) and current plans for the creation of a cultural quarter in Sunniside, Sunderland

• one of the most successful initiatives in this field has been the Metropole, which offers a combination of exhibition and production space and is the focal point for an emerging cultural quarter in Folkestone

• other recent workspace projects (both focused on the creative industries/digital media) include Seabraes Yard, Dundee; the Workstation, Sheffield and the LCB Depot, Leicester

• Stroud in Gloucestershire had a highly successful initiative to make vacant shops available to local

artists.

Theme 6: Government and administration

6.64 The Council’s recent investment in its headquarters

buildings is an important (practical and symbolic) gesture.

Future decisions about the location of Council offices and

services, including recreation facilities, should reflect

the town centre’s role as the civic heart of Renfrewshire.

But Paisley is also an attractive and convenient location

for government and other public sector agencies such as

Communities Scotland, and we believe that it has a key

role to play as a key administrative centre in the Glasgow

metropolitan region.

6.65 While we anticipate that large commercial office

developments will naturally gravitate towards sites north

of the town centre and in the Cart Corridor, Paisley has the

capacity to accommodate civic and administrative functions

in a quality environment in the heart of the town. Paisley’s

excellent public transport links and easy road access to

Glasgow and Edinburgh will be particular advantages.

6.66 Attracting relocations of this type will bring well-paid

management and administrative jobs to Paisley and

generate local expenditure which will create opportunities

for shops, cafes and other service sector businesses.


Priority 6.1: Public sector relocations

6.67 We recommend that the partners should give priority

to attracting relocated civil service jobs and/or public

agencies to Paisley, through a targeted campaign of

lobbying, marketing and promotion. Ryden advise that

departments and agencies considering relocation will

require advance office accommodation or, as a minimum, a

dedicated serviced site.

6.68 As a first step the partners should identify possible town

centre sites and development partners. We envisage that

the Eastern Arc will be Paisley’s prestige location for

civic and administrative functions. Consideration should

be given to including high quality business space in the

proposed mixed use development north of Gauze Street.

Our illustrative proposals for the eastern arc also include a

new town centre gateway building next to the river in Bridge

Street: this would be an ideal location for a high profile new

occupier.

66


6.69 A number of Council areas in Scotland have benefited

from the Executive’s policy of jobs dispersal. Dundee has

had particular success, and North Ayrshire Council has

attracted a number of small projects to Kilwinning and other

locations.

Theme 7: Accessible and connected

6.70 This report has shown that Paisley is generally well

connected: it is close to the M8 and served by an extensive

network of local and regional roads; it enjoys and extensive

array of public transport services; and the heart of the town

includes a high quality pedestrianised area.

6.71 However, these advantages are compromised to a degree

by the variable quality of transport infrastructure. In

particular:

• motorists need to be encouraged to enter the town

centre rather than being diverted around it, and they

also need convenient, pleasant and competitively-

priced parking

• public transport users need a higher quality

travel experience with greater reliability and more

attractive services and infrastructure facilities to

encourage people to leave their cars at home

• pedestrians and cyclists need to be provided with

safer and more comfortable routes into and across

the town, as well as better amenities in the central

area.

6.72 The following proposals are designed to improve the

accessibility and connectedness of Paisley town centre for

each of these groups, and to create a more comfortable,

welcoming, safe and secure experience for all visitors to the

town. The proposals are summarised in Figure 6.4.


Priority 7.1: Road access and parking

6.73 The roads network is designed to help drivers to avoid

Paisley town centre; we need to encourage motorists to

enter, to make it easier to find convenient places to park,

and to exit quickly on departure. We do not believe that the

pedestrianisation of the core area is the cause of decline,

but the traffic management regime around Gauze Street/

Smithhills Street may be too restrictive.

6.74 Parking provision is a mixture of the planned and the ad

hoc which does nothing for the town centre experience.

The Central Road car park, though conveniently located, is

a grim, dark and dispiriting place which presents a wholly

negative image of Paisley. The Storie Street car park is much

better quality, but it is in a no-man’s-land poorly connected

to the shops and other facilities.

6.75 We propose the following package of measures:

• through improved signage, public realm investment

and new developments, enhance the sense of arrival

and welcome, and create attractive gateways to the

town centre

• detailed appraisal of the case for relaxation of

restrictions on private cars in Smithhills Street/

Gauze Street and St Mirren Brae, to increase traffic

penetration of the core town centre area, and speed

entry and exit

• downgrading of Cotton Street/Bridge Street

for vehicular traffic as part of the Eastern Arc

regeneration of the Abbey precincts; this could

involve reductions in road width, creating a shared-

use surface or forming flush kerbed areas or tables

(as in the Royal Mile, Edinburgh)

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Fig 6.4 traffic and access

parking advanced information sign

68

• explore the potential for providing a high quality

multi-storey car park in the heart of the town as

part of the proposed mixed use development of the

Arnotts site; the new car park would replace the ugly

and unwelcoming structure at Central Road

• rationalisation of short-term surface car parks:

this will create development sites in the medium/

longer term, and opportunities for pocket parks/

environmental schemes.

Priority 7.2: Public transport hub

6.76 Paisley is an important public transport interchange, with

a busy railway station served by regular trains to Glasgow,

the Clyde coast and Prestwick airport. It is the focal point for

an extensive array of sub-regional and local bus services,

including connections to Braehead.

6.77 The creation of the Glasgow airport rail link will raise

Gilmour Street’s passenger throughput and its status as

an interchange station. Even though a high proportion

of airport users will pass through Paisley on their way

to or from the airport, a significant minority will change

at Gilmour Street. Either way, the station will become a

prominent gateway for UK and international visitors, and it

is important that it projects a positive image of Scotland and

Paisley. At present, the station is bleak and unwelcoming,

with only the most rudimentary facilities for passengers.

6.78 Paisley’s bus services are of mixed quality. The town

centre is served by a comprehensive range of services to

and from Glasgow and Braehead, neighbouring towns and

Paisley’s suburbs. These services are provided by Arriva

(the principal operator) and a number of local independent

operators. The quality of services provided by the latter

varies, and the scruffy appearance of some of the vehicles is

not encouraging. There is also a lack of timetable and fares

information. Bus stances around the Cross – at Gauze Street

and Causeyside Street – are excellent, but the facilities at

Central Road are very poor.

6.79 The net effect is that, although Paisley is generally well

provided for in terms of public transport, the service

offering is of variable quality and not particularly well

integrated. Although there is no single interchange facility,

the proximity of railway station, bus stances and taxi rank

would be acceptable if they were clearly signposted, if

services were properly coordinated and if service timetables

were supplied and adhered to. That is not the case at

present.

6.80 The range of public transport services should be a positive

incentive for prospective business occupiers and visitors,

and upgrading of Gilmour Street could encourage more

commuters to travel by train. However, unless the local bus

operators raise their game, it is hard to envisage existing car

users switching to the bus.

6.81 Our key recommendation is a programme of investment to

create an integrated public transport hub in the heart of the

town, as part of the regeneration of the Eastern Arc. There

are three key elements of this proposal:

• first, upgrading of Gilmour Street station to an

attractive, modern station catering for commuters,

visitors and interchange passengers, which will

provide a fitting gateway for visitors to Scotland and

reflect a positive image of Paisley

• second (and linked to the proposals to demolish

and relocate the existing multi-storey car park) the

bus stances in Central Road should be replaced with

modern structures of the type already provided at the

Cross

• finally, a series of measures to promote integration

and enhance service quality should be introduced,

for example:

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- a small travel information centre in County Square

- information boards to help public transport users to locate their bus stop

- any street furniture required must be of high quality, and should be designed to fit with the design and materials used for the town centre pedestrianisation works

- negotiation of quality bus contracts to secure improved quality, comfort and cleanliness of vehicles; coordination of service timetables to principal destinations; provision of comprehensive timetable information for all services, and electronic service information for

principal services.

Priority 7.3: Waking and cycling

6.82 New residential, office and leisure developments on the

town centre fringes have created opportunities for linked

trips and walk-in visits, but pedestrian routes into town

are hostile: car-dominated, environmentally poor and

with a reputation for crime. Litter, vandalism and anti-

social behaviour all contribute to a lack of comfort and a

perception of risk.

6.83 The pedestrianised streets at the heart of town contribute to a

greatly improved public realm, and this area is often busy with

shoppers, students and office workers. However, even in this

area, vacant shops and litter have a negative impact on the

environment, and there is a lack of sociability and outdoor life,

especially out of hours.

6.84 Cyclists are not well catered for. There no dedicated routes

through the town, and no facilities for safe storage.

6.85 We propose the following package of measures:

• an energetic and proactive approach to management, maintenance, cleaning, safety and security (see Annex 7: early action plan)

• encourage street life and sociability through a programme of events (priority 2.2) and outdoor eating and drinking

• identify, upgrade, promote, manage and police key pedestrian routes to town, addressing signposting and navigation issues

• add pedestrian/cycle crossings on major roads and increase crossing times; decommission underpasses

• create N-S/E-W cross-town cycle routes linked to the regional networks with secure cycle storage at

stations.


6.86 Numerous recent schemes have aimed to improve the quality

and efficiency of access to town centres. The principles of

removing clutter and reducing the amount of visual input

confronting drivers are well established, and the prescription

is likely to include the familiar brown signs to advertise

attractions, Welcome to Paisley signs, and variable message

signs (VMS) to guide motorists to available car parks.

6.87 Modern multi-storey car parks are spacious, well-lit

and accessible, and there is an increased emphasis on

integrating the buildings into the townscape. Recent

successful examples include the Glasshouse car park in

Glasgow’s Merchant City.

6.88 The quality of new railway stations in the UK has generally

been very disappointing, with the notable exception of the

London Underground Jubilee Line. Gilmour Street station

is a building of some historic and townscape value, and

the emphasis should therefore be on creative adaptation,

possibly inspired by best practice models from Norway and

Switzerland.

6.89 We are proposing the development of an integrated transport

hub rather than a major interchange. The major piece of

new build development would be sheltered outdoor bus

waiting areas at Central Road. Arup’s Vauxhall Cross bus

70

station in London is a possible model, as is Hyde in Greater

Manchester and Hoofddorp in the Netherlands.

6.90 Facilitating increased pedestrian and cycle movements

require provision of quality infrastructure for these modes.

Bristol is an excellent example of well signed routes,

especially for pedestrians. Darlington, Worcester and

Peterborough are all sustainable travel demonstration towns

that are promoting packages of schemes and marketing

measures to encourage walking and cycling.

Theme 8: Quality and style

6.91 In the late 1990s Paisley made a major investment in the

public realm. An extensive area around the Cross and the

Abbey was pedestrianised and upgraded. Key elements of

the scheme included:

• pedestrianisation of High Street (east), Moss Street

and Gilmour Street

• creation of public spaces at County Square and the

Cross

• upgrading of the riverside

• exclusion of private cars from the north end of

Causeyside Street and the west end of Gauze Street,

and installation of high quality bus stances

• creation of a high quality pedestrian environment at

Abbey Close.

6.92 By common consent, this was one of the most ambitious and

high quality schemes of its type in any Scottish town, but it

has not halted the decline in Paisley’s fortunes.

6.93 In our view, this is not surprising: the social and economic

forces arrayed against Paisley (and other similar towns)

in the past 20-30 years have been formidable, and the

competitive pressures have intensified in the past decade.

Public realm improvements, however elegant, cannot be

expected to turn the tide on their own. More work is required

to enhance the quality, diversity and attractiveness of the

town centre experience.

6.94 Some people have suggested that the crisis in Paisley town

centre is the result of pedestrianisation, but we do not

believe that this is the case. We have recommended minor

changes to the traffic management regime (see Theme 7)

but our view is that Paisley’s upgraded public realm is a

valuable asset which will support and facilitate aspects of

this strategy for transformational change.

6.95 This theme introduces an urban realm strategy designed to

underpin the rest of the action plan and maximise its impact.

Implementing this strategy will help to achieve an urban

environment of quality and style, which will:

• attract more people to the town centre to live, work and visit, and encourage repeat visits

• make it easier for residents and visitors to enter and leave the town and – for car users – find a place to park

• make the experience of arrival more pleasant and welcoming

• increase levels of footfall, trade, social and cultural activity throughout the day, the week and the year

• create a lively town centre with a more diverse base of residents, employers, workers and visitors

• reduce crime and improving the sense of comfort and

personal security.

6.96 Our proposals for improving the accessibility of the town

centre to drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are described

under Theme 7, but we also propose action to:

• enhance the integrity, permeability and legibility of

the urban form

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• enhance the public realm by creating a sequence of gateways, green spaces and open space

• establish guidelines for development in the eastern

arc.


Priority 8.1: Urban form

6.97 Paisley has a distinctive and high quality townscape, but

the impact of major roads and the presence of some areas

of dereliction (for example, north of Gauze Street and at

Wellmeadow Street) means that the urban form has broken

down in places, especially on the town centre edges. This is

a particular issue on the east side, where Mill Street and a

group of 1970s civic buildings set among under-used lawns

create a fragmented and car-dominated zone.

6.98 Paisley’s urban form is generally permeable and adaptable,

but it has become fragmented and dislocated in some

places. For example:

• links between the Oakshaw conservation area and

the rest of the town are confusing and – in some

cases – unwelcoming

• the university campus (see priority 3.1) has the

character of an enclosed compound, exacerbated by

the sweep of under-used land south of Witherspoon

Street

6.99 We propose the development of an urban design strategy

to restore the integrity of the urban form and to improve

permeability and legibility.

6.100 Key features of our proposals include:

• improvements to key pedestrian/cycling routes into the town centre to encourage walk-in visits and to strengthen connections with the Anchor Mill/Abbey Mill complex

• creation of a riverside street with active street frontages on the south bank of the White Cart, between Mill Street and Forbes Place

• streetscape schemes, incorporating public art as appropriate, to signal the key gateways to the town and create a sense of arrival.

• we have proposed the development of an urban design strategy for the University of Paisley campus: this should enhance the coherence and legibility of the site itself, but also strengthen linkages with the surrounding area, including possible future developments on the south side of Witherspoon Street

• a programme to improve pedestrian links between Oakshaw and High Street/Wellmeadow Street through infill development of gap sites, signposting and lighting

• creating safe and attractive pedestrian links between the Gilmour Street interchange and the proposed mixed use development in the town

centre east.

Priority 8.2: Public space

6.101 The urban design strategy should define a hierarchy of

public spaces and green space in the town centre. At

present, the two principal public spaces in the town are

County Square and the area around the abbey church.

These will continue to play a key role, and we would expect

the events strategy (priority 2.2) to help to maximise and

intensify their use.

6.102 We have suggested that some further investment may be

required for County Square, linked to the transport hub

proposals and this may include an opportunity to create a

temporary tented roof to provide all-weather protection.

6.103 Our Eastern Arc proposals are designed to animate the

area around the abbey and to create a more intimate and

enclosed urban space – a modern abbey close. These

proposals should not compromise or encroach significantly

72

Fig 6.5 urban form - public space

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on the values green space around the abbey, which is a

valuable resource and the natural focus for larger scale,

family-orientated events.

6.104 Other key elements of the public space strategy might

include:

• creation of a distinctive civic space at the entrance to

the university, capitalising on the outstanding group

of civic and ecclesiastical buildings in this location;

this would be a shared space, with a road running

through it, but with traffic calming measures

• turning the White Cart into a valued townscape asset:

crucially this will involve an active management

regime to keep the river clean and attractive, but we

have also recommended built development, linking

Bridge Street to Forbes Place to create an active

riverside street, and strengthen links with Anchor Mill

• we have recommended the reclamation of some of

the small surface car parks in the town as part of a

programme to rationalise and improve the quality of

parking: we do not envisage significant development

demand for these sites in the short-nedium term, but

there may be an opportunity to convert some sites

into small urban parks or green spaces.

Priority 8.3: Eastern Arc

6.105 We have highlighted the town centre east as an area of

opportunity. In contrast to much of the study area, this site

has the capacity to accommodate significant mixed use

development. We have developed the concept of the Eastern

Arc, a regeneration zone extending from Gilmour Street

station, through Central Road and the Arnott’s site, to Cotton

Street and Bridge Street.

6.106 Figure 6-5 shows an illustrative proposition for the

eastern arc which aims to establish guiding principles for

development of this area. Key features include:

• the proposed public transport hub around Gilmour Street/the Cross, including comprehensive regeneration of Central Road

• proposals for mixed use development north of Gauze Street comprising residential, student housing, offices and a multi-storey car park

• guidance on the form and scale of development in the immediate vicinity of the abbey, including proposed residential development on the site of the Council’s north building

• down-scaling Cotton Street/Bridge Street to make them more pedestrian friendly

• development around Bridge Street and the riverside including prestige offices and riverside links to existing development in south-east of the town such

as Anchor Mill and Abbey Mill.

6.107 We propose that these illustrative proposals should be

worked up into a development brief for the Eastern Arc,

designed to deliver transformational change in this key

location over the next 5 years.


6.108 Our selected case study towns (Doncaster, Halifax,

Scunthorpe and Taunton) have all identified mixed use

developments as the preferred model for regenerating

underperforming town centre areas. For example:

• Doncaster’s Great Street project is designed to restore urban form to a section of inner ring road that divides the town from surrounding neighbourhoods

• Scunthorpe has identified four key development nodes for mixed use developments on the fringes of the town centre, and Church Square has been targeted as a cultural quarter

• Taunton is making the rediscovery of neglected

riverside sites a top priority, and the strategy aims to

reconnect previously isolated quarters.

