Currently the text for the Shawlands Town Centre Action Plan is at its final stages and a draft document should be published later in October alongside a series of events to discuss and shape the final document. As it’s almost impossible to live in Strathbungo and not use the amenities in Shawlands, the plans will affect all of us and many local residents will have been involved on some level with the consultation. So where has all that consulting gone?
The Council have been trying to build up an extremely detailed picture of the issues affecting the centre and to this end have commissioned various pieces of research: –
- An independent Shawlands Retail Study (completed December 2010)
- The Shawlands Customer Survey (available online and published by DRS in April 10) http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E1341505-CD2D-47B9-9FA3-38FE42A8DB63/0/customersurveyreportapril2010.pdf
- Shawlands Town Centre Health Check – C ompleted by DRS in April 10
- Shawlands Business Survey – Completed March 2011
It has contributed resources to:-
- Setting up the Shawlands Business Association launched on 31 March 2011 (see Google – Shawlands Business Association+ Facebook)
- Developing the Shawlands School Gate Project as a catalyst for bringing Shawlands Academy , community, businesses and young learners together see www.smarterplaces.org
- Securing new ‘café lighting for Skirving St’ (to be installed October)
- Supporting the MARL Arts Project at the Shed and Southside Festival
- Developing a vintage fair at The Shed (see below for the next event!)
- Developing the ‘One Small Thing’ Initiative with SBA http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/features/editor-s-picks/community-bid-to-put-the-heart-back-into-shawlands-1.1114215
In addition, the Council:-
- Provided planning support for repainting of the Granary frontage last year
- Encouraged the owners of the Shawlands Arcade, AWG to introduce a Friday market and car park improvements.
- Supported the installation of CCTV Security Cameras within the town centre
- Proposed with GHA, a new, 900 home, family orientated urban village in Pollokshaws adjacent to Shawlands Town Centre , see http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/YourCouncil/CustomerInvolvement/Corporate/YourOpinion/pollokshawslocaldevelomentstrategy.htm
The Draft Action Plan is very much about bringing people together, businesses working together to help build Shawlands as a destination, businesses working with customers to understand what they want and build loyalty.
It is about the Council, public sector partners, residents, customers and businesses working together to develop new ideas and reasons for people to visit Shawlands Town Centre. It is also about developing a programme for addressing a range of quite specific problems like crossing the road more easily, connecting to the park, improving the appearance and use of specific buildings and spaces.
It is about trying “Re-establishing Shawlands as, the Heart of the Southside”, by balancing the needs of place, people, businesses and sustainable living!
To find out more, the man to contact is:
David Dunlop
Senior Planner
Planning Neighbourhoods
DRS
Glasgow City Council
0141 287 6097
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