Completed project
Transforming an area of vacant and derelict land into a community asset and a richer habitat for wildlife.
Client and funding
We were commissioned by Glasgow City Council to deliver this project from initial concept to delivery. Working closely with the Council, the Seven Lochs Project, and with active participation from the local community, we delivered a range of greenspace improvements that provide a sense of place and greater amenity to the area, while helping biodiversity and climate adaptation.
Funding was secured through the Scottish Government’s Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP), alongside funding from Glasgow City Council’s Innovative Greening Fund and the National Lottery Heritage Fund via the Seven Lochs Project.
What was achieved
The project delivered multiple outcomes, across these key areas:
Through new tree, orchard and shrub planting, new access paths, seating and an outdoor learning area.
Registered as VDL for over 30 years, the site has been transformed into an asset for the community and wildlife.
New native woodland, wetland and meadow habitats and management of existing water vole habitat.
New path links connect the neighbouring schools and communities and enhance recreation potential.
This 3.6 hectare site had been on the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Register for over 30 years and is in an area of severe multiple deprivation and disadvantage. It is a strategic site in the CSGN as it provides important north-south habitat and access connectivity from the heavily urbanised M8 corridor to the Seven Lochs Wetland Park.
Community consultations and site audits highlighted that, although the site was valued for dog walking and to access services and amenities, many people felt it was unusable, unattractive and had limited recreational and educational benefits. Over half of residents live in rented accommodation without their own garden, so greenspaces like this are vitally important for the health and wellbeing of the people living and working in the area.
Although there was little on the site to build on, the relatively blank canvas provided scope to deliver deliver multiple benefits to the local community, while addressing several national and CSGN priorities e.g., climate adaptation and mitigation, addressing biodiversity loss, and improving health, wellbeing and placemaking.
How we delivered at Avenue End Rd
The site at Avenue End Road had been identified in Glasgow City Council strategies, such as the Greater Easterhouse Strategic Development Framework and in the feasibility and planning stage for the Seven Lochs Wetland Park as a key north-south link in the local green network and a priority for remediation and improvement.
Before the project could proceed, partner discussions and a site visit were held in 2018 to explore partnership working opportunities, project scope and roles.
The early feasibility and design stages involved:
At this point, an estimated £1.25 million would have been needed to fund the project. The scope would later be tightened to meet funding constraints.
Given the challenges of sourcing funding and the high costings associated with the initial concept, in 2020 we took the decision to bring the design elements in-house.
We then worked with partners to re-prioritise the project scope and outcomes to meet a more realistic budget. The site masterplan was re-designed by GAT’s Landscape Architect and outline designs and cost estimate of £550,000 was produced.
Partners planned to deliver the capital works in two phases due to challenges of sourcing funding.
In 2021, our work on the project gathered pace securing the funding, issuing tenders and conducting community consultation.
An added complication was the presence of protected water vole habitat that appeared since the initial surveys. Key steps taken in 2021 included:
The physical project works were completed in 2022. There were several more steps we had to take to deliver the project in this period, including:
Work started on site in March 2022 and was completed in August that year.
With any project of this type, we build in a 12-month ‘defects period’ to ensure the quality of the site beyond the completion date and ensure the client is happy before the final handover.
In the case of Avenue End Road, this meant monitoring how elements such as the larger trees were faring after their first winter. In 2023 we carried out some replanting and checked how the paths were bedding in, prior to the handover.
Throughout the development and delivery of the project, Green Action Trust have demonstrated excellent project management skills, clear communication with partners and stakeholders, and thorough contract management. As a result we will continue to work with them on similar projects in future.
Scott Ferguson
Seven Lochs Project Coordinator, Glasgow City Council
Providing a bespoke solution
This project was not without its challenges. There was no evidence of water voles inhabiting the site back in 2018 but water voles colonised the middle section during the concept design stage. The presence of this protected species posed a problem for our design team as this area was earmarked for a new tarred path.
We worked with NatureScot to develop a methodology that would enable the construction of the active travel route while protecting the water voles and their habitat. The path was re-aligned to avoid much of the water vole habitat and the specification adapted, building it up and laying geotextile to protect burrows, rather than excavating down. As a result, disturbance was minimal and temporary, and fully compliant with the Protected Species Licence.
The innovative approach used on this project, to establish public access through an urban water vole habitat, has provided valuable insights for future projects in the region.
Before & after
Low amenity & biodiversity value
Layout & features
Protecting water voles
Wetland & woodland
The end result
From feasibility studies to forests, grant management to greenspace, we can help to make your project a reality. It all starts with a conversation, so contact us now to get started.