74

Fig 6.6 eastern arc

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ACTIVITIES AND INTERVENTIONS

6.109 The action plan needs to be worked up into a detailed

business plan and budget for the next five years. However,

the first-cut programme outlined above describes a mix

of activities and interventions that can be summarised as

follows:

• engaging with the private sector and public sector

partners to deliver development

• pro-active town centre management and promotion

• developing a robust urban design framework and

enhancing the public realm

• improving transport infrastructure

6.110 Some aspects of the programme will require further

development over the next 6-12 months, including the

urban design strategy and the Eastern Arc development brief

(theme 8) and investigation of a possible capital programme

to enhance Paisley’s cultural assets and venues (theme 5).

6.111 At this stage, some of our proposals are inevitably

provisional, but we have identified a series of key

development outputs, summarised in Figure 6-6.

Figure 6.7: Paisley town centre developments

Priority Description

1.1 Residential development on site of North Building (1.25 ha site)

1.2 Student housing (various sites considered)

4.1 Serviced business centre at Witherspoon Street (0.5 ha)

4.2 Mixed use development north of Gauze Street (2.0 ha site)

5.2 Creative industries production space (re-use of redundant building to be identified)

6.1 Riverside development at Bridge Street (0,5 ha site)

6.112 In total these key locations have a site area of about 4.5

hectares. We cannot yet determine the development mix or

potential to retain/re-use buildings, but we have assumed

an average plot ratio of 70%, giving a development footprint

of about 30,000 sq metres which will produce about 90,000

square metres of floorspace (gross) over 10-15 years. The

gross cost of development of this scale is likely to be in the

order of £50 million.

6.113 For the purposes of this report we have produced a nominal

schedule of the mix and scale of development at the key

sites identified above.

Figure 6-4: Nominal development mix, Paisley town centre 2006-2016

Site Sq metres

Gross space

Resi-dential

Retail/leisure

Office/studio

Parking

North Building 25,000 20,000 2,000 3,000

Witherspoon St 5,000 5,000

Gauze St 50,000 20,000 15,000 5,000 8,000

Bridge St 10,000 2,000 4,000 2,000 1,000

Creative industry* 2,000 2,000

TOTAL 92,000 42,000 21,000 14,000 12,000

* Site to be identified

6.114 The nominal retail, leisure and office space would create in

the order of 1,500 gross jobs, roughly a 15% increase on

the present level of town centre employment; income and

supplier multipliers may increase this to 2,000.

6.115 Section 7 provides a commentary on the viability and

deliverability of this programme.

76

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7.1 We have mapped out an action plan for the next five years,

although the developments described here will be delivered

through to 2016 and beyond. The analysis contained in

Section 3 has highlighted market failures in some sectors

in the town centre and the implementation of this plan must

therefore take account of the market realities and guard

against optimism bias.

7.2 We have asked Ryden to appraise the action plan from a

market perspective, and to comment on its deliverability.

Their key conclusions are summarised below.

RESIDENTIAL

7.3 Theme 1 describes residential-led regeneration, focusing on

the North Building site. Private sector investment will supply

housing (although some public sector intervention might be

required to deliver social or upper floor housing) and it may

be sufficiently profitable to generate an element of cross-

subsidy for mixed-use development and infrastructure.

Nevertheless, the strategy must be sufficient robust and

diverse to withstand any downturn in the private housing

market or indeed changes in the funding of social and

affordable housing. There are risks in treating residential

development as a cash-cow.

SHOPPING AND LEISURE

7.4 Shopping and leisure present a serious challenge for

Paisley town centre. The town is being re-positioned by the

marketplace as a district centre serving local residents and

workers. Market adjustment will continue throughout the

next decade, and rent and lease expectations will need to

adjust, especially on the High Street. The Paisley Centre may

experience some diversification. Value retailing should be

accepted as a useful market niche for Paisley, rather than a

second-best option.

7.5 Development will be market-led and the role for the

regeneration strategy is to create the demand conditions

which will maintain an attractive and competitive retail/

leisure offer by increasing footfall by students, workers

and residents, and creating an attractive town centre

environment which will encourage people to visit more often

and to stay longer.

UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

7.6 The university will continue to invest and upgrade within the

existing campus boundaries in the medium-term. The most

significant new investment is likely to come from provision

of purpose-built student housing, and from the recycling of

tenement buildings currently used as student housing back

into the private sector housing market.

OFFICE SPACE

7.7 Theme 4 seeks to continue Paisley’s recent successes in

attracting and growing small businesses. Public subsidy or

development cross-funding (as at Anchor Mill) is likely to be

required to support this form of development in Paisley. A

measured, demand-led approach will be required to avoid

over-supplying this market.

7.8 We anticipate that office space will form part of the

development mix at Gauze Street, and that this will be

achieved primarily by cross-subsidy. Public intervention

will be required in order to pump-prime development of a

public sector office building as part of the proposed Bridge

St/riverside scheme. The demand side of this market is a

changing landscape: Audit Scotland is reviewing the current

policy on decentralisation. Paisley will face strong out

of town competition, but the town centre offers excellent

transport connectivity and amenities to compete in the next

market cycle.

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

7.9 Theme 5 proposes space for the creative industries in

Paisley. Such initiatives typically require an obsolete

d e v e l o p m e n ta n d d e l i v e r y

7

78

building to become available at negligible capital cost,

and public sector support for the costs of conversion.

Occupiers are typically seeking flexible, low cost studio

space, and there are a number of examples of projects

where a sustainable model has been achieved (subject to

up-front funding). However, the realities of low and often

uncertain rental income mean that creative industries hubs

often require ongoing revenue support, especially if tenants

include non-commercial artists and performance groups.

SUMMING UP

7.10 The action plan is predicated on the need to diversify and

intensify activity in the town centre, but we recognise that

market conditions are challenging and likely to remain so

for some years to come. Residential development will be the

commercial driver for much of the development programme

outlined here, but it will be important not to over-burden

developers with unrealistic expectations about cross-

subsidy of other uses.

7.11 Our default position is that the development and

regeneration in Paisley town centre should be private

sector-led wherever possible. The resources of the public

sector are finite and the Council, Scottish Enterprise and

Communities Scotland all have competing priorities and

tough decisions to make. We endorse the view set out in the

on the public sector partners to encourage and facilitate

appropriate development. However, office development

and space for the creative industries will require subsidy,

and public sector funding will also be required for future

investment in the University of Paisley campus, although

the precise nature of the university’s requirements is not yet

clear.

7.15 Other aspects of the action plan will also generate

funding requirements. Aspects of the accessible and

connected agenda (for example, car parking and pedestrian

routes) may be part-funded by Section 75 agreements.

Improvements to Gilmour Street station may form a part

of planned investment in the airport link, but there will be

significant additional costs associated with the creation of

the transport hub, revised traffic management arrangements

and the pedestrian/cycle network.

7.16 The quality and style theme also envisages additional

investment in the public realm, for example at County

Square and the University Gateway. Again, some of this may

attract developer contributions, but it would be prudent to

plan for a significant public sector contribution.

7.17 Something in the order of a third of the property

development programme (representing development

costs in the order of £15 million) will require an element

Scottish Executive’s Regeneration Statement, People and

Place (February 2006) that: “much of the purpose of private

sector activity should be to act as a catalyst for, or lay the

foundation for, private sector activity”.

7.12 We believe that the role of the public sector partners as

champions of the new vision for Paisley is particularly

important. The evidence from the case studies (and our

experience elsewhere) is that sending a clear signal about

the partners’ aspirations for the town can help to get Paisley

“on the radar” for developers and investors. People and

Place argues that “much more needs to be done to ensure

that the private sector players…view Scotland as ‘open for

business’ on regeneration; and that they are fully aware of

the opportunities available”.

7.13 Nevertheless, Ryden’s appraisal makes it clear that public

sector intervention will be required to address market

failure, and to stimulate private sector activity. There

needs to be what the Scottish Executive describes as “a

‘mixed economy’ of investment which delivers sustainable

regeneration and value for money”.

7.14 With the caveat that all the figures quoted here should be

treated as indicative and provisional, we are working on

the assumption that private sector-led residential, retail

and leisure development is viable, and that the onus is

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of subsidy. At this stage any estimate of the public sector

contribution will be highly speculative, but we recommend

that the partners should assume a funding requirement of

£5-6 million over the next 5 years.

7.18 Similarly, we are not in a position to cost the infrastructure

and public realm requirements, but these are likely to be in

the order of £3-4 million in the same period, including the

design and installation of the winter lights.

7.19 Aspects of the programme require further detailed appraisal

and development. Key tasks include:

• preparation of a costed business plan

• development of a marketing strategy

• development brief for the Eastern Arc

• development of an urban design strategy

• development appraisals for key sites

• development of plans under the culture and

creativity theme

• appraisal of proposed changes to the traffic

management regime.

7.20 Consultants fees for these and other tasks may amount to

around £400-500,000 in the next 2-3 years.

7.21 Subject to the development of a full business plan, our

estimate at this stage is therefore that the public sector

partners should plan on the basis of an £�-10 million

capital programme over the next five years. This excludes

any planned new buildings on the university campus, but

does make provision for a contribution to improvements to

the public realm.

REVENUE PROGRAMMES

7.22 In addition, we envisage the creation of an enhanced town

centre team. We discuss the role and function of the team

below, but its responsibilities will include the management

and delivery of an energetic town centre management

programme, events, marketing and promotions. The team

will use additional resources to build on its joint campaigns

with retailers.

7.23 The key elements of the town centre team’s programme will

include:

• introduction of a zero tolerance regime to combat the

problems of litter, graffiti and vandalism in the town

centre

• action to combat crime and anti-social behaviour,

including more regular and visible policing

• introduction of a year-round programme of events,

festivals and cultural activities

• a positive marketing and PR campaign

• planned promotional activity linked to the events

programme.

7.24 While we envisage that this will require some additional

expenditure, we also assume that the Council, the police

and other partners will prioritise cleansing, foot patrols

and other services in the town centre. Subject to the

development of an operating plan and budget we are

working on the assumption that the team will control an

annual revenue budget in the order of £250,000, excluding

staff costs.

OPTIONS FOR DELIVERY

7.25 Implementation of the action plan will require a mechanism

(or mechanisms) to:

• secure the delivery of development proposals and

other capital projects, and

80

• deliver town centre management, promotion and

other services.

7.26 The opportunities for comprehensive development in

Paisley are limited. The potential development sites

identified in our report add up to less than 5 hectares within

a total central area footprint of around 75 hectares16. Most

of this land – about 3.75 hectares – lies in the area we have

designated the Eastern Arc, but even here we are talking

about an archipelago of sites in a variety of ownerships.

7.27 For the most part the town centre will adapt and evolve

through a period of market adjustment, with support and

assistance from the private sector where necessary and

appropriate. There is no systemic market failure in Paisley

town centre, nor are there any “no go” locations for the

market. However, there are areas of market uncertainty –

such as prime retail – and others requiring subsidy funding

– such as new-build and managed business space.

7.28 The projects proposed in the action plan therefore form a

package of town centre development opportunities, rather

than a single development programme. Delivery will be on

a project-by-project basis through the appropriate owners

and agencies, under the umbrella of the existing public

sector agencies and partnerships. Delivery will also take

place over an extended period, reflecting market uncertainty

and the – unpredictable – rate of market adjustment.

7.29 In these circumstances, implementation of the plan

will require ad hoc arrangements and bespoke delivery

solutions, and the public sector partners will need to be

flexible and adaptable in their approach. This is not a

situation in which there is likely to be much advantage in

creating an urban development company or similar special

purpose vehicle best suited to large scale redevelopment of

brownfield sites.

7.30 However, a coherent and cohesive approach is essential.

Implementing the action plan is an exercise in place making

and regeneration, requiring a clear vision and strategic

direction, an intimate knowledge of the study area and the

principal actors, and the ability to mobilise resources in

support of the programme.

7.31 In our view, the Paisley Vision Board is well placed to

fulfil that role, in terms of the partners’ knowledge and

understanding of the issues and their shared commitment

to reviving the fortunes of the town centre. However,

the expertise and goodwill of the Board needs to be

underpinned by a strong executive team accountable to the

Board for implementing the action plan. We envisage a team

of up to three full-time staff, led by a senior and experienced

manager which will be responsible for:

• developing a 5-year business plan and budget

• championing the new vision for Paisley, including a

marketing and PR programme

• working with owners and developers to deliver the

development programme, and mobilising public

sector resources

• working in partnership with public sector bodies and

the private sector to deliver infrastructure, public

realm and other projects

• establishing a performance management framework

• reporting and accountability.

yellow book

July 2006

16 Approximate land area within ring-road

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1. PAISLEY VISION BOARD

1.1 The Paisley Vision Board (PVB) was set up in January 2000

with the aim of providing a forum and focus for private

and public sector stakeholders who had an interest in the

regeneration of Paisley Town Centre. The PVB aims to re-

establish the town centre as a “centre of excellence” by:

encouraging investment in retail, office, commercial,

leisure and housing

increasing footfall in the town centre

developing Paisley as a university town

capitalising on key buildings and spaces

marketing and promoting the town centre

research and evaluation.

2. NATIONAL POLICY

2.1 A Consultation Draft of Scottish Planning Policy: Town

Centres (SPP8) was published in August 2005. SPP8 sets

out Scottish Executive policy on the development of town

centres and has to be taken into account in the preparation

of Structure and Local Plans and the determination of

planning applications.

a n n e x 1p o l i c y r e v i e w

1

2.2 The SPP8 applies to all retail, leisure, entertainment and

recreation uses. It also applies to other uses that contribute

to the vitality and viability of a particular centre (such as

community facilities, civic space, culture and tourism and

business uses). The focus is on establishing a mix of uses

and activities in town centres, and housing should form an

important element of the mix.

2.3 Town centres provide a diverse range of commercial and

community activities, including places of employment,

open spaces and meeting places; a mix of interdependent

land uses which, taken together, create a sense of place

and identity. The physical structure, the range and mix

of uses make a ‘town centre’ different from a ‘shopping

centre’ and provide much of its character and identity.

Consequently, the key thrust of national policy is to ensure

that vibrant, thriving town centres are protected as the focus

for communities and that development and regeneration

is directed primarily towards town centres to protect and

enhance their vitality and viability.

2.4 The Executive’s key policy objectives for town centres are

therefore to:

promote competitive places and encourage

regeneration, in order to create town centres that are

attractive to investors and suited to the generation

of new employment opportunities; town centres are

the most appropriate location for retailing and other

related activities in order to sustain and enhance

their vitality and viability

enable all sectors of the community to have access

to a range of shopping, leisure and other services;

this means supporting an efficient, competitive and

innovative retail and leisure sector which allows

genuine consumer choice to meet the needs of the

entire community

improve the physical quality of town centre

environments by promoting good quality design,

protecting and enhancing existing quality and

supporting the creation of town centres which are

attractive, safe and inclusive for all

support development in existing accessible

locations or in locations where accessibility can

be improved, thus reducing the need to travel and

provide alternatives to car use.

2.5 Planning authorities should, through development plans

and other strategies, implement these key policy objectives.

They should tailor their approach to meet particular local

circumstances and community needs. In order to deliver

these objectives, stakeholders should focus on the following

policy principles:

82

identifying and promoting town centres as part of a

network of centres

focusing new development in existing town centres

by using a sequential approach to assessment

maintaining, improving and developing town centres

promoting an attractive and safe environment

ensuring that centres are accessible to all sectors of

the community by a range of modes of transport

regularly monitoring and reviewing their policies.

2.6 SPP8 recommends that authorities should undertake a

health check to measure the strengths and weaknesses of a

town centre and to analyse the factors which contribute to

its vitality and viability. “Vitality” is defined as a measure

of how lively and busy a town centre is and “viability” is a

measure of its capacity to attract ongoing investment, for

maintenance, improvement and adaptation to changing

needs. Together these give an indication of the health of a

town centre. A range of key performance indicators can be

used to provide an effective insight into the performance of

a centre and so offer a framework for assessing vitality and

viability. The following 9 factors are suggested:

pedestrian flow

prime rental values

space in use for different town centre functions and

change over time

retailer representation and intentions

commercial yield

vacancy rates

physical structure of the centre (opportunities,

constraints, and

accessibility)

periodic surveys of consumers

crime

2.7 The PVB has commissioned health checks on Paisley Town

Centre, using some of these performance indicators, for

both 2002 and 2003 and compared these to 1994 baseline

survey data, where available. The data revealed a generally

poor performance between 1994 and 2002, and a more

mixed picture in 2002-03. There have been no systematic

updates since 2003.

3. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

3.1 The regional policy perspective is provided by the

Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Structure Plan. The

most recent policy statement is that set out in the Draft

Finalised Supplementary Written Statement published for

consultation in October 2005. The revised Plan updates

policies in the approved 2000 Plan to take account of

significant economic growth in Glasgow and the Clyde Valley

and the Government’s desire to achieve a more sustainable

pattern of development throughout the United Kingdom and

to contribute to the renaissance of Scotland.

3.2 The 2000 Plan sets out a strategic vision of Glasgow and

the Clyde Valley as one of the most attractive business and

residential locations in Europe because of the improved

quality of the transport system, the labour force and the

physical environment. Delivering this vision requires a long

term metropolitan development strategy for the area based

on the following key themes:

strengthening communities in the area by meeting

their diverse social needs and improving health

a corridor of growth through the heart of the area

stimulating economic growth with a strong and

vibrant City Centre as the heart of the metropolitan

conurbation

a green network creating a quality environment.

