Project Description
The Dundashill residential development, located on a reclaimed brownfield site on the north side of Glasgow, is a key part of a broader masterplan to rejuvenate the area. This project was a collaborative effort by a joint venture partnership that includes our client Igloo Regeneration, Scottish Canals, Places for People, and Housing Growth Partnership. The development consists of 78 three-storey townhouses, offering a mix of three and four-bedroom homes across seven terraces. The development site is thoughtfully designed with access roads, electric vehicle “ready”, parking facilities, play spaces, and landscaped areas, including a distinctive sunken SUDS.
The primary objective of this development was to create low-carbon homes that foster community interaction and support residents’ well-being.
Our Role/Scope
Doig+Smith were appointed to provide Project Management and Employer’s Agent services on the project.
Collaborating closely with a multi-disciplinary design team, we facilitated the development of the design, ensuring it aligns with the project’s vision and goals. With valuable design input from our preferred contractor, we successfully negotiated project costs through a comprehensive value engineering exercise.
Our team attended site regularly to monitor the progress of the works, providing input into quality control, managing the change control process, and reporting to the Client. We continued these activities through to completion and final handover in late 2024, and assisted in securing the relevant accreditations for the development.
Challenges
The key challenges on the project were to:
- Reduce the carbon footprint of the homes while meeting ambitious sustainability targets.
- Encourage low-car living by supporting electric vehicles, walking, cycling, and outdoor exercise.
- Design flexible living spaces that supported working from home.
- Create a strong sense of community through shared social spaces, environmental integration, and opportunities for temporary community-led uses.
- Deliver a distinctive, non-corporate urban design with private outdoor areas, roof terraces, garden studios, and natural features such as a sunken garden connected to water and nature.
Achieve multiple high-level accreditations, including a 4-star Home Quality Mark, Building with Nature award, LETI B Upfront Carbon rating, Castle 10 Checkmate Warranty, Gold Secured by Design Award, and A-rated EPCs, while maintaining design quality and coordination.
Successes
The key successes on the project were:
- Partnered with an experienced local contractor whose off-site manufacturing methods improved build quality and reduced construction timescales.
- Successfully implemented a phased handover approach, enabling early property occupation, sales returns, and community growth during ongoing construction.
Managed design development collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team to achieve project objectives while maintaining cost efficiency through contractor input and value engineering.
Benefits to Client
- Experienced local Contractor with off site manufacturing capabilities promoting shorter construction timescales and improved build quality, and therefore an early return on our Client’s investment.
- Phased approach to handover allowing sale and occupation of completed properties as the development works progress