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A VISION of a Manhattan on the Forth with the power to stimulate the wider Scottish economy was unveiled yesterday. It will cost £500 million, create 5000 jobs and take eight years to complete but the Falkirk Gateway was immediately praised by a Scottish business leader as a model for Scotland’s economic growth. Liz Cameron, director of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said the creation of a new commercial district close to the Falkirk Wheel will bring “amazing spin-offs for the Scottish economy.” She said similar commercial developments are needed across Scotland to allow businesses to grow and prevent them locating out of the country. Dan MacDonald, one of the lead developers, said the economic impact of the Falkirk Gateway will be felt south and north of the Forth, and he expects Perth to be well within its commuter sphere. He said it will provide offices and room for business start-ups to take the heat off Edinburgh and Glasgow where commercial expansion is limited. There will be a marina near the Falkirk Wheel, and streets of offices, not dissimilar to the waterfront of Manhattan but more low-rise. These streets will have squares and public spaces fronting boulevards, more in-keeping with a traditional commercial district than an industrial estate. There are no planning obstacles to negotiate, said Mr MacDonald, of Edinburgh-based MacDonald Estates, and the first application is soon to go before Falkirk Council. The site lies next to newly-promoted Falkirk FC’s new stadium and close to the M9 and Kincardine Bridge. “This has to be the best connected site in Scotland—within half an hour of two major European cities, just 20 minutes’ drive from a major UK international airport, with excellent motorway and train links and a sea terminal on its doorstep,” said Mr MacDonald, who is also behind the Asda proposal for Arbroath. “The development will attract office tenants who cannot now find the appropriate accommodation in Edinburgh or Glasgow but expect the international transit links and working environment associated with major hubs. “It will also become the catalyst for the development of hotel, conference, leisure and other facilities required alongside a quality business park environment,” he said. The Gateway will comprise 500,000 sq ft of business space, a 250,000 square foot retail park, hotel and conference centre and a commercial hub centred on a new marina serving the Forth and Clyde Canal which borders the site. Mr MacDonald said it will generate up to 3000 permanent jobs, in addition to 2000 construction jobs, allowing the Falkirk economy, dominated by the petrochemical industry, to expand and diversify. MacDonald Estates, London developer Hammerson, Falkirk Council, Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley and BP are working together on the project which comes under the My Future’s In Falkirk banner. It will cover 300 acres; 130 will be for commercial development and the rest will be woodland and public space. By Chris Ferguson http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2005/05/25/newsstory7164635t0.asp |
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AN industrial landscape between Falkirk and Grangemouth is
set to be transformed into an inspirational green space which will be
open and accessible to all, thanks to a massive £25 million grant from
the Big Lottery Fund to the innovative Helix project in Falkirk.
This massive injection of funding, planned to take place over the next six years, will allow the Helix project to radically transform the environment in the Forth Valley as part of the BIG Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks programme. This award is the first of its kind in Scotland through this programme, and the largest ever awarded by BIG to individual projects so far. |
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