3.3 The updated policy framework is based on a faster rate of

development than assumed in the 2000 Plan and is based

on sustaining the rate of economic growth which has been

achieved in recent years. It also reflects the development

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priorities in the Scottish Executive’s National Planning

Framework (April 2004) which identifies:

the Clyde Corridor and Lanarkshire as key economic

development zones for Scotland

the Clyde Waterfront, Clyde Gateway and Ravenscraig

Flagship Initiatives together with Gartcosh and

Eurocentral, as regeneration and renewal priorities

improving the quality of the core of the Metropolitan

Area as part of the national Strategy

Gartcosh and Bishopton as two of the preferred

locations for long term expansion within the Glasgow

and Clyde Valley Area.

3.4 The review of the Plan has confirmed the importance of

sustaining the network of town centres (Strategic Policy

1(a)). The policy gives explicit recognition to the economic,

administrative, educational and cultural role of the main

town centres. Strategic Policy 1 and Schedule 1(a) in the

2000 Plan have been modified to identify sub-regional

centres serving a wider area than their local communities.

Paisley is identified as one of nine sub-regional centres

whose role is to be safeguarded and enhanced. It is also one

of nine town centre renewal priorities.

3.5 Strategic Policy 6(c) is modified to clarify the relationship

between established town centres and new shopping/

leisure centres. Braehead and Lomond Shores are

identified, and the policy states that - without prejudice

to the policy of supporting town centres as the preferred

location for new retail development - these centres should

be taken into account in the assessment of out of town

proposals and adverse impact on them avoided.

3.6 The Plan also updates the assessment of the need for

additional retail floorspace in each centre based on revised

estimates of retail expenditure and floorspace in the

relevant catchment areas. In relation to Paisley it concludes

that in the period up to 2011 there is no quantitative need

for additional convenience or comparison floorspace, but

that on qualititative grounds, new comparison floorspace

which would improve the viability and vitality of the town

centre would be supported.

3.7 Strategic Policy 5 sets out the development opportunities

which promote the economic competitiveness of the

area. Higher rates of economic growth are expected to be

driven by the service sector, and science and technology

associated with the knowledge economy. The policy to

support this covers the provision of a range of strategic sites

which includes strategic business centres and university

campuses. In this context, Paisley is specifically recognised

as a strategic business centre and the University as having

the potential to contribute to the regeneration of the Town

Centre.

3.8 The principal implications of this review of strategic policy

for Paisley town centre are:

a greater emphasis on the protection and

development of the non-retail activities

identification of Paisley as a strategic business

centre location

recognition of Braehead as part of the system of

retail centres which should have some protection

from adverse development

assessment that there is some scope (on quality

grounds) for additional retail floorspace through

restructuring, and

opportunities to further develop linkages with the

University of Paisley.

84

4. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Strategy

4.1 The finalised Renfrewshire Local Plan was published in

October 2002. It is anticipated that the Local Plan will be

formally adopted by the Council early in 2006.

4.2 The main aims of the Local Plan can be summarised in five

strategic policies:

Strategic Policy 1: social inclusion

Strategic Policy 2: promotion of sustainable

development and strengthening the settlement

pattern

Strategic Policy 3: promotion of economic

competitiveness

Strategic Policy 4: protection and enhancement of

the environment

Strategic Policy 5: integration of planning and

transport.

4.3 Strategic Policy 2 includes safeguarding and promoting the

vitality and viability of town and village centres. Strategic

Policy 3 covers the promotion of appropriate business

use in the town centre and other locations. The continued

development of the University of Paisley and Reid Kerr

College is considered vital to the educational, cultural

and economic wellbeing of Paisley and Renfrewshire.

The Council also recognises the important role that

business development within the Cart Corridor will have

in complementing Paisley town centre’s role as a strategic

business centre.

4.4 Five specific development opportunities are identified in the

Local Plan which have varying degrees of impact on the town

centre. These are:

Renfrew North

Bishopton

Cart Corridor

Saucel Street.

Anchor Mills.

Town Centres and Retailing

4.5 Local Plan Policies R1 – R7 and R17 - 18 relate to the

development of Strategic (Paisley, Johnstone, Renfrew and

Erskine) and other town centres. Specific policies include:

Policy R1- town centre type uses will be directed to

strategic and secondary centres

Policy R2 – retail developments over 2000m2 of

comparison floorspace and 1000m2 convenience

floorspace will be directed to the strategic town

centres

Policy R4 – preference will be given to expansion

areas which are immediately adjacent to town

centres

Policy R5 – within the Paisley Town Centre core area

the following policies apply:

- within the Paisley Centre, no more than

20,000ft2 or 10% of the gross floor area shall be

used for non-retail or food retail purposes

- within the Piazza, no more than 10% of the

gross floor area shall be used for Class 2 or

Class 3 developments

- in High Street/Moss Street, ground floor

frontages will be restricted primarily to Classes

1 and 3 with no more than 20% of the frontage

length available for other uses

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Policy R6 – change of use of properties (from former

retail or commercial to residential) on the fringes of

Paisley Town Centre will be supported where they

bring buildings back into active use and have no

adverse impact

Policy R7 – the distinctive townscape created by the

mix of civic and cultural land uses around Paisley

Abbey and Paisley Library and Museum will be

safeguarded and enhanced

Policy R17 – a high standard of design will be

required in all new development in town centres with

particular consideration to compatibility of form,

scale and materials

Policy R18 – all new hot food outlets, public houses

and licensed clubs will be directed to town and

secondary centres.

4.6 The Local Plan also has 4 policies relating to out-of-centre

and edge-of-centre retailing which potentially could have

some impact on Paisley Town Centre. These are:

Policy R13 – no new retail warehousing or additional

retail floorspace beyond the current consents will be

supported at the existing retail warehouse parks at

Blythswood, Abbotsinch, Phoenix and Braehead

Policy R14 – no expansion of the existing retail

stores at Neilston Road, and Anchor Mills, Paisley;

Newmains Road, Renfrew; and the Phoenix, Linwood

will be supported

Policy R15 – an allocation is made for the

development of the Phoenix Centre, Linwood for

leisure, business, hotel and car showroom uses

Policy R16 – no additional retail floorspace beyond

that in current consents will be supported at

Braehead.

Education

4.7 The Local Plan also recognises the importance of higher and

further education facilities. Policy Ed1 specifically indicates

that the Council supports the continuing development of

the University of Paisley and Reid Kerr College. Development

proposals in these areas should not adversely affect

operations or future development.

Transportation

4.8 Transport policies aim to achieve integration with the local

transport plan by:

ensuring that sustainable transport measures are

incorporated in new developments

protecting disused rail lines and freight connections which have potential for reuse

protecting walking and cycling routes

protecting land for new road improvements.

4.9 Transport assessments of new development should take

account of:

the likely effects on the transport system

measures to reduce the level of car use

levels of car parking

proposals to encourage access by walking and cycling

improvements to public transport and initiatives to secure sustainable travel by employees, customers and suppliers

4.10 The Structure Plan identifies a number of strategically

important public transport schemes of which two are of

particular relevance to Paisley town centre:

Public Transport Links to Glasgow Airport

Rail Link to Renfrew /Braehead.

86

4.11 The Council, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise

Renfrewshire, Strathclyde Passenger Transport and other

bodies, has undertaken major works in Paisley Town Centre

to improve pedestrian access and facilities for bus and rail

transport. These works have brought about a significant

improvement in the Town Centre environment and won a

number of awards.

4.12 The Local Transport Strategy (2000) makes provision

for studies to progress a number of transport proposals,

including works to address traffic problems on the north

side of the town centre.

Economic Competitiveness

4.13 The economic competitiveness policies of the Local Plan

cover a range of activities including tourism and general

business needs. Tourism makes a significant contribution

to the local economy with annual direct expenditure around

£65 million supporting approximately 2000 jobs. The Local

Plan supports Tourist Development Areas (TDAs) including

Paisley town centre.

4.14 The development of office, service, education, tourism and

culture orientated facilities is supported and the Local Plan

promotes the development of an area to the north of Paisley

Town Centre as a strategic business centre.

Environment

4.15 The Council has identified eight conservation areas, of which

The Cross/Oakshaw has been designated outstanding by

Historic Scotland.

Conclusions

4.16 The Local Plan provides policy protection to the retail

function of Paisley town centre. In practice, consents for

superstores have been given to edge of centre sites at

Anchor Mill and Love Street.

4.17 The Local Plan does not generally recognise that the role of

town centres is changing and that a wider range of functions

will be important to their vitality and viability. Policy R5

restricts the amount of non-retail uses in the core area of the

town centre, although R6 recognises that on the fringe of the

centre changes to non-retail uses could be acceptable. There

are no specific proposals for further retail development or

restructuring within the town centre.

4.18 Policy R7 also recognises the role which historic and cultural

uses play in the creation of an attractive and vibrant town

centre, although this is couched in townscape rather

than functional terms and there do not appear to be any

proposals to further develop/ enhance such activities.

4.19 The Plan identifies areas for the expansion of the University

within the town centre which is seen as an important

component of the town centre activity mix.

4.20 Access and parking are known to be issues of concern.

Problems with the operation of the northern section of

the town centre ring road are identified but the Local Plan

contains no specific proposals to address the issue.

4.21 Paisley Town Centre is safeguarded as a tourist development

area, but there are no specific proposals to develop the

function.

4.22 The town centre is identified as a strategic business centre

where service sector business activities will be encouraged

and allocates an area to the north of the town centre for this

purpose.

4.23 The Local Plan puts considerable emphasis on conserving

and enhancing the quality of the town centre environment

and requiring a high standard of design in new

development. Further enhancement proposals are not

specifically identified.

4.24 Much of the work on the Local Plan was completed before

the Paisley Vision Board (PVB) was created and since then

a number of studies have been carried out on retailing,

offices, housing and the University Quarter.

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1. PAISLEY OFFICE MARKET REVIEW

1.1 Ryden was commissioned in 2002 to undertake a review of

the Paisley office market. The study looked at the whole

town, not just the centre. Key findings included:

• the stock totalled some 704,000ft2 in 343 premises

• only 5% of units were over 5000ft2, 84% were under

2000 ft2

• Paisley Town Centre has a substantial 1960’s and

1970’s public sector office quarter; the majority of

the stock is at first floor level and of relatively poor

quality

• turnover is quite high with 18% available for lease

or sale; only a very limited amount is of modern

construction (1990’s or later)

• the main area of activity is in out-of town locations

• the Paisley office market is small but important for

the town centre

• there was a demand for around 130,00ft2 of office

floorspace in Paisley over the next 3-4 years.

a n n e x 2p a i s l e y t o w n c e n t r e :r e c e n t s t u d i e s

1.2 In terms of the future town centre supply, Ryden identified

Anchor Mill and the University Quarter as significant

development opportunities which could provide new

and refurbished office accommodation. The Anchor Mill

proposal contained just over 20,000ft2 of net office space

on the first floor. The University Development Prospectus

identified 3 commercial development opportunities of which

one for a multi-use centre of 31,000ft2 contained office

accommodation. In addition, the area to the north of the

town centre around Back Sneddon Street was also thought

to have some potential, although development was felt to

be constrained by fragmented ownerships.

1.3 Key recommendations of the study included:

• office development in Paisley should be promoted

on well located town centre strategic sites

• the quality of the office specification available in the

town centre should be improved, including up-to-

date ITC infrastructure

• the area to the north of the town centre and station

should be assessed for its suitability as a quality

inner city business park, for indigenous and inward

investing companies

2. PAISLEY RETAIL STUDY

2.1 The Paisley Retail Study published in June 2002 by DTZ

Pieda provides an extensive analysis of current provision

and future prospects for the town. In terms of various UK

retail ranking systems Paisley is placed either 13th or 14th

of all retail centres in Scotland. It has around 106,000m2

gross retail floorspace, of which nearly 12,000m2 (13%) is

vacant, a significantly higher proportion than comparable

centres. Multiple retailer representation (47%) is also lower

than might be expected (eg. Stirling 60%) and the report

concluded that the range and quality of the retail offer in

Paisley was restricted.

2.2 The survey of town centre users revealed that the main

purpose of 58% (60%) of respondents was to shop, with

11% (10%) citing work, 9% (5%) using financial services

and 9% (12%) indicating social and leisure reasons

(equivalent 1994 responses are shown in brackets).

2.3 Analysis of the survey of Paisley TC catchment area residents

indicated that since 1994 the percentage visiting the town

centre for main food shopping had more than halved from

37% to 16%. Those using the town centre for clothing and

fashion goods had fallen from 40% to 18% with most of the

difference accounted for by Braehead. Similarly, household

goods visits had dropped from 41% to 15% with losses to

other centres including Glasgow and various retail parks.

88

2.4 Qualitative assessment of shoppers’ perceptions about the

Town centre indicated that:

• the main advantages of the town centre were its

closeness to home (32% - down from 55% in 1994)

and covered shopping malls (24%)

• the main complaint was the poor range of shops

(39%) and if there were more big stores and a better

variety 56% said they would shop more in the centre

2.5 Retail managers felt that more (84%) and cheaper (90%)

parking was essential, with free parking (83%) rated as a

very high priority. Other issues with more than 50% support

were:

• the need to address long-term vacant units (90%)

which was linked to lower rental levels (87%)

• the removal of town centre graffiti (67%)

• an improved specification of retail units to meet

modern market requirements (57%)

• the need to improve regularity of existing town centre

bus services (57%)

• improved road and hard landscaping maintenance

(53%)

2.6 The Retail Study calculated that in 2002 Paisley Town centre

convenience goods turnover was £33m representing 6% of

the catchment area (418,000 population) total convenience

goods spending. The equivalent figure for comparison

goods was £129m which represents just under 18% of the

catchment area estimated total comparison goods spending.

2.7 Future projections by DTZ Pieda suggest that by 2011 the

catchment area population will decline by 7,000 and that

convenience expenditure in the town centre will decline by

around £4m�. Over the same period comparison expenditure

in the town centre is estimated to rise by £40m which would

support around 19,000m2 additional floorspace�.

2.8 An alternative and more pessimistic analysis undertaken

for the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan Alteration

2005� indicates that by 2011, the estimated turnover in

the town from existing and planned convenience (food)

floorspace would be around £310m, while available

expenditure from the shopping catchment would only be

£191m, a notional overprovision of floorspace of the order

of nearly £120m.4

1 This takes account of the new Morrisons store but not any other superstore consents in the town

2 This is based on growth of per capita comparison expenditure over the 2002-2011 period of 35% (at constant prices) and maintaining market share in the face of competition from the new centre at Pollok

3 Technical Report TR C/05

4 This is based on a convenience catchment population of 82,900 and on importing £33m more expenditure than is exported to competing centres

2.9 A similar exercise was undertaken in respect of comparison

shopping, and the Technical Report suggested that the

estimated turnover in the town from existing and planned

floorspace would be around £327m, while available

expenditure from the shopping catchment would only be

£242m, a notional overprovision of floorspace of the order

of nearly £85m.5

2.10 The implications of the Structure Plan analysis are that there

is no quantitative case for additional retail development

within Paisley over the next 5 years or so but there is a case

to improve the quality of the existing provision in order

to enhance the competitive position of the centre. In this

respect, both reports are effectively saying much the same

thing.

5 This is based on a comparison catchment population of 155,800 and on exporting £244m more expenditure to competing centres (principally Glasgow and Braehead) than is imported to Paisley from elsewhere

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3. THE FLOWERING OF PAISLEY: THE UNIVERSITY QUARTER

1.1 The Paisley Town Centre Strategy Group commissioned this

study by EDI into the feasibility of developing a University

Quarter in the town. The study looked at constraints and

opportunities, proposed a master plan framework and

implementation mechanisms.

3.2 Key constraints identified by the study included:

• negative publicity surrounding the town in all

sections of the development market but particularly

residential

• the market for flats in the town centre being in

decline; the need to improve the tenemental stock

and parking for residents

• a problem with secondary retail locations with

oversupply and many vacant units together with the

poor performance of the Piazza Shopping Centre

• the negative impact of the Braehead Shopping

Centre

• the commuter driven nature of the bulk of the

student population in Paisley which reduces evening

and weekend impact.

3.3 Opportunities and issues identified in the report focus on

the need for:

• a critical mix and mass of retail, related amenities and businesses which provide an enticing offer with small quality hotels and specialised cafes and restaurants

• a well-rounded experience of which shopping is one component – more should be made of heritage and historic features as well the arts and cultural attractions (new gallery, new relocated library, refurbished museum, new arts centre etc.)

• flagship housing development with comprehensive marketing strategy to attract new residents into the town centre

• university development centralised as far as possible on to existing town centre facilities and in medium/long term concentrate the student resident population in the area

• development of workshops and studios for arts and crafts together with a youth enterprise centre with workspace for new start-ups

• higher quality innovative buildings to add to the

town’s architectural heritage

3.4 The Master Plan framework identified 4 zones within the

town centre where there was potential to develop broad

functional themes:

• Oakshaw Hill, with its Victorian buildings as the

University Old Town area

• the Piazza/Station Square – as the transport hub of

the town centre

• the Abbey and environs – providing an open civic

landscape

• the University Quarter – which as well as the campus

itself would embrace 3 areas on its edge (the High

Street frontage – providing a new “front door”; the

Alleys network to the south of the High Street – with

studio/office/shop opportunities in intimate courts

and Storie Street where a new business sector could

be developed)

3.5 The implementation arrangements suggested a requirement

for more detailed project appraisals and refinement of the

concept plan and broadening the responsibility for the town

centre’s regeneration. In particular, a joint venture company

management structure was proposed involving public and

private sector partners matching finance from the latter with

property assets from the former.

