Kirkintilloch Plans Unveiled

25 Jun 2004

The contract for the new leisure centre on Woodhead Park will be let by the end of this year and its doors will open in early 2007. Other projects that will be early priorities for the Initiative will be the Arts and Culture Centre, the Link Road and the Town Centre Access Strategy.

Kirkintilloch’s Initiative has changed the original plans following the Reporter’s determination in December 2003 that one of the projects, the planned supermarket at Woodhead Park, should not go ahead. Following this the Initiative carried out extensive consultations with community organisations including Watch this Space, residents groups, community councils, the Rotary and local churches to bring forward revised proposals.

As a result of these consultations a new set of proposals have been developed with increased funding. The extra funds will be generated from a number of sources, including the sale of the land in the ownership of the NHS and East Dunbartonshire Council. Where rising land values are anticipated, these have been included in the projection of funds as well as by identifying additional pieces of land that could be sold. Additionally the council has earmarked £800,000 for five years from the Capital budget to be allocated to projects such as the Leisure facility.

“I am delighted to announce that Kirkintilloch’s Initiative is alive and well”, said East Dunbartonshire Council Leader John Morrison. “We have listened and acted and come back to the people of Kirkintilloch with an enhanced programme of regeneration that will pump an additional £16m into the town”.

A key part of the proposals is the Link Road. Combined with improved cycle and walkways and a new town centre access strategy, this will make it much easier for people to come in and out of the town centre.

The Link road is also a key factor in enabling the development of housing at the former Woodilee hospital site. Plans to build around 800 homes has helped to bring additional funding for Kirkintilloch’s Initiative and will play a major role in the regeneration of Kirkintilloch bringing new life, customers and income to the area.

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P2/2 Kirkintilloch Plans Unveiled

“Local community organisations have played a vital role in helping us re-shape the original proposals”, said Tom Campbell of NHS Greater Glasgow Primary Care Division and Director of Kirkintilloch’s Initiative. “And on individual projects such as the Arts and Culture Centre local user groups have been closely involved with ensuring that the designs meet local needs.”

Iain Carmichael a Community Representative for the Arts and Culture Centre welcomed the news:

“We are pleased to see that the Arts & Culture Centre is one of the priority projects for the town. We have already received initial approval from the Scottish Arts Council for funding and we hope the plans continue to move ahead. The Arts & Culture Centre has been designed to serve as an important community base hosting a wide range of theatrical, musical and dance events as well as providing a space for events and meetings”

Kirkintilloch’s Initiative will meet this autumn with representatives from the Partnership Board, the Executive Group and individual project representatives and champions to discuss how they will manage taking the proposals forward.