A masterplan has been unveiled for East Kilbride town centre which envisages ‘radical’ changes to respond to the ‘rapid’ decline of in-person shopping.
The plans include demolishing the Centre West shopping area to make way for a new neighbourhood featuring up to 400 homes, which would be a mix of private and affordable housing.
South Lanarkshire Council said the proposals would create a new ‘heart’ for East Kilbride in the form of a mix of urban living and civic areas, with retail floorspace being reduced by 42%.
Alongside new housing, a civic hub would also be built to act as a flagship building that would have a range of uses for the public sector, with an accompanying civic square acting as a new meeting place and access point to the town centre.
Active negotiations are also underway regarding the creation of a new supermarket to take over a new space at the current Olympia Mall entrance, as well as a hotel which would be part of a redevelopment to replace the ageing entrance area near the bus station at Princes Mall.
The masterplan has a number of green aspirations, including making cars less dominant and delivering more space and access points for pedestrians, plus public transport connections. Construction would adhere to decarbonisation principles and would seek to reuse and recycle materials wherever possible.
South Lanarkshire Council added that the masterplan will generate employment through short-term construction jobs and longer-term regeneration through town centre employment in retail and leisure.
The vision is the result of a ‘unique’ partnership across the private and public sectors, including the town centre’s asset managers and administrators, property experts, leading architects, and South Lanarkshire Council.
Mark Hewett, director at Scoop Asset Management, said, “The EK masterplan has been created in response to the unprecedented economic challenges facing not only East Kilbride but town and city centres across the country.
“We are confident that this visionary mixed-use development, which will see a transformation of EK town centre, will pave the way for future investment in the town over the coming years.”
Anthony Hubbert, of Threesixty architects, said that following the original mixed use vision for East Kilbride town centre in 1947, retail had increasingly come to dominate until changing shopping habits, primarily the rise of online shopping together with financial pressures, had led to the decline of in-person shopping.
He added, “Delivering a high-quality urban environment is key. We need to transform the shopping centre from an island in the middle of East Kilbride into the heart of the town by creating a permeable, safe, and accessible environment.”
David Booth, executive director of community and enterprise at South Lanarkshire Council, commented, “We are also the effective custodians of the town centre and we want a successful East Kilbride as part of a successful South Lanarkshire. Without strategic intervention the town centre will continue to decline and fall further behind its neighbours. We therefore need to show ambition in order to realise the town’s potential.”
Alistair McAlinden, head of Interpath Advisory in Scotland and joint administrator of shopping centre owners Sapphire, said, “We welcome the publication of this masterplan, which outlines a bold and exciting vision for the future of the centre of East Kilbride. We look forward to working closely with all key stakeholders over the months ahead.”