�0

4. POTENTIAL RE-USE OF UPPER FLOORS IN PAISLEY

4.1 This 2000 study by Halcrow Fox was commissioned by

Scottish Homes, Renfrewshire Council and SE Renfrewshire.

The study focused on the town centre. The key conclusions

were:

• identified potential to convert vacancies to

residential use amounting to an estimated 15-17

flats, in properties where there was an expressed or

confirmed interest

• seven more properties may have potential for

conversion, but ownership could not be established:

if these properties were suitable for conversion, a

total of about 30 flats might be developed

• the potential properties tend to concentrate in the

High Street/Gilmour Street area: this might provide

an opportunity for a pilot which might stimulate

interest from property owners in other parts of the

study area.

5. PAISLEY WEST END REGENERATION STUDY

5.1 This 2005 study was carried out by ODS and Roger Tym

& Partners. The consultants’ overview of the study area

concluded that:

• this inner urban neighbourhood is predominantly residential with a high proportion of flats; it has declined and the housing/retail markets have performed poorly

• there are high levels of deprivation; crime and anti-social behaviour (often drug related) contribute to its negative image

• there is a high proportion of social rented housing, characterised by low demand and high turnover

• sales values are below average, and the private rented sector is significant - partly due to the proximity of the university

• retail has declined “drastically” and much of the core area is characterised by vacant units, compounding the area’s poor image

• the environment is being eroded by poor building maintenance, vacant and derelict sites and poor

streetscape quality.

5.2 They recommended that an area development framework

(ADF) should be put in place to re-profile the area as a

residential neighbourhood and improve the social/physical

fabric. The ADF should be delivered through a multi-agency

group operating within the framework of the community

planning partnership.

5.3 Interventions should focus on housing related initiatives:

• improved coordination of agencies and services

through an estate management agreement

• concerted effort to improve the image of social and

private housing, and increase demand

• reducing over-supply of social rented house, and

increasing choice and quality in the owner-occupied

sector.

5.4 The west end has declined as a retail area, but its role as a

local centre should be protected. Nevertheless, the number

of retail units in the core area should be reduced.

5.5 A number of vacant and underused sites are identified as

development opportunities that could improve the image

of the area, especially when combined with streetscape

interventions at key locations.

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p a i s l e y t o w n c e n t r e s t u d y : a s t r a t e g y f o r r e g e n e r a t i o n a n d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n | � 1

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 This concise review of social and economic conditions in

Paisley is based on the 2001 census settlement profile

(see www.scrol.gov.uk).

2. POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLD

2.1 The population of Paisley was 74,170. Compared with

Scotland as a whole, Paisley has:

• more single person households: 38.79% in

Paisley (Scotland 32.88%), with a particularly high

proportion accounted for by people below pension

age (23.14%/Scoltand 17.90%)

• fewer detached houses (10.2%/Scotland 20.4%)

and more households living in flats and apartments

(51.42%/Scotland 35.58%)

• relatively low levels of home ownership (57.48%/

Scotland 62.59%) and the an above average number

of households living in Council and other social

rented housing

• a less cosmopolitan population: 92.9% were born

in Scotland (Scotland 87.15%) and only 2.23% were

a n n e x 3s o c i a l a n d e c o n o m i c c o n d i t i o n s

born in Europe or the rest of the world (Scotland

3.35%)

• a broadly similar age profile

• relatively low levels of car ownership: 44.63% of

households do not have a car (Scotland 34.23%) and

there are 0.74 cars per household (Scotland 0.93)

• more people live in overcrowded houses: 15.28%

live in households with too few rooms per resident

(Scotland 11.74%)

• an above average share of lone parent households

(8.54%/Scotland 6.91%).

3. HEALTH


• slightly fewer people are in good health (65.79%/

Scotland 67.91%)

• slightly more people have a limiting long term

illness (22.03%/Scotland 20.31%)

• the economic inactivity rate is higher (see below)

and a higher proportion of the economically inactive

are permanently sick or disabled (24.65%/Scotland

21.25%).

4. EMPLOYMENT


• a broadly similar economic activity profile, but with

- more people in full-time employment

- fewer people in self-employment

- slightly more retired people

- fewer students

- more people who are economically inactive

because of sickness or disability

- more very long term (3-6 years+) unemployed:

(12.23%/Scotland 9.90%)

• a broadly similar industry profile for employed

residents, but with:

�2

- fewer people working in primary/extractive

industries

- more people working in manufacturing,

transport and health/social work

• a broadly similar occupation profile, but with:

- slightly more people working in administrative/

secretarial occupations

- slightly fewer people working skilled trade

occupations

- slightly more people working in process and

elementary occupations.

5. EDUCATION


• more households where no one aged 16-74 has

qualifications or is in full-time education (35.58%/

Scotland 33.11%):

- 35.03% have no qualifications (Scotland

33.23%)

- 17.01% have a Level 4 qualification (19.47%)

• a lower proportion of 16-18 years olds are in full-

time education (58.94%/Scotland 19.47%).

6. COMMENTARY

6.1 These headline figures from the 2001 Census suggest that,

based on these proxy measures, Paisley is somewhat less

prosperous than Scotland as a whole. The most marked

differences relate to the household composition, the quality

of the housing stock and car ownership.

6.2 However, Paisley is a very mixed community, with pockets

of acute deprivation and poverty balanced by other areas

of comfort and prosperity. An analysis of the 2004 Scottish

Index of Deprivation (SIMD) highlights the concentration of

poverty in housing schemes throughout Paisley.

6.3 In the following sequence of maps of Paisley, the areas

shaded brown and pink are among the most deprived

datazones in Scotland. Figure 1 provides an overview

based on the index, which shows that the town centre

is surrounded by deprived neighbourhoods: poverty is

particularly intense in St James and Ferguslie Park, but

there are a number of other deprived areas, for example,

in Foxbar, Hunterhill, Seedhill, Gallowhill, Moorpark and

Shortroods.

Figure 1: Incidence of multiple deprivation: Paisley, by datazone


6.4 The pattern is very similar for income deprivation (Figure 2)

and employment deprivation (Figure 3).

Figure 2: Incidence of income deprivation: Paisley, by datazone


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Figure 6: Incidence of education deprivation: Paisley, by datazone


6.5 The picture on education is much more encouraging. Here,

serious deprivation is largely confined to St James, Ferguslie

Park and Moorpark (Figure 6).

6.6 The Scottish Executive has generated rankings at ward level,

which suggest that:

• St James (ranked 11 of 1,222 wards) and Ferguslie (29)

are among the 5% most deprived wards in Scotland

• Shortroods (100) is among the 10% most deprived

• Sandyford, Seedhill, Paisley Central, Brediland,

Saucel & Hunterhill and Foxbar are among the 20%

most deprived.

Figure 3: Incidence of employment deprivation: Paisley, by datazone


6.5 Health deprivation is even more extensive (Figure 4), but

housing deprivation – though significant – is less intense,

probably reflecting investment in the public sector stock

(Figure 5).

Figure 4: Incidence of health deprivation: Paisley, by datazone


Figure 5: Incidence of housing deprivation: Paisley, by datazone


�4

6.7 These deprived neighbourhoods account for a very significant

proportion of the town centre catchment population,

including inevitably many of these who (because they on

low incomes or do not have access to a car) are most likely

to remain loyal to Paisley town centre as a shopping and

leisure location.

6.8 We can infer that people living in the more prosperous

residential areas of Paisley are more likely to be able to

exercises choices about where they shop and spend their

leisure time. These higher income individuals are more likely

to have transferred part or all of their custom to Braehead or

Glasgow city centre.

6.9 This analysis is consistent with and supports the thrust of

the property market review supplied by Ryden (Annex 4). It

shows that, in addition to the broad economic, social and

market forces that are putting pressure on all town centres,

Paisley is catering for low income markets, with inevitable

consequences for the scale and nature of demand.

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 This report reviews Paisley’s town centre retail market.

Retail is the primary, but not the only, function of Paisley

town centre, therefore the report also considers other

property market sectors too. The report covers:

• Retail property market (section 2)

• Leisure property market (section 3)

• Office property market (section 4)

• Residential property market (section 5)

2. RETAIL PROPERTY MARKET

NATIONAL RETAILING

2.1 The UK has enjoyed a period of sustained retail market

growth, fuelled by rising consumer expenditure. Scotland

has also benefitted from increasing expenditure in recent

years. However, consumer confidence has been adversely

affected by a series of interest rate rises and a stalling

housing market. Following five years of rising expenditure,

like-for-like sales have fluctuated considerably during early

2006; smoothing the data suggests a 2.8% rise during the

12 months to March/ April 20066.

6 Source: RBS/ SRC expenditure surveys

a n n e x 4p a i s l e y p r o p e r t y m a r k e t r e v i e w

2.2 As consumer expenditure has increased, spending on

“essentials” such as food grows comparatively slowly, while

discretionary expenditure increased rapidly. According to

HM Treasury Blue Book, UK consumer expenditure on food

and drink increased by only 13% between 1995 and 2003.

Meanwhile, expenditure in discretionary areas such as

clothing and footwear (up 76%), furnishings and household

goods (up 39%) and recreation and cultural activities (up

40%) grew much more strongly.

2.3 Increased personal mobility through widespread car

ownership, and constraints on free time (particularly for

working women) mean that, despite rising expenditure,

fewer shopping trips are being made. Again this favours

larger centres offering wider ranges of goods and services.

The top 200 UK centres now account for 75% of shopper

custom, up from 50% in 1971.

2.4 In the grocery sector, slower expenditure growth is driving

major chains towards acquisition and diversification.

Following the major acquisitions of Asda (by Walmart) and

Safeway (by Morrison), the other major operators Tesco,

Sainsbury and Co-op have all recently acquired smaller

businesses7. Tesco now controls more than 30% of the

7 Chains acquired include: Europa and T&S Stores (Tesco); Local Plus, Balfour and Alldays

(Co-op); Bells Stores and Jacksons (J Sainsbury) (source: IGD Research 2005).

British grocery sector (and 6.5% of the non-food sector8).

The Competition Commission is about to commence a major

investigation into this sector.

2.5 DTI estimates that the UK has lost almost 30,000

independent convenience retailers over the past ten years;

in Scotland around 3,000-4,000 general grocers have been

lost. On the other hand, supermarkets have driven down

prices (by 4.1% between 1999-2005) and greatly expanded

product choice (by around 40% 1999-2005)9.

2.6 Slowing expenditure growth, price deflation, rising

costs10, and the expenditure trends described above, are

encouraging comparison goods retailers to seek economies

of scale. These economies can be achieved by trading from

large box retail formats, sometimes in addition to their

existing networks of high street shops. The large box retail

sector is no longer restricted to bulky goods operators, but

now includes high street multiples such as Next, Boots the

Chemist, Marks & Spencer, Border Books and Gap.

2.7 Some town centres are responding to this challenge by

providing large floorplate solutions in central locations

8 By some estimates, non-food retailing of clothes, books and media, chemist goods and so on now accounts for between one-f if th and one-quarter of some major superstores’ sales turnovers.

9 The Economist, 18 February 2006

10 Including rising minimum and general wages and property cost inflation.

�6

– essentially hybrid retail parks and shopping malls; an

example of this currently under construction at Ayr Central11.

2.8 Growing leisure expenditure has fuelled a property

development boom, encompassing hotels, bars,

restaurants, multiplex cinemas and health & fitness clubs.

The development rate has now slowed; some sectors such

as health & fitness continue to expand, while others such as

cinemas are experiencing their first casualties (for example

closures in Glasgow, Dundee and Edinburgh).

2.9 The principal outcome of rising discretionary expenditure

and increased mobility is that larger retail centres are

becoming stronger. These larger centres include cities,

certain major towns, regional malls and prime retail parks

with Class 1 planning consents. During 1996-2006, retailer

requirements for Scotland’s six cities increased by 30%12.

Meanwhile, smaller centres are becalmed in their local

markets, attracting retail warehouse, supermarket and

smaller multiple retailer interest, but struggling to secure

prime high street multiples.

11 Slightly off-pitch in Ayr town centre, increased planned floorspace by 140% by pro-viding underground car-parking and large units let to Debenhams, Next, H&M and Primark.

12 Source: Property Intelligence/ Ryden

PAISLEY

2.10 Historically, Paisley held a position among the larger retail

centres. Consumer trends described above were favourable

for Paisley - as recently as the 1990s the town was able

to attract the new-build Paisley Centre and investment in

refurbishment of the Piazza Centre, a position supported by

sub-regional status in the structure planning hierarchy.

2.11 In 1999, two major new retail developments were completed

close to Paisley. In Glasgow, the UK’s second-largest retail

centre after London, Buchanan Galleries provided 56,000

sq.m. of retail floorspace, including the city’s first John

Lewis department store. At Braehead, 93,000 sq.m. was

provided only four miles from Paisley.

2.12 Although further away, new development at East Kilbride

and refurbishment at Clydebank have reinforced those

town’s trading positions relative to Paisley. Finally,

Silverburn, Pollok is currently under construction and is

due to open in Autumn 2007; it will provide around 93,000

sq.m., anchored by Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and a

Tesco store which will open here during 2006; a further 12

major retailers are also discussing terms and the centre

has a total of 85 shop units. It is against this extremely

challenging background which Paisley’s retail performance

and prospects must be considered.

2.13 Table 1 summarises Paisley’s stock of retail floorspace.

There are 435 retail units in Paisley. Currently, 85 units are

available to lease or to buy, indicating a high vacancy rate

of 20%. Floorspace vacancy is lower, at 12%. However,

the large, recently-vacated Littlewoods and Etam units

are not included in this data, and the Co-op building is

about to come to the market13. Generally, retailer interest

in properties on the market in Paisley is very limited at the

moment.

Table 1: Paisley Retail Stock

No of units Floorspace

Total 435 79,830 sq.m.

Vacant 85 9,550 sq.m.

Source: Goad / Experian

2.14 Table 2 and Figure 1 classify retail occupiers present in

Paisley town centre. A total of 252 retailers are listed (this

is fewer than the 350 retail occupiers in Table 1 as the

analysis in Table 2 covers the town centre only).

13 The Co-op store provides 4250 sq.m. sales area over three floors within the Paisley Centre, for lease as a whole or floor-by-floor, long leasehold or sale as a going concern

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Figure 2: Paisley Retail Property Supply 1��6-2005

Source : SPN

2.17 This analysis illustrates the rise in retail vacancies in

Paisley during the late 1990s and early 2000s, in response

to very difficult trading conditions associated with the

launch of Braehead. The c.75 units available at the end of

2005, although high, is substantially down from the peak

supply of around 120 units in 1998. At May 2006, despite

larger properties coming to the market, supply of retail

space comprises 73 properties (including 8 under offer)

across 10,164 sq.m. (1371 sq.m. under offer).

TABLE 2: RETAILERS IN PAISLEY TOWN CENTRE

Source: Goad / Experian & Ryden

Retail Category No.

Amusements 7

Bakers 8

Banks 6

Bars, Public Houses and Restaurants 29

Betting Offices 8

Cafes 11

Charity Shop 6

Clothing and shoes 38

Department and Variety Stores 3

Electrical and Durable Goods 7

Fast-food and Takeaway 12

Financial Advisors 11

Furniture, Household Goods and DIY 15

Greeting Cards 6

Hairdressers 20

Health & Beauty 29

Off License 3

Opticians 4

Jewellers 5

Sport, Camping and Leisure goods 6

Telephones and Accessories 8

Toiletries, Cosmetics and Beauty Products 5

Travel Agents 5

2.15 Clothing and shoes have the highest share of units in

Paisley town centre, at 8.7%. Bars, Public Houses and

Restaurants have the second highest number of units – not

uncommon in a traditional, tenemented town centre. Health

& Beauty are also well-represented. Overall, Paisley town

centre has a broad mix of retailers, despite the high vacancy

rate. This mix is supported by a wide a range of sizes and

quality of units, including covered malls, pedestrianised

streets and secondary shopping streets.

Figure 1 – Retail Mix in Paisley Town Centre

2.16 Figure 2 shows retail property for sale or let in Paisley since

the mid-1990s.

�8

2.18 Looking in greater detail at shopping in Paisley town centre,

a number of “pitches” can be identified:

• The High Street is a traditional, tenemented and

part-pedestrianised shopping street. Occupiers

include H Samuel and Burton. The High Street is

home to 85 retailers and has an estimated 12 (14%)

available units on the market, including 9 along the

core pedestrianised area. Wellmeadow, essentially

a western extension of the High Street, has a total of

49 units, a large number of which are known to be

available.

• Paisley Shopping Centre is a purpose-built modern

shopping mall built over three levels. The centre

can be accessed from High Street, New Street and

Causeyside Street. The centre totals 16,722 sq.m.

The Centre’s anchor tenants are Co-op and Marks

& Spencer. Other tenants include Boots, Vodafone,

Dixons and Thorntons. There are 33 units in the

centre, 11 of which are currently on the market.

