MCTAGGART Construction has officially opened Willox Park, a new development of 17 age-friendly and wheelchair-accessible homes in Dumbarton, delivered in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council.
The official opening was attended by the council’s convener of housing and communities, local authority representatives, and the residents who now call Willox Park home.
The event marked the completion of a development specifically designed for people already living within the surrounding sheltered housing complex – providing high-quality, supported accommodation on the brownfield footprint of the former Willox Park Care Home.
One of the defining features of the project was the challenge of delivering a new build development within an occupied, operational sheltered housing environment. With existing residents living adjacent to the construction site throughout the build, community engagement and clear communication were central to McTaggart Construction’s approach from the start.
Resident and neighbour consultations were held throughout, supported by regular newsletters and ongoing site based conversations. Feedback directly shaped key design decisions, from building layout and parking to tree retention and the protection of green space. The team also relocated a resident’s cherished rose bush during site mobilisation, a small gesture that reflected the considerate approach taken throughout.
The completed development comprises a two-storey building of one and two-bedroom flats arranged around a central landscaped courtyard. All 17 homes meet housing for varying needs standards and incorporate dementia-informed design principles, including colour-coded entrances and lift access.
Janice Russell, MD at McTaggart Construction, commented, “Willox Park is a development we’re really proud of, not just for what’s been built, but for the way it was built. Working on an occupied site, alongside a community of residents who had a real stake in the outcome, meant that communication and trust were every bit as important as programme and quality.
“The result is a development that reflects the people it was designed for. We’re delighted to have marked the opening alongside West Dunbartonshire Council, the Convener and, most of all, the residents themselves”.
Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal, convener of housing and communities, added, “It’s great to see these properties completed and members of this close-knit and vibrant community enjoying their new surroundings”.