• Piazza Shopping Centre totals 15,613 sq.m. of retail

space. The centre has been successful in attracting

a portfolio of discount retailers - tenants include

Poundland, Shoe Zone, Half Price Jewelers and

Peacocks. Eight of the 30 units are available (two of

these are under offer) a kiosk is also available.

• Causeyside Street is the main arterial road running in

a north-south direction from Paisley Cross. Paisley

Shopping Centre can be accessed from the north

end of the street. The south end acts as a secondary

retail pitch accommodating local independent

occupiers such as hairdressers, newsagents and

bookmakers. Of 68 retail units, five are known to be

vacant, and one being marketed as a redevelopment

opportunity is under offer.

• Outwith the town centre is the 16,279 sq.m.

Gallagher Retail Park. Occupiers here include

Carpetright, Focus, Matalan, TK Maxx and Topps Tiles.

There is also the Junction Retail Park, which opened

in 1999 and houses tenants including Comet, DFS,

Harveys and Burger King.

2.19 Paisley’s shopper catchment defines the town as a ‘major

centre’ with “50,000– 99,999” people14. The resident

population of Paisley is 74,170 people. The loyalty of this

catchment is questionable, given the town’s proximity to

Braehead Shopping Centre and to Glasgow city centre.

14 ORC/ Property Intelligence

2.20 Glasgow and the Clyde Valley Structure Plan Joint Committee

provides retail expenditure forecasts for the Plan area at

201115. The forecasts for Paisley are:

• Available convenience goods expenditure of £191

million but a turnover requirement to service all

existing and consented stores of £310 million.

• Available comparison goods expenditure of £242

million (after net leakage of £244 million) but a

turnover requirement of £328 million to service

existing and consented floorspace.

2.21 There is a clear requirement for substantial improvements

to Paisley to fulfil its function as a sub-regional shopping

centre, in the face of competing modern centres nearby; or

alternatively, to function largely as a district centre.

2.22 High Street and the Paisley Shopping Centre represents the

highest Zone A rents in Paisley. By retail pitch:

• Within the Paisley Shopping Centre, rents are

on average circa £65 per sq.ft. Zone A, with one

exception reaching £76 per sq.ft. Zone A.

15 TR C/05 Technical Report: Convenience and Comparison Shopping Capacity Assessments at 2011

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• High Street rents are in the region of £50-£60 per

sq.ft. Zone A, although current market activity

suggest that £50 per sq.ft. may be the maximum

achievable rent.

• On Causeyside Street, rentals vary between £12 to

£20 per sq.ft. depending upon location, shape, size

and aspect onto the street.

2.23 During the period 2000-2006, prime rents in Paisley have

risen on a headline basis by 11% from £65 to £72 per sq.ft

Zone A. Across Scotland as a whole, the Ryden retail rent

index has risen by 12% over the same period. However,

substantial incentives such as lengthy rent-free periods are

being granted to retailers investing in Paisley, due to a lack

of tenant demand.

2.24 Investment activity provides a further indication of

market confidence in a retail location. In June 2005, Tiger

Development acquired 14 (Etam16) and 16 (WH Smith)

High Street for £5.0 million, representing an initial yield of

7% and suggesting that Paisley is trading at a discount to

similar towns. A retail investment with 8 years remaining on

the lease recently struggled to attract interest. In February

2006 Glen Maud, through its asset manager Propinvest

Ltd, purchased The Paisley Shopping Centre for £48

16 Etam’s lease runs until August 2014.

million, reflecting a net initial yield of 5.8%. Paradoxically,

institutional investment may be a market failure for Paisley

- with a long lease in place there is little incentive to reduce

rents or upgrade premises, even if the property is vacant.

2.25 Turning to future market prospects, a total of 18 national

retailers have active requirements for premises in Paisley.

These are itemised in Table 4. Only 9 of these retailers

require high street or secondary pitches, i.e. within Paisley

Town Centre. The remaining 9 retailers are seeking sites on

prominent, busy roads or a retail park format. The largest,

TJ Hughes, is an active department store format which

typically targets towns such as Paisley. At least one further

supermarket operator17 is known to be active in Paisley, in

addition to the 6,040 sq.m. Morrison store recently opened

at Anchor Mill. It is understood that an amusement arcade

operator may be interested in the former Etam unit on the

High Street.

17 Planning consents are available at Love Street (7432 sq.m.) and at the former Arnotts building

TABLE 4: RETAILER REQUIREMENTS FOR PAISLEY

Retailer Type Size (sq m)

Aldi Stores Supermarkets 1360

Bathstore.Com Bathroom Furniture 230 – 560

Best Cellars Public Houses 280

Brighthouse Electronic & Electrical 95 – 185

Carphone Warehouse Mobile Phones 45 – 140

Frankie & Benny’s Cafe/Restaurant/Bar 325 – 410

Game Computers & Software 130 – 230

Health Rack Health Foods 10 – 55

Hobbycraft Group Hobbies/Artists Materials 745 – 930

O’Neills Public Houses 85 – 110

Pets At Home Pet Shops 370 – 1,115

Silverscreen Games/ Toys/ Café Audiovisual 185 – 325

Staples (UK) Ltd Furniture/ Office Equipment/Supplies

930 – 1395

T-Mobile Mobile Phones 40 – 65

TJ Hughes Department Stores 2230 – 13,935

Toby Carvery Cafe/Restaurant/Bar 650

Vets4pets Service/Specialist 185

Vintage Inns Public Houses 650

Source: Property Intelligence

2.26 A time series analysis indicates that Paisley has fallen from

100

being the 148th most-required town in the UK in 1995, to

around 411th in 2005. The total numbers of requirements

has fallen from 30 to 19. Peer group towns such as

Cumbernauld, Greenock, Ayr and Hamilton currently have

between 12 and 27 retailer requirements.

2.27 Recent retail deals include :

• Unit 25 Piazza Centre (235 sq.m.) let to Stationery

Box for 10 years at £55,000 pa.

• Kiosk D Piazza Centre (24 sq.m.) let to FSKI Ltd for 5

years at £12,000 pa.

• 13/19 Causeyside Street (974 sq.m.) let in February

2006

2.28 The challenge facing Paisley is not simply Braehead, but the

choice of competing centres west of Glasgow. Few retailers

will require stores in Glasgow city centre, Braehead,

Silverburn, and Paisley too. Some retailers – such as travel

agents – have found that they can serve the Renfrewshire

market from Braehead alone. Others – such as mainstream

fashion – were expected to turn to Paisley once Braehead

became established, but have simply not renewed their

interest in the town.

2.29 A number of retail opportunity sites exist in Paisley town

centre which could accommodate future investment. These

include:

• The units formerly occupied by Etam, Littlewoods

and (shortly) Co-op

• The former House of Fraser (Arnotts) store18 and

carpark. Owners MacDonald Estates propose a

mixed-use development comprising 12,500 sq.m.

food and non-food retail, 840 sq.m. offices and

residential apartments.

2.30 It is apparent however that Paisley’s retail sector will

continue to consolidate. A lack of new prime retailers, a

wave of dis-investment19 and the knock-on effects upon

independents have caused a structural shift in the local

retail sector. To sustain a healthy town centre, many vacant

properties must revert to alternative uses. There is however

substantial complexity of building configuration and

tenures associated with Paisley’s vacant tenemental stock.

3. LEISURE PROPERTY MARKET

3.1 The share of UK household disposable income spent on

leisure has increased steadily in recent years. According

18 House of Fraser has recently dis-invested from a number of Scottish locations – Paisley, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth, leaving major stores in only Glasgow (one store has been converted and one flagship remains) and Edinburgh (two stores – Fras-ers and Jenners). All of the vacated stores have been taken over by developers with plans for a mix of commercial and residential uses.

19 Not restricted to Paisley – Frasers as above, Co-op and Littlewoods are withdrawing elsewhere too

to the Treasury Blue Book, around 18% is spent on leisure,

making it a major expenditure category alongside housing,

motor vehicles and shopping.

3.2 The destination of this spend is increasingly dictated by

large, drive-time based catchment areas. Major locations

such as Glasgow City Centre and purpose-built leisure parks

attract exceptional shares of expenditure from surrounding

towns and Metropolitan area. These destinations form a

natural complement to the local leisure offer in the same

way regional shopping centres sit alongside town centres.

3.3 At a town level, leisure provision tends to be aimed at a very

local catchment population. According to Experian, Paisley

town centre has 29 bars, public houses and restaurants.

SPN reports 7 leisure units on the market. Paisley also has

four health & fitness operators in-town.

3.4 There are only two leisure requirements for Paisley, both

of which seek prime pitch / high street, good secondary

fringe prime or prominent busy road locations. A further

amusement arcade is also reported to be interested in

town centre premises. There may be additional, local

requirements for town centre premises.

3.5 A number of developments (will) impact on Paisley’s leisure

market:

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• Xscape at Braehead is a new 3250 sq m leisure

and retail scheme, which opened in April 2006. The

scheme is anchored by a “real snow” indoor 200m

ski slope, an Odeon 12-screen multiplex cinema

and a 22-lane Bowlplex. Around 35 units have been

created and tenants include Trespass, Ellis Brigham,

Billabong, Nandos, Frankie & Benny’s, TGI Fridays,

Tootsies, MA Potters, Pizza Hut, PizzaExpress and

Chiquitos. The development was 90% pre-let.

• Silverburn Shopping Centre opens Autumn 2007 and

is located just over two miles to the east of Paisley.

In addition to the retail offer described, earlier there

will also be a significant element of leisure uses.

• There is a fast food village at Phoenix Business Park

comprising KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Ashoka

Shack.

• In-town, Vico Properties has secured Mecca Bingo for

a site close to the Watermill via a relocation from the

High Street.

3.6 The scale of this development means that the rate at which

leisure expenditure is diverted from Paisley is likely to

increase. Some leisure operators which might previously

have been interested in Paisley will consider the local

market adequately served by the range of out-of-town

destinations.

3.7 Paisley’s future leisure market potential is therefore local.

The market opportunity is to create facilities complementary

to town centre retail, employment and residential uses, and

to extend town centre activity beyond shopping hours. This

might be termed “convenience” rather than destination

leisure, and will include bars, restaurants and cafes. Other

market opportunities could include one-off requirements

for a hotel (there is no modern hotel in Paisley) and further

health & fitness operators.

4. OFFICE PROPERTY MARKET

4.1 Office market activity in Paisley is directed towards Paisley

town centre, regeneration areas and established business

park. The town’s total office stock is 508 units, providing

just over 100,000 sq.m. of floorspace.

4.2 Figure 3 shows availability of offices for sale or let in

Paisley20 2000-2005. There are currently 69 units available

(34,000 sq.m. of floorspace). This includes 7000 sq.m.

marketed by Renfrewshire Council at the headquarters

north site, Cotton Street, as a residential opportunity.

Although the vacancy rate is artificially inflated by such

20 Includes Glasgow Airport but does not include Braehead

redevelopment opportunities, it is still very high indeed at

around 34%.

Figure 3: Paisley Office Availability (2000 – 2005)

4.3 Supply of offices in Paisley has been rising since 2002.

Anchor One (a Grade A listed conversion offering 2370

sq.m.) recently came to the market. The local market spans

a broad range of units from traditional small suites above

shops and managed business centres, through flexible

refurbished accommodation to modern business space.

4.4 Take-up of office premises in Paisley is volatile (Figure 4).

Activity can appear high where small offices on short leases

are re-let regularly. The typical rate appears to be at least

30 offices sold or let each year.

102

4.5 Enquiries for offices in Paisley are mainly from local

occupiers seeking space in the town centre. Demand is

limited. Only Cirrus, a modern office at Glasgow Airport

Business Park has generated a relatively high number of

enquiries and a recent letting of 1394 sq.m. to First Milk

Ltd.

4.6 Traditional town centre offices typically achieve rents of

around £75-85 per sq.m. for short term leases. Prime rents

are around £110 per sq.m. These are sub-marginal rents

which can support conversion of existing premises, but not

new-build. There is some evidence of demand for owner-

occupation in Paisley. Capital rates for sales of traditional

offices are £450 - £750 per sq.m.

FIGURE 4: PAISLEY OFFICE TAKE-UP (2000-2005)

4.7 Market competition is intensive and new offices must

compete strongly in terms of price, surrounding amenities

and location. Good quality office space being offered to the

market around Paisley includes Anchor One and Braehead

Business Park. These two developments alone will satisfy

much of the local and mobile demand seeking new and

refurbished office space.

4.8 In addition to these new (re)developments, recent office

refurbishments in Paisley such as Mile End Mill and

Mirren Chambers have succeeded by providing centrally-

located premises on terms acceptable to the market. For

the foreseeable future this affordable redevelopment/

conversion market for lease or owner-occupation will remain

Paisley town centre’s best prospect for attracting office

market investment and activity.

5. RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MARKET

5.1 The Paisley residential market has experienced growing

demand and prices in recent years. The drivers of growth

are smaller households, stock renewal and good economic

fundamentals (high employment and low interest rates).

Paisley is also beginning to benefit from overspill from the

Glasgow market and good external communication links.

The rental market in Paisley has also expanded alongside

the University of Paisley.

5.2 Table 5 and Figures 5 and 6 show average prices for

secondhand and new-build houses in the PA1 postcode

area, alongside numbers of units transacted. The

secondhand market has achieved c3,000 sales per annum

since 2001, while the new-build market has fluctuated

between 220 – 422 sales. Prices in both sectors have

increased rapidly; by 8% per annum over since 1996 for

secondhand houses and by nearly 11% per annum for new

houses21. The 2005 average price of £91,824 is below the

average Scottish house price for second hand dwellings of

£105,097.

21 It is possible that new-build house prices are not mix-adjusted, meaning that larger units would account for some of the growth in prices.

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Table 5: House Prices & Transactions In Postcode Area Pa122 (1��6-2005)

Year Secondhand New-build

Average Price£

No. Average Price£

No

1996 42,675 1,437 73,661 241

1997 44,324 3,443 73,306 371

1998 46,208 3,223 74,180 303

1999 50,903 2,896 79,738 233

2000 51,991 3,593 82,433 422

2001 57,693 3,427 112,241 351

2002 61,812 3,510 111,279 317

2003 71,178 3,684 142,773 333

2004 90,706 3,405 219,768 220

2005 91,824 3,233 201,930 286

Source: I-Spolis

Figure 5: Average Price & Number of Transactions for Secondhand Dwellings in

Postcode Area PA1 (1��6-2005)

22 Post Code PA1 represents Paisley Town Centre

Figure 6: Average Price & Number Of Transactions For New Build Dwellings In

Postcode Area Pa1 (1��6-2005)

5.3 The level of new house-building in Renfrewshire is below

estimated need. For the period 1998–2002, new supply

was only 76% of the estimated demand. The annual

building ratio was 0.80, well below the Scottish average of

0.9823. Forecast development for 2006 and 2007 is 800

units and 850 units respectively, indicating a rising trend.

5.4 Recently there have been a large number of new-build

one and two-bedroom flats on the market in Paisley.

Developments include:

23 Prospects For The Scottish Housebuilding Industry 2004-2007 By Mackay Consultants.

• Persimmon Homes, in conjunction with Historic

Scotland and The Phoenix Trust, recently completed

restoration of the former Thread Mill (Anchor Mill)

into one and two-bedroom apartments, two-bedroom

triplex and two, three and four-bedroom duplex

homes. Prices are between £225,000 - £299,000

(reflecting a capital sales rate above £2000 per

sq.m.)

• Wallace Court near St Mirren football ground was

completed in early 2005. This is a mid-market

development where two-bedroom flats can reach

capital sales rates of between £1300-£1400 per

sq.m.

• Two bedroom flats at Seedhill Road and St Andrews

Court were recently sold in the region of £90,000.

5.5 Market evidence suggests there is continuing high demand

for one and two-bedroom flats in Paisley for owner

occupation and for the buy to let market.

• Carvill is currently developing the Weave site, a 121-

property scheme featuring two-bedroom apartments

to three-bedroom houses. The site is in close

proximity to both Canal Line and Gilmour Street train

stations.

104

• The Spires is located off Gockston Road near the

town centre. The 127 properties comprise semi-

detached and detached homes from £130,995.

5.6 These developments are notable for providing a mix of

accommodation types in the middle and upper markets,

within proximity of Paisley town centre.

5.7 Renfrewshire Council reports 59 known or potential

housing sites24 in Paisley. Twenty-four of the sites are under

construction, 18 have planning permission, 13 are potential

sites and 4 are Local Plan sites. From the 24 sites under

construction, 18 are private housing sites. Table 6 shows

the breakdown of programmed completions for Paisley

based upon known planning applications and developer

intentions (this is the reason that the figures tail-off).

Table 6: Programmed Housing Completions in Paisley Year 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/0� 0�/10 10/11 11/12 Post

2012

Programmed Completions

487 425 445 320 179 109 4 333

Source: Renfrewshire Council

24 In order to qualify as a housing site there must be potential for 4 or more dwellings

5.8 The largest town centre residential development site

is Renfrewshire Council’s 1.15-hectare (6592 sq.m.

floorspace) headquarters north site, Cotton Street.

Expressions of interest are currently invited from

prospective developers.

5.9 Although price inflation in the housing market has slowed,

the economic fundamentals remain sound. However,

in common with many West of Scotland towns demand

in Paisley is finite due to adverse population trends.

Residential development is expected remain a major driver

of town centre investment, activity and diversification in

Paisley for the medium term.

RYDEN

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 The purpose of this report is to contribute to the Paisley

Town Centre study commissioned by the Paisley Vision

Board. The report:

• considers existing transport and access issues in

Paisley Town Centre through an analysis of key trip

generators/attractors for pedestrian and vehicular

traffic

• assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the

current transport facilities and services

• identifies transport options to enhance the vitality

and operational efficiency of the town centre, and

• suggests potential measures that could be

implemented to improve the situation

2. TRIP GENERATORS AND ATTRACTORS

2.1 There are a variety of facilities and attractions in Paisley

town centre which may generate trips. The primary reasons

for visiting the town centre include:

a n n e x 5t r a n s p o r t a n d a c c e s s

• shopping trips, sometimes combined with access to

food, drink and other leisure activities

• access to other retail services

• travel to work

• travel to study

• access to civic and administrative functions

• transport interchange

2.2 Despite the evidence of decline in retail activity and

town centre jobs, Paisley is still a large shopping and

employment centre. The town is the administrative

centre of Renfrewshire Council, which has its principal

buildings in the town centre. There are numerous public

and administrative buildings, including law courts, a large

police station and the regional offices of Communities

Scotland.

2.3 The University of Paisley’s main campus is located just off

the High Street, on the south-west side of the town centre.

Reid Kerr College is located to the north-east of the town

centre, close to the M8 (junction 27). There is a variety of

leisure and cultural facilities including the Lagoon Leisure

Centre, Paisley Central Library, the Paisley Museum & Art

Gallery, the Paisley Arts Centre and Coats Observatory.

2.4 Paisley is located close to the M8, with links to the

motorway east and west of the town. It is also within easy

striking distance of Glasgow Airport. The town is particularly

well served by rail service to Glasgow and the Clyde coast,

and is also an important hub for an extensive range of local

and sub-regional bus services.

3. TRANSPORT MODES: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

WALKING

3.1 Paisley’s key radial roads provide direct, if in sometimes

inhospitable, routes into the town. However, pedestrian

access to the town centre is made significantly more difficult

by the presence of an effective ring-road, which creates a

real physical barrier to walking into the town centre. While

there are pedestrian crossings at junctions around the

ring road, these often involve several stages and in some

locations significant waiting times.

3.2 Paisley town centre offers a generally agreeable

environment especially in the pedestrianised central retail

area and there are some information signposts in the core

106

pedestrian area. However, away from the pedestrianised

area, many streets are unwelcoming and there are particular

problems with derelict sites and buildings, litter and graffiti.

These contribute to a sometimes threatening environment,

and there are reported problems of anti-social behaviour

– for example, people drinking in streets and public spaces

- and fear of crime, especially in the evenings.

CYCLING

3.3 The town centre does not have a comprehensive network

of cycling connections or facilities. Apart from National

Cycle Route 7 (from Carlisle to Inverness), the Paisley and

Clyde Railway path (part of NCR 75 - Clyde to Forth Cycle

Route) and some sections of Glasgow and Clyde Coast Cycle

Route, which run to the south and east of Paisley, there is

little in the way of strategic cycling provision in the area.

With the exception of a few disconnected sections of local

cycleway, access to the town centre from outlying areas is

problematic as cyclists must use the general road network.

Facilities, such as cycle parking or storage within the town

centre are also limited, with only a few parking stands in the

pedestrianised zone.

3.4 Consultation with the local authority suggests that at

present there is little cycling activity in the Paisley area and

low demand for facilities, but this may be a self-fulfilling

prophesy.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

3.5 Paisley is as a well-connected town with frequent public

transport services. This means that it is relatively easy for

residents of the catchment area to get to the town centre,

but it is also easy for them to leave and travel to larger more

attractive retail centres such as Glasgow and Braehead.

3.6 Paisley is well-served by rail services to and from Glasgow,

Inverclyde and Ayrshire. There are eight train services per

hour between Paisley Gilmour Street and Glasgow Central

Monday to Saturday in both directions (less frequent on

Sundays). In addition there is a half-hourly train service

between Paisley Canal Street and Glasgow Central Monday

to Saturday in both directions (no Sunday service). All rail

services are operated by Strathclyde Passenger Transport

(SPT). Despite the high frequency of trains serving Paisley,

there are quality issues relating to the station infrastructure

and information provision.

3.7 Paisley town centre is well-served by high frequency day-

time bus services to/from suburban areas, neighbouring

towns, Braehead and Glasgow. However, there are problems

with service quality, especially among the numerous smaller

operators. Evening and weekend services are less frequent.

3.8 The bus-waiting infrastructure in the town centre is generally

of high quality with most bus shelters well-used and in

good condition. By contrast, bus stances in Central Road are

poorly lit, inhospitable and unwelcoming. There is also a

problem with information provision for bus services to/from

the town centre.

3.9 Taxi ranks are located at various points around the town

centre. Taxis are permitted to use the bus-only sections of

Gauze Street and Causeyside Street, maximising their ease

of circulation in the town centre.

PRIVATE CAR

3.10 Paisley has easy access to/from the strategic road network

and is easily accessed by car from most directions via its

good radial routes. These include the A726 to the south-

east, the A761 and M8 to Glasgow the east and north-east,

the M8 to the north and north-west, the A761/A737 to the

west and south-west.

3.11 The town centre is effectively bounded by a partial ring-road

on the south and east sides. The north and west sections

of the ring are less heavily used (in part due to the low

bridge restrictions on Underwood Road). This ring-road is a

dual carriageway for most of its route and from observation

appears to be functioning within capacity on most sections.

However some junctions on this ring-road are large and

complicated, with junctions and traffic signals that are

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WALKING – STRENGTHS

3.16 Provision for pedestrian activity within Paisley town centre

is relatively good, with a high quality pedestrianised zone

around the main retail area. There is good potential for

walking activity to/from the town centre as many residential

areas are located quite close to the town centre. The

demography of town centre users includes high proportions

of low-income residents (such as the unemployed, students

and pensioners), for whom walking is an attractive option.

3.17 Increased pedestrian activity could help to improve the

vitality and viability of Paisley town centre. As walking

is used at both beginning and end of most journeys,

there is scope to increase distances walked and access

alternative routes. High pedestrian footfall, and attractive

and functional pedestrian routes, can improve the entire

environment and character of the area. Waterside routes

are often particularly attractive and well-used, and the

White Cart Water riverside could provide opportunities for

improvements to town centre access.

WALKING – WEAKNESSES

3.18 The effective ring-road around the town centre creates

a barrier for pedestrians and the severance of walking

routes from residential areas into the town centre is a

problem. Pedestrian routes that are indirect, inconvenient,

especially difficult for visitors. The heavily engineered

character of the ring road makes it hard for motorists

to orientate themselves in relation to the ring road.

Signposting on key approach rotes and on the ring-road is

often confusing, unhelpful and lacking key directions such

as to the town centre itself.

3.12 Circulation within the town centre is problematic mostly

due to difficulties with orientation and navigation. The town

centre is difficult to ‘read’ for many motorists, especially

those unfamiliar with the area, partly due to physical

barriers such as the river, the railway embankment on the

north side of the town and the dual carriageway ring-road.

These barriers limit visibility of potentially key town-centre

identifiers such as the Town Hall and the Abbey.

3.13 Most of the roads in and around the town centre appear to

be operating within capacity at most times and there are few

significant queuing problems at junctions. However there

is some peak hour congestion, especially on approaches

to and around the eastern and southern sections of the

ring road. In addition, the local road network is highly

susceptible to the knock-on impacts of problems on the M8.

3.14 There are two multi-storey car parks in the town centre;

at the Piazza (365 spaces) and at the Paisley Centre (520

spaces). In addition there are several council-operated

surface car parks for long and short-stay parking and also

some areas of on-street parking provision. Both the multi-

storey and surface car parks have some on-street signing.

3.15 Parking within the town centre has been studied separately

(Buchanan) and it has been found that in parking supply

is adequate in order to meet demand, with a weekday

occupancy ratio of approximately 85%. This is considered

to be the optimum ratio of demand to capacity in order to

balance high town centre activity levels with low search

time. However, the report also notes that, taking account

of Renfrewshire’s minimum parking standards and SPP17

maximum standards, the town centre could technically be

described as being under provided with parking. It suggests

that the vitality of Paisley town centre could be improved by

a decrease in long stay parking and an increase in short-stay

provision. A separate study by Faber Maunsell has found

that satisfaction with the quality of Paisley’s off-street car

parks (both multi-story and surface-level) by existing users

is also relatively high.

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or encounter substantial delays are unlikely to encourage

walking to, from or around the town centre. In addition some

pedestrian routes conflict with other modes, for example at

the pedestrian crossing on Causeyside Street, buses queue

across the crossing for the adjacent bus stops.

3.19 Within the town centre, the sometimes inhospitable and

threatening atmosphere can be a significant deterrent to

walking in the area. A more safe, secure and welcoming

environment is needed, especially at night and in some

locations such as bridge arches that are dark and secluded.

A lack of surveillance, overlooking uses and low activity

levels can have a direct impact on pedestrian feelings of

safety and security.

3.20 Navigation in the town centre when on foot can be

somewhat problematic. Orientation is difficult for those

unfamiliar with the town layout and while Paisley does

have some clear landmarks (the Abbey, Town Hall, and

Observatory) they are often not visible from the street. Some

pedestrian signing for navigation and information does exist

but the stands are not immediately noticeable and they

contain too much detail with too small print size to be easily

read and useful.

CYCLING – STRENGTHS

3.21 While there are few existing provisions for cyclists in terms

of either routes or facilities such as storage, the relatively

‘blank canvas’ means that there is great potential for the

development of a well-connected and integrated cycling

network. Paisley has the opportunity to carefully plan and

create a user-friendly network, closely aligned with existing

and future desire lines. The White Cart Water riverside in

Paisley could provide an ideal opportunity for mixed-use

access improvements to the town centre.

3.22 There is also significant potential for improvements to

cycling facilities in the town centre such as sheltered cycle

storage within the pedestrianised zone or secure locked

storage at Gilmour Street Station.

CYCLING – WEAKNESSES

3.23 Cycling activity into and around the town centre area is

presently believed to be very low, with poor provision of

routes and facilities. The current lack of dedicated tracks

obliges cyclists to share heavily trafficked roads. The

present regime does nothing to encourage cycling as a

healthy and sustainable mode of transport.

Public Transport – Strengths

3.24 Paisley has a wealth of public transport services including

frequent bus and rail services to/from the town centre and

key surrounding locations such as Glasgow City Centre. It

is easy for local residents to access the town centre area

by bus from most surrounding areas during the day. There

are high quality bus shelters on Gauze Street, Smithills

Street and Causeyside Street. There is also a good presence

and availability of taxis within the town centre area from a

number of taxi ranks.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT – WEAKNESSES

3.25 The quality of the public transport services to and from

Paisley is very variable. There is particular concern about

the quality of bus services provided by some of the smaller

bus operators. Buses on some routes are often old,

inaccessible and dirty, and services can be late or not run

at all. Unattractive public transport services drag down the

overall image of the town centre environment and give a

poor impression of Paisley to new and regular visitors alike.

3.26 While daytime bus services are generally in plentiful supply,

evening and other non-peak services are at best infrequent

and sometimes non-existent.

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3.27 Information provision for bus and train services is generally

poor. Train timetables are available on request, but are not

easily accessible or obviously on display. Bus, train and

coach information is provided at the Strathclyde Passenger

Transport information office on Causeyside Street. However

this is not easy to locate and is too distant from either

the rail station or bus stops to be immediately useful for

travellers.

3.28 Finally there are also some quality issues with public

transport infrastructure in the town centre. While some bus

stops are of high quality, those on Central Road, under the

Piazza Multi-Storey Car Park, are very poor. This area is dark,

inhospitable and unwelcoming. It is not obviously a key bus

interchange location from its external appearance; it has

poor pedestrian access and can have a very threatening

feel, especially for new visitors or more vulnerable groups.

In addition buses frequently queue into, through and out

of Central Road, which creates localised congestion and

trapped pollution, meaning that the area will soon be

designated as an Air Quality Management Area.

3.29 Visitors to the rail station also experience difficulties with

infrastructure quality. Firstly the station entrances/exits are

not easily visible from all directions, despite its prominent

central position in the town. Internal station circulation and

navigation is difficult as routes to/from the platforms are

not immediately obvious. Also the station platforms are set

on an embankment making them susceptible to inclement

weather, and have little in the way of furniture or shelter,

making for a generally bleak and inhospitable waiting

environment.

PRIVATE CAR – STRENGTHS

3.30 Paisley is well located in relation to the strategic road

network and has good highway approaches from all

directions. The town centre has an effective ring-road

arrangement with apparent space capacity especially on

the west and northern sections. This ring-road effectively

funnels traffic around the town-centre periphery, keeping

peak-hour congestion and its associated negative impacts,

such as noise and air pollution, away from the commercial

centre and historic core.

3.31 Parking within Paisley has been thoroughly reviewed in

two separate studies on demand/supply and customer

satisfaction. Broadly there is a plentiful supply of parking for

those visitors who choose to drive to the town centre and for

existing users there is good satisfaction with current parking

facilities. There is also a supply of car parking spread across

the town centre area, meaning that most attractions are

served by at least some parking provision in close proximity.

3.32 The Piazza multi-storey car park is very well located in close

proximity to many of the shops, including the Piazza Centre,

the High Street, and the Paisley Centre. In contrast, the

Paisley Centre multi-storey car park is located to the south-

west of the town, between the Paisley Centre and the Paisley

University campus. It has more spaces than the Piazza

car park, and is of higher aesthetic quality, with a more

convivial atmosphere.

PRIVATE CAR – WEAKNESSES

3.33 Driving into and around Paisley town centre can be a

confusing and disorientating experience. The quality of

signing on some approaches is poor, causing confusion and

a stressful driving experience. On some larger signs there

is serious case of information overload, while some key

features/attractions (such as car parks, the university and

the town centre itself) are not clearly indicated. This makes

locating the town centre from the strategic and local road

network highly problematic, especially for new visitors. In

contrast, signing to the strategic road network such as the

M8 is mostly quite clear, once again helping visitors to leave

Paisley rather than enter the town centre.

3.34 However signing is a vitally important navigation aid for

drivers arriving in Paisley town centre as there are many

barriers which make the town centre very difficult to ‘read’

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for many motorists, especially those unfamiliar with the

area. From most of the main approach roads it is not

possible to see key features of the town such as the Abbey,

Town Hall, rail station or the main High Street, any of which

may give an indication of the direction of the town centre.

Physical barriers to this visibility include the canal, the

railway embankment across the northern edge of town and

the dual carriageway ring-road.

3.35 Signing to car parks is also poor on many approaches.

Where the Piazza and Paisley Centre car parks are signed,

there is only a blue P and the names Paisley Centre and

Piazza. There is no mention of the words ‘parking’ or ‘car

park’. Even on arrival at these car parks from the key

approach roads, the car parks themselves are difficult to

find, especially the entrance to the Piazza Centre car park

which is very inconspicuous. Signing to the many small,

scattered short and long-stay surface car parks is also poor

with just small one-off signs on the direct approaches.

These signs often don’t give any indication of the number

of spaces available or what other attractions are in a similar

direction (i.e. what destinations may be convenient for users

of this car park).

3.36 Car parking provision itself is scattered and confusing

with no apparent coherent strategy in relation to parking

location, pricing or the balance between short and long-

stay. Access to and from the car parks, especially the two

main multi-storeys, from the ring-road and elsewhere within

the town centre area, is very convoluted. The exit route from

the Piazza car park is particularly difficult as it requires a

left-turn into Central Road and then another into Smithhills

Street in order to go under the railway embankment

bridge and into the northern gyratory system. This route is

frequently heavily congested with queuing buses and taxis,

and as a result car drivers often disregard the regulations

and turn right into either Central Road or Smithhills Street in

order to more quickly exit the town centre area.

3.37 In comparison with the large, well-designed and free car

parks at other locations such as Braehead shopping centre,

parking in Paisley town centre is highly tortuous and

therefore a disincentive to visit. The internal layout of the

multi-storey car parks, especially the Piazza car park, is

difficult both for circulating vehicles and for pedestrians,

due to limited internal space. Pedestrians walk on the

vehicle ramps in order to move between levels and the

route to the shops and town centre is not shown. In addition

the opening hours of the car parks, particularly the multi-

storeys, are restricted especially at night, which constrains

the potential success of any evening leisure industry such

as pubs and restaurants.

3.38 Traffic circulation within the town centre is also problematic

due to the constantly changing direction of the ring-road

arrangement. This presents the motorist with a continually

shifting orientation in relation to the town, which is made

even more disorientating by the inability to see, or even

visualise, the town centre.

3.39 Finally significant peak hour congestion is observed on

some key routes, especially on approaches to and around

the eastern and southern sections of the ring road. The local

road network is known to be highly susceptible to the knock-

on impacts of congestion problems on the strategic road

network such as the M8.

4. MEASURES/IMPROVEMENTS

WALKING

4.1 There is a definite need for a safer and more welcoming

environment and atmosphere on pedestrian routes to, from

and within the town centre. It is suggested that in order to

meet this need a focussed walking (and cycling) strategy

should be developed to create a coordinated programme

of works for pedestrians (and cyclists). These schemes

would address security issues, navigation problems and the

current lack of useable attractive infrastructure provision for

pedestrians.

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4.2 Dark, secluded locations must be reduced and surveillance

and lighting enhanced to reduce the perception of crime

(and fear of crime) in the town centre. This could be

through the careful design of pedestrian routes, the use

of CCTV in key locations such as in the town centre, in

car parks and under bridges, and through an increase in

police foot patrols. Key pedestrian corridors should also

be identified where there is clear potential for significant

pedestrian movements. Such routes are likely to run from

the residential periphery into the town centre core, and also

link to other strategic transport infrastructure such as the

national cycleways and the train station. This will enable the

concentration of resources and allow natural activity levels

to enhance the feeling of safety of these routes.

4.3 In addition, new developments should be designed so as

to be more outward-looking, with windows overlooking

streets, footpaths and public spaces, in order to increase

natural surveillance levels. A conscious effort must be made

to ‘design-out’ any locations with potential to encourage

loitering, unfriendly groups. Where new lights are installed,

or old lights replaced, they should use high-pressure

sodium (SON) lighting which gives a whiter light with better

colour definition thus appearing brighter and feeling safer.

4.4 The river-side of the White Cart Water has significant

potential as an attractive pedestrian route into town,

especially from the south-east and the new up-market

residential redevelopment of Anchor Mill. However the

success of any new or revamped pedestrian route is

dependent on its image as a clean, safe and pleasant

walking environment. In order to achieve this ideal, the

incumbent image of squalor and neglect must be overcome.

This would require the regular removal of litter from the river

and its environs, cleaner and better-lit paths, and improved

green spaces with extra landscaping along the riverbanks.

4.5 The most direct route from the Anchor Mill building towards

the town centre is via the Seedhill underpass, which is dark,

filthy and covered in graffiti. If this underpass could be

cleaned, upgraded with new lighting, CCTV, and more open/

inviting entrances, and linked with a user-friendly riverside

footway, it could provide a highly attractive alternative to

crossing the busy dual-carriageway of Mill Street.

4.6 The pedestrian crossing arrangements of the ring-road also

need to be addressed in order to facilitate quicker and

easier pedestrian movement. Improvements at appropriate

locations should include giving greater time priority to

pedestrian phases at signal junctions and providing more

roadspace for pedestrians by increasing pavements widths

and island-refuge sizes at crossings. The negative impact

and priority of the hard road environment at these junctions

could also be softened to include some strategic planting

and differentiated crossing surfaces. Such measures will

encourage walking into the town centre and reduce the

isolation of residential suburbs from the core area. It will

also therefore limit the natural inclination for local residents

to drive into town, which creates peak-hour congestion.

4.7 However such improvements should give heed to their

potential impact on reduced traffic through-put and

increased queues and so be at appropriate, carefully-

selected locations such as the Glasgow Road/Mill Street/

Gauze Street junction, and at the junctions on either end of

Gordon Street.

4.8 Once in the town centre, pedestrians are relatively well

catered for, with a clean and tidy pedestrian core (albeit

slightly let down by unkempt vacant shop fronts). However

there is a lack of quality pedestrian signing to aid navigation

and direct movements between locations. This is especially

important for new visitors to the town, for whom it is

difficult to establish bearings on immediate departure

from the car parks or the rail station. Paisley town centre

has considerable quality of its built heritage, and if visitors

to attractions such as the Coats Observatory and the

Museum/Art Galleries are to be retained, or even potentially

expanded, then pedestrian visitors need to be better catered

for.

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4.9 Signposts should be highly visible at key junctions and

decision points and easily identifiable from some distance

away. They should show large, high-level direction arrows to

key town centre locations, including visitor attractions, the

Tourist Information Centre and the Rail Station. In addition,

a clear and colourful town centre plan is useful at eye-

level, with some detailed information on local attractions if

desired.

CYCLING

4.10 At present there is little in the way of cycling provision

to/from and within the town centre. If there is a desire to

capitalise upon the potential for increased cycling activity,

then the provision of facilities needs to be improved. This

could include planning a quality network of on and off-road

cycle routes from surrounding residential areas to the town

centre. On-road routes on key radials could simply involve

the installation of distinguishing road-markings and signs to

indicate the presence of cycle lanes. This greatly increases

the awareness of and thus safety of cyclists. Advanced stop

lines with box markings should be provided in order to allow

then safe passage through junctions, especially some of the

more complicated signal junctions on the ring-road. Covered

and secure cycle storage facilities will also be required in

the town centre at key locations e.g. the High Street, outside

the University and at the rail station.

4.11 If these facilities are to be fully utilised, a strategy of

marketing and initial incentives will be required to stimulate

demand. The focus should be on provision of information

on an individual’s travel choices, targeting University and

college students, journeys to school and work (especially for

lower-income groups) and on the health benefits of cycling,

advertised through GP surgeries.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

4.12 The quality of public transport infrastructure provision

in Paisley town centre needs to be significantly raised

if the overall image of the town is to be improved. When

Paisley Gilmour Street becomes an interchange station

for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link, it is expected to receive

considerably more visitors and transfer passengers than at

present. This will significantly increase the profile and role

of Paisley Gilmour Street station above its current status.

Realistically many passengers may simply be transferring

between services, or even staying on the train while it is

stopped at the station, so the platforms of Gilmour Street

station may be all they see of Paisley. The aesthetic quality

of these platforms is therefore likely to be significant for

many people’s future image of Paisley as a place.

4.13 If the currently bleak and inhospitable platforms can be

transformed into more comfortable and welcoming waiting

places, this is likely to substantially improve the image and

reputation of the whole town. Most people’s impressions

and memories are formed either at the start or end of a

process, so the station is the key to creating a positive

arrival and departure point for trips to Paisley. This could be

achieved by the installation of clean, bright and comfortable

platform waiting facilities including seating, toilets and

refreshment facilities such as a café and snack machines. In

addition the movements between platforms and into/out of

the station could be improved by better internal signing.

4.14 More also needs to be made of Gilmour Street station as a

gateway to the town and as a key centre of public transport

interchange. Although the station name is in large letters

on the railway bridge, the station entrance door is not at

all clear from the outside on either County Square or Old

Sneddon Street. Despite its prominent central position, the

station is difficult to find from elsewhere in the town as it

cannot be easily seen or identified and pedestrian signing

to it is poor. These issues can be simply addressed though

some investment in town centre signing and the external

character/image of the station.

4.15 There should additionally be better integration between

the rail station, the taxi rank on County Square, the bus

stops on Central Road (plus the airport bus stop on Old

Sneddon Street) and any new infrastructure provision for

pedestrians and cyclists. This is an ideal location for such a

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key transport interchange, within easy walking distance of

all town centre activities, yet conveniently close to the town

edge to provide quick and easy access for buses and taxis.

This could be simply achieved through the naming, and

signposting of the area as a transport hub.

4.16 Such plans should also incorporate the upgrading of Central

Road bus stops. This could involve the total redevelopment

of the entire area or a simple refurbishment. At a basic level,

the underside of the car park infrastructure could be painted

white and kept clean, the few dingy orange lights replaced

with SON lighting as described above, the dirty netting on

the archway over the river could be cleaned or removed,

and rubbish cleared from the access road. The entrance to

the Piazza shopping centre should also be opened up made

more eye-catching and levelled to be more accessible for

wheelchairs and pushchairs.

4.17 At a more extreme level, in order to dramatically improve

the Central Road vicinity, which is desperately needed, more

acute measures could be taken. These could involve the

relocation of the Piazza centre car park, and the removal

of the overhead concrete structure, thus ‘opening-up’

Central Road to create a proper bus station. This would

open the road to natural daylight, making it more attractive

and feeling safer. A glass roofed structure could be used

to maximise the natural light yet still provide shelter for

waiting passengers. This would also have the added bonus

of potentially reducing the pollutants which currently get

trapped under the Central Road car park, creating a severe

air quality problem. This would include regular and reliable

services going when and where there is passenger demand

and a modern accessible low-floored/kneeling bus fleet with

access for those with impaired mobility and wheelchairs,

buggies and prams.

4.18 Bus service quality also needs improving in the town centre.

Several of the less-reputable operators run unreliable

services with old inaccessible vehicles, thus providing the

customer with a less-than-satisfactory travel experience. If

bus travel is to be encouraged as affordable, accessible and

congestion-busting transport, then services need to be as

attractive as possible. The council should therefore make

efforts to reach contractual arrangements with bus operators

to ensure enforceable minimum quality standards and to

improve customer service.

4.19 A final key section of public transport measures involves

the provision of information relating to public transport

services. At present this provision is essentially non-existent

in any useful location. There is a SPT information office on

Causeyside Street, which is too far from the rail station and

most bus stops in order to be practically useful, and train

timetables can be requested from the ticket office at the rail

station. However there are almost no bus timetables actually

at the bus stops, and there is little information available on

the rail station platforms.

4.20 In order to improve the situation, information provision

should be rationalised into a one-stop-shop for all public

transport information, including local buses, trains and

longer-distance coach and ferry services. In addition, a

branding and marketing strategy should be developed to

create a strong brand image and campaign for the future of

Paisley. This should be closely aligned with its key transport

interchange role. Marketing and availability of information

materials can have a significant impact on retail vitality and

public transport patronage, particularly when aligned with

service and infrastructure improvements.

PRIVATE CAR

4.21 Car drivers are the most affluent section of society and it

is these customers that have been lost to other shopping

centres such as Braehead and Glasgow city centre. In order

to maintain a core retail market, whatever type and order

this may be, and to prevent further loss to other competitive

centres, current shoppers in Paisley must be retained. This

will be best achieved through the diversification of activity

in the town centre and through an improved image of Paisley

to retain higher-income shoppers and prevent further

decline.

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4.22 The creation of this improved image and reputation is

dependent upon an ameliorated town centre environment.

The focus must be on developing the general perception

of a more attractive town centre location. One simple way

to do this is to better announce a driver’s approach to,

or arrival at, the core of the town centre. Due to physical

barriers such as the railway embankment limiting visibility

to key landmarks, a driver on the ring-road may have no

idea how close or far-away they are from the town centre.

Through improved signing, public realm investment and

new developments, a series of attractive urban ‘gateway’s’

could be created. These would welcome visitors to the town

centre, and could better intercept drivers on the key radial

routes and ring-road, thus drawing them into the town

centre.

4.23 The core of the town centre is relatively compact, and must

become more so in order to revive its vitality. This core area,

including the Abbey, Town Hall, the High Street and County

Square therefore needs to develop a proper sense of place

and arrival. This is connected to the previous mention of a

branding and marketing exercise to give the town centre a

positive and distinctive identity.

4.24 For car drivers, a key to improving their perception of Paisley

is through the provision of car parking facilities. There is a

need for a well-thought-out, clearly defined and coherent

parking strategy for the town centre. The future of the town’s

car parks needs to be carefully considered directed and

managed to optimise the performance of the car parking

supply. Other factors for inclusion in the strategy should

include short and long-stay balance, parking locations,

signing, pricing and opening hours.

4.25 The current peripheral long and short stay surface parking

should be rationalised to reduce the random and incoherent

scatter of parking that presently exists across the town.

Long-stay parking should be severely cut to reduce workers

driving to work in the town centre and causing peak-hour

congestion. Some long-stay parking provision should be

retained closer to the rail station to provide a Park and Rail

facility to Glasgow. But this should be heavily charged to

ultimately restrain private car use and manage demand for

town centre roadspace.

4.26 The more peripheral short-stay car parks (outside the ring-

road) should be used to create small parks in the immediate

term and redeveloped in the longer term. Short-stay parking

supply should be heavily concentrated in locations within

the town centre, in close proximity to the High Street and

core area of activity.

4.27 One suggestion is to remove the dismal Piazza car park from

above Central Road and to locate a new facility to the rear

of the old Arnotts quadrant on the other side of Smithhills

Street. This would allow the thoughtful design of a large,

bright user-friendly car park to cater for much of the town

centre parking demand. Yet it would still be sufficiency close

to the core town centre activities and the Piazza Centre to be

attractive.

4.28 One of the major problems with parking provision at present

is the problematic access arrangements are compounded

by the lack of clear signposting to available spaces. It is

suggested that car parking provision is rationalised to four

main locations in the town centre:

• the Paisley Centre multi-storey (short stay - re-named the University or West car park)

• the Piazza multi-storey (short stay - possibly relocated to the Arnotts site - re-named the North car park)

• around Loanend (long stay - called the South car park)

• Moss Street (long stay - called Station parking)

• weekend shopper spaces under Renfrewshire

Council’s south building

4.1 Once this has been achieved signing to the car parks will be

much simpler, as only two car parks with available spaces

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would be signed from each main approach to the town (one

long stay and one short stay). The signs should contain the

full new name of the designated car park and ideally be a

variable message sign with real-time information indicating

numbers of free spaces. This will allow drivers to be

funnelled to the most appropriate car parking space, without

the need to drive around searching for a space which causes

congestion and driver frustration.

4.2 Car park opening hours should be reviewed in order

to support the prospect of an evening leisure and

entertainment economy. Safe and secure parking in the two

multi-storey car parks may encourage evening visitors to the

town. In addition a pricing policy should be developed to

encourage short-stay and shoppers parking, but discourage

the long-stay parking which leads to peak-hour congestion.

Paisley’s major retail competitor is Braehead shopping

centre which provides free parking in close proximity to

all of the stores. Paisley could develop a simple short-stay

schedule that offers, for example, free parking for up to two

hours, and £2 for two to four hours. Long-stay pricing should

be optimised to balance capacity and demand with revenue

generated.

4.3 However it is not only parking signing that is currently

problematic. Road signs on some key radials and

approaches suffer from a case of information overload with

drivers not fully able to absorb the plethora of information

and select their desired destination in time. Destinations

selected to go on each sign-post need to be simplified and

reduced to major trip attractors, such as the town centre and

abbey, nearby car parking, and some (the most relevant in

terms of sign location) of the University, the Royal Alexandra

Hospital and the M8/airport. Signing is also key to the

strategy to create a brand for Paisley and to introduce

gateways to indicate a sense of arrival in the core area.

4.4 There are a number of specific traffic management schemes

which could be used to draw visitors closer to the town

centre and improve town centre circulation. These include

the re-opening of Smithhills Street and the eastern end of

Gauze Street to general traffic to increase private vehicle

penetration of the core area. In relation to this, is suggested

that some one-way routes could be reversed so that

Abercorn Street and the Smithhills Street bridge become

one-way into town, and the Gilmour Street bridge arch

becomes one-way out-of town. This would be connected to

access arrangements for a new multi-storey car park on the

mixed-use Arnotts site and the removal of Central Road car

park.

4.5 It is also suggested that some attempts are made to simplify

or clarify the functioning of the ring-road at either end of

Gordon Street, and at the Gauze Street junction. These are

currently large and complicated junctions with many lanes

and movements for pedestrians and vehicular traffic are

often unclear. It is hoped that these could be simplified,

whilst giving greater priority to pedestrians at the junctions.

4.6 Finally the use of Bridge Street and Cotton Street could be

downgraded as part of the development in the area of the

Council’s north building to regenerate the area to the east of

the Abbey precinct. This route does provide a key alternative

to the ring-road for some north-south traffic movements

and may become more important if the Arnotts site is

redeveloped to incorporate a new multi-storey car park.

4.7 However at present it is considered appropriate to install

some traffic restraint measures on this route in the historic

Abbey vicinity. This would aid pedestrian movements from

the east of town and the north building redevelopment,

towards the town centre. Such features could include the

creation of a continuous share-use surface with flushed

kerbs or traffic table arrangement. Paving, perhaps with

different coloured or shade bricks, could be used to

distinguish the footway from the carriageway but the

level surface would create a greater balance of priority for

pedestrians, vehicles and other road users. Other measures

could include narrowing of the carriageway especially at the

end junctions, horizontal deflections of the road (chicanes

or splitter islands), and planting.

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5. CONCLUSIONS

5.1 It is clear that there is a need for realism in all the

aspirations proposed for the regeneration of Paisley town

centre. The aim should be to make Paisley town centre as

successful as it can reasonably be, given the external forces

and pressures that it faces.

5.2 The focus should be on making Paisley Town Centre as

attractive and distinctive a location as possible for a

wide variety of activities. Whilst it is relatively easy to get

to Paisley, it is also easy to leave and travel on to other

nearby attractions. It is not possible to force people to

stay in Paisley town centre once they have arrived. For

example visitors arriving by in town bus may then choose

to travel by train to the shops in Glasgow rather than stay in

Paisley. Such forces should not be resisted, but the causes

addressed by maximising the relative attractiveness of

Paisley in order to retain existing custom and develop new

markets.

5.3 Image is everything. The key to the successful revitalisation

of Paisley town centre is the reversal of its negative image

and the creation of a positive, confident mood for the future.

Face-lifts of particularly bad structures, and a marketing

campaign aligned with the creation of a town brand will

raise the image of the town for both external visitors and

internal residents. Immediate impact measures such as the

creation of more small park areas and the cleaning up of the

river and its environs will also play a vital role in lifting the

feel of the whole town.

5.4 However sustained effort will be required over a long period

of time to stem the town’s overall decline. The current poor

public perception of the town and its apparent problems

(such as crime) can be addressed through the dissemination

of more positive messages, especially through local media

sources.

5.5 It is important to recognise and remember that the transport

and access measures outlined in this report will have little

effect on their own. Only as part of a combined package of

cross-community schemes can benefits truly be accrued and

the future success of Paisley’s town centre secured.

MRC McLean Hazel

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1. SELECTING THE CASE STUDIES

1.1 The consultant team identified and documented as case

studies four towns which are broadly comparable to Paisley

is terms of size and type, and which have recently adopted

regeneration strategies:

• Doncaster

• Halifax

• Scunthorpe

• Taunton

1.2 The criteria used to select the towns were:

• broadly comparable scale: we focused on medium-sized towns with a population between 50,000 and 100,000

• proximity to a major city: like Paisley, Doncaster and Halifax are second tier centres close to a major regional city

• post-industrial towns: Doncaster, Halifax and Scunthorpe are towns which, like Paisley, were previously major industrial centres

• towns that have developed innovative regeneration

strategies and delivery mechanisms.

a n n e x 6b e s t p r a c t i c e c a s e s t u d i e s

1.3 The regeneration strategies adopted by the four towns are

best described as work in progress, and it is too early to

say whether they will succeed in achieving sustainable

regeneration. However, the review has confirmed that

the towns selected have experienced many of the same

symptoms of decline as Paisley, and that each has

developed an imaginative and holistic response to the

challenges identified. In each case, local and regional

partners have made a substantial investment in developing

regeneration strategies.

1.4 Three of the towns (Doncaster, Halifax and Scunthorpe) are

participating in Yorkshire Forward’s Renaissance Towns

and Cities programme, which has gained an international

reputation for its innovative work in a group of towns that

were previously “off the policy radar”. In some respects,

Taunton is the outlier in this peer group: it is a medium-

sized town with a rural hinterland, within striking distance of

Bristol but not fully integrated into the city-region. However,

the Taunton Vision is regarded as an exemplar urban

regeneration strategy, and it has some important themes in

common with Paisley.

2. DONCASTER

2.1 Doncaster (population 100,000) is in South Yorkshire and

is one of three medium-sized towns (the others are Barnsley

and Rotherham) in the Sheffield city region. Doncaster is an

ancient town, but during the industrial revolution it became

an important centre for coal mining and engineering. The

decline of these traditional industries has had a severe

impact on the community in the past 20-30 years, but

Doncaster’s strategic location near the A1(M) and on the

east coast main line means that the town has excellent links

to London and the south east. These have helped to attract

a new wave of investment to the area, mostly to out of town

locations such as Lakeside and Town Moor.

2.2 The town centre still retains its medieval street pattern, and

there are some notable historic buildings and townscapes.

A number of streets in the heart of the town have been

pedestrianised in the past decade. The town centre offers

a good range of national chain stores, but retail has been

under pressure from competing local and regional locations,

and floor plates were generally too small for modern

requirements. A new retail development, the Interchange,

will increase the stock of large floor plate units. A traditional

market still attracts many visitors to the town but has been

in decline.

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2.3 The quality of the urban environment deteriorates sharply on

the town centre fringes. The canal is a potential asset, but is

isolated from the town in an area of low density, poor quality

development which includes bad neighbour uses such as

an abattoir, sewage works and Council depots. Much of this

area is contaminated with heavy metals and petrochemicals.

The St George’s road bridge – a key link to the A1(M) - slices

through this area. Also on the edge of the town centre, the

1960s Waterdale development is in terminal decline: a

recent study sets out proposals to transform this area into a

cultural quarter.

2.4 The Renaissance partners identified the need for large

scale physical interventions, especially in edge of town

centre areas. They carried out an audit of constraints on

development including:

• land ownerships

• sites of archaeological interest

• site conditions, including areas of contaminated

land

• utilities including a major water works

• flood risks.

computer rendering of Doncaster Masterplan proposals

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p a i s l e y t o w n c e n t r e s t u d y : a s t r a t e g y f o r r e g e n e r a t i o n a n d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n | 1 1 �

2.5 The partners developed the Doncaster Renaissance Charter,

which set out their shared ambitions for the town. The

Charter provided the basis for a strategic vision for the town,

underpinned by eight key themes:

• converting a section of the inner ring road into a

great urban street, lined with shops and commercial

buildings: the street will continue to carry high levels

of traffic, but the strategy aims to make it a safe and

attractive pedestrian environment

• reconnecting the town centre to its neglected

waterways: a major urban expansion will extend

urban scale, layout and functions to create a mixed

use waterfront quarter in the area bounded by the

canal and the River Don

• creating a mixed-use urban quarter: the Waterfront

will be the focus for restaurants, bars and cafes as

well as new office and residential develo• pment, a

hotel, cultural, civic and educational facilities

• restoring the town’s covered market and creating

a new town square: there is concern about the

rapid decline of the market, and the strategy aims

to reinvigorate it by extending its opening hours,

putting the emphasis on high quality locally

produced food, and investing in the market buildings

and improving management of the site: a business

plan is being prepared; to stimulate activity around

the market the partners plan to create a new town

square by the Corn Exchange

• creating a hierarchy of public spaces: to complement

successful pedestrianisation schemes already

carried out, a system of linked public spaces will

be created at Waterdale, Christ Church, St George’s

Church, the new railway station, Market Square and

the Waterfront

• regeneration of the town centre’s Waterdale district

as a mixed use quarter for the arts, culture and

education: the strategy will rejuvenate existing

cultural institutions and create new facilities

• developing an educational city concept, including a

defined education quarter in the heart of the town

• promoting ease of movement by improving links

between different modes of transport and raising

public transport service standards.

Doncaster public realm proposals

120

3. HALIFAX

3.1 Halifax (85,000) is a former textile manufacturing town

and one of a group of large towns, including neighbouring

Huddersfield, in the Leeds-Bradford conurbation. Although

the traditional industrial base of Halifax is much reduced it

has a left a fine architectural legacy including the historic

Piece Hall, mill complexes, splendid churches and civic

buildings. The town’s dramatic setting adds to its potential

and appeal even though the townscape has diminished by

crude road engineering and inappropriate development.

3.2 The local partners identified severance caused by roads and

low density development as a major problem. The core of

the town has an “exemplary” layout and urban grain but the

edge of the town centre is fragmented, leaving assets such

as the Eureka! children’s museum and Dean Clough Mills

isolated from the town centre.

3.3 The two drivers of renaissance identified by the local

partnership are:

• making Halifax a good place to live and work, and

• making Halifax a good place to visit.

3.4 The strategy aims to promote social cohesion and to make

the town attractive and welcoming to the whole community.

Concern was expressed that an evening “drinking culture”

was deterring older and younger residents from visiting the

town centre outside working hours. Consultations showed

that the town’s Asian (and principally Muslim) community

was discouraged from visiting the town centre because bars

and clubs are concentrated around some of the principal

points of entry to the town.

3.5 The proposals adopted by the partners aim to make Halifax

a beautiful town full of high quality and properly connected

public spaces. Focusing on physical regeneration, the

strategy sets out a seven point proposition:

• enhancing the town’s unique landscape setting and making it accessible to all; the strategy combines proposals for he wider landscape setting as well as the town centre, and includes plans to:

- create links between the town, countryside, villages and parks

- create a new generation of country parks- celebrate the special history and character of

Halifax

- re-open the Calder & Hebble Navigation

• repopulating the valley bottom: the valley of the

Hebble Brook was abandoned many years ago as

a residential location; houses were replaced by

part of the Halifax Renaissance proposals

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factories, mills and railways and the brook was

culverted; the partners aim to create a small new

community with 300-400 homes forming part of

a high quality mixed use development which will

enable the “rediscovery” of the river, Beacon Hill and

the old parish church; connections to the heart of the

town will be improved

• connecting Dean Clough Mill: the huge Dean Clough

complex was the subject of pioneering regeneration

schemes in the 1980s and 1990s and is an

important employment centre and cultural venue;

but the site is surrounded by major roads, creating a

hostile pedestrian environment which discourages

visits to and from the town centre; the proposals

aim to overcome severance by winning land for

development between Dean Clough and the town

centre, returning Broad Street to a single carriageway

and promoting active frontages

• integrating West Central Halifax and People’s Park:

this ethnically diverse area is also severed from

the town centre by major roads, and the evidence

shows that minority groups do not make full use of

the centre; as for Dean Clough, the proposals will

combine new development to close the gap between

the town centre and inner suburbs with measures to

reduce the impact of major roads

• new life for Halifax heritage aims to revive the

fortunes of three iconic local buildings: the Piece

Hall (subject of striking proposals by Will Alsop);

Somerset House, the town’s “hidden” stately home”;

and the historic Elsie Whiteley Mill

• making the town centre a good place to walk: the

balance between pedestrians and road traffic is

wrong, and the approaches to the town centre have

become hostile environments which discourage

walking and sociability; the strategy sets out a long-

term plan to create a town centre where the needs of

pedestrians are paramount; this may involve radical

solutions such as relocating the bus station; scaling

down major roads; and creating pedestrian-only or

pedestrian-first regimes in an expanded area

• showing off the town: studying opportunities to

use floodlighting, lasers and annual illuminations

to highlight and celebrate the special character of

Halifax.

Corn Market, Halifax

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4. SCUNTHORPE

4.1 Scunthorpe (77,000) is a steel making town in North

Lincolnshire. Unlike Paisley, Doncaster and Halifax it is

not part of a major conurbation, although it is within easy

striking of Hull and Grimsby. Scunthorpe is a relatively new

town, which reached its reach its peak as a centre of the

steel industry in the late 19th century. Employment in the

steel industry has declined rapidly and further job losses

are inevitable, but Corus is still the largest private sector

employer.

4.2 The Scunthorpe Declaration describes the town as an

“industrial island” in an otherwise rural and agrarian

setting. Because much of the town is of recent date,

Scunthorpe’s architectural heritage does not match the

quality of the other case study towns, but the character

of the town – low density, low rise and with many parks

and open spaces – is a surprise: in the late 20th century it

adopted the description, an industrial garden town, which

still has some validity.

4.3 The town centre is stretched between the retail core (which

also includes some cultural assets) and the transport hub,

centred on the railway station. Its relatively diffuse form

is reinforced by easy vehicle access and over provision

of surface parking. Nevertheless, the underlying urban

structure has potential for improvement and adaptation;

gateway sites and open spaces are generally disappointing

and under-used.

4.4 The long-term decline of steel-making and the failure of the

local economy to adapt and diversify means that Scunthorpe

has been losing population for some time. Unemployment

is low and wages are relatively high, but there is a lack of

economic vitality which is feeding out-migration. Land and

house prices are low. Manufacturing jobs account for twice

the national average share, and there is concern about how

these will be replaced if there are further plant closures

or major redundancies: Scunthorpe is described as a

vulnerable town.

4.5 The local partners identified the persistence of a

paternalistic, single-industry culture as a brake on

innovation and enterprise, and they are aware the town’s

negative image and its status as a “music hall joke”.

Compared to some of the other case studies – which are

strongly biased towards physical interventions – Scunthorpe

has adopted a more rounded approach which has influence

our approach to the Paisley study. The five elements of the

vision are:

• repositioning Scunthorpe over the next 25 years:

change has proved to be difficult and slow, but a

radical shift is required, a “jumping of the tracks”

• Scunthorpe needs to become a smart, successful,

sustainable town with a diversified, high value

added business base

• making things will continue to be a key activity, but

future competitive advantage will lie manufacturing

excellence

• Scunthorpe will become a more effective sub-

regional driver for the North Lincolnshire economy

• achieving the vision will require a strong

commitment to civic engagement.

4.6 The Scunthorpe Declaration sets out a vision underpinned

by seven strategic themes:

• improving competitiveness

• creating a strong, attractive, vibrant town centre

• coming to terms with the steel industry

• reinvigorating and expanding the garden town

framework

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• maximising the benefits of connectivity

• managing image and perceptions of the town

• increasing community engagement.

4.7 For the purposes of this review we have focused on

proposals for creating a strong, attractive, vibrant town

centre. The action plan identifies opportunities in four

locations, linked by strategies for streets, spaces and

greening. There are four key objectives:

• promoting and developing Scunthorpe as an

attractive, distinctive and well-performing

destination; this will involve action to diversify land

use, improve the environmental quality and legibility

of the town centre; develop high quality commercial

space to attract inward investment; improve the

retail, culture and entertainment offer; and diversify

the housing offer

• intensifying and diversifying the town centre by

promoting mixed use development: mixed use

developments should focus on 4 major nodes:

Britannia Gateway, the area around the railway

station, Plowright Theatre and Church Square

part of the greening strategy for Scunthorpe

124

• improving the quality of the town centre by

enhancing the public realm: the aim is to develop

a series of attractive public spaces which mediate

between the civic, retail, residential, commercial,

cultural and leisure functions of the revived town

centre; the public realm strategy should also address

the currently abrupt transition between the town

centre and surrounding residential districts

• establishing a cultural quarter around Church

Square, comprising a relocated museum, a

refurbished library and a visual arts centre; mixed

use development will help to animate the square,

where a new hotel will be located; single aspect

buildings will screen multi-storey car parking.

part of the Scunthorpe Masterplan proposals

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5. TAUNTON

5.1 Taunton, Somerset (61,000) is perhaps a less obvious

comparator than the here other towns. Taunton has

traditionally been seen as classic county town in a rural

area, but it was also an important centre of industry and a

major railway junction. In more recent times, the town has

diversified and grown rapidly. It is a substantial employment

centre with jobs in business services, contact centres and

retail, and it is an important centre of regional and local

administration. This change has been driven in part by

Taunton’s easy road and rail access to Bristol: the town is

not fully integrated into the city-region but the benefits of

proximity are growing.

5.2 The town is popular and attractive, and the layout of the

pre-industrial town is still largely intact. There is a fine

medieval church at the heart of a dense network of intimate

Georgian, Victorian and earlier streets. There is an array of

attractive and interesting historic buildings. The fact that

Taunton is some distance from a large city has helped to

insulate retail to a degree from some of the competitive

pressures experienced in Paisley. The picturesque county

cricket ground draws large numbers, especially during

the festival week. Strong demand for prime retail space

underpins elements of the Taunton 2025 vision.

Taunton proposals

126

5.3 Despite this generally positive outlook, Taunton has some

conspicuous rough edges that have undermined quality of

life and deterred town centre investment over many years. In

particular, the river Tone is an under-utilised asset: there are

some popular and attractive riverside locations, but much

of the waterfront is derelict and under-used. There are a

number of potentially attractive development sites close to

the town centre core.

5.4 There is also a concern that developing links with Bristol will

fuel demand for commuter housing without a corresponding

increase in local employment. The 2025 vision aims

to maintain a sustainable balance of commuting, and

this drives proposals for mixed use development and

employment locations in Taunton.

5.5 The 2025 vision has recently been worked up into a

masterplan prepared by Terence O’Rourke architects. The

plan has been exceptionally well received; it sets out a

compelling vision for the town, including the recovery of

under-used and brownfield sites on the fringes of the town

centre. The key outputs include:

• 80,000 sq m of employment space, including modern offices and a 150-bed hotel

• 50,000 sq m of retail and leisure facilities

• 2,000 new residential units (houses and apartments)

• upgrading the cricket ground to international standard

• a new theatre, library and cultural centre

• a new transport interchange

• two new river crossings

• enhancement of 2km of the riverfront.

5.6 These outputs will be delivered by a strategy based on the

following key priorities:

• the retail heart will be strengthened by the provision

of 250,000 sq ft of new floorspace, complemented by

a new, smaller bus station, multi-storey car parking

and new apartments: the proposals aim to enhance

pedestrian links in and around the High Street

• Tangier is a transitional riverside area close to the

town centre: the strategy aims to revitalise the

area and strengthen links between the heart of the

town and other emerging quarters; the area will

accommodate student/key worker housing as well as

space for small/start-up businesses

Taunton proposals

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• cultural quarter: the plan identifies a site on the north bank of the Tone for a new cinema and theatre to replace the Brewhouse Theatre, which has outgrown its present site; new development will mesh with existing historic buildings and streets to form a lively, fine-grained cultural quarter; interestingly, this proposal would supersede a long-standing plan to construct an inner relief road

• Firepool office district: this site – largely brownfield land – will accommodate 500,000 sq feet of premium office space in a high quality town centre environment; offices will be complemented by housing, a new hotel, bars and restaurants

• County Ground: the master plan would facilitate proposals increase the playing area and spectator capacity of the cricket ground so that it can host international matches; new indoor facilities would provide an amenity for local residents including children

• East-west links: the long-standing proposals for an inner-relief road are now thought to be inappropriate and intrusive; instead, the master plan incorporates a new urban street to provide access to the Firepool site; this proposal is combined with plans to

promote sustainable public transport.

6. CONCLUSIONS

6.1 The common themes running through the four case studies

are:

• the critical importance of reducing dependency on retail by diversifying and intensifying town centre activities

• the key role of mixed use developments as a driver of change

• capitalising on educational, cultural and historical assets

• regenerating neglected and forgotten places such as rivers, redundant buildings and brownfield land

• establishing a coherent, legible urban form and a hierarchy of public spaces

• investing in public transport infrastructure and

improving access to the town centre.

6.2 These themes have informed our recommended strategy

for Paisley town centre. They reflect the merits of working

with the market grain and of capitalising on the distinctive

attributes and qualities of the place. They reflect the

experience and insights of stakeholders and practitioners

in comparable post-industrial towns, and in particular the

fruits of Yorkshire Forward’s pioneering Renaissance Towns

and Cities programme.

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Documents

Paisley Town Centre: a strategy for regeneration and transformation