The Claypits | LUC

The Project

The Claypits project has a wonderful story of community led transformative change, creating a multi-functional greenspace from ‘Vacant and Derelict Land’.

The project is highly regarded by the local community, providing access to a unique semi-natural environment for thousands of people in a historically disadvantaged area that suffered from poor health statistics. The project has also improved pedestrian and cycle connectivity, contributing the creation of 20mins neighbourhoods and encouraging a shift to Active Travel. Fundamentally, the project has improved quality of life for local communities and made the area more liveable.

Vision

The vision for Claypits was established during an intensive community and stakeholder engagement process, underpinned by a series of strategic design principles including;

·improve connectivity between communities and facilities whilst overcoming the barrier of the canal and site constraints;

·improve local health and wellbeing through meaningful access to greenspace and encouraging activity and exercise;

·create a distinctive, multifunctional greenspace where people are able to connect to nature;

·protect and enhance biodiversity;

·enhanced appreciation of industrial heritage and ecology;

·facilitate future sustainable development by integrating SUDs and service infrastructure.

Context

The Glasgow branch of the Forth and Clyde Canal meanders through various disadvantaged communities that lie within the 0-15% Scottish Index Multiple Deprivation most deprived areas in Scotland. They are affected by some of the most challenging social, economic and physical conditions in Scotland, with residents disconnected from other parts of the city and the canal.

The Claypits is a large 17ha area of post-industrial site that straddles the canal that became redundant and overgrown. The site was subsequently designated as 'Vacant and Derelict Land' and it formed a significant barrier to movement between adjacent communities.

Challenges

The site raised complex challenges, including the canal’s designation as a Scheduled Monument; invasive species; topographical and hydrological constraints; ecological sensitives; presence of redundant mineshafts; contaminated land; and geotechnical issues.

The Scheme

Based on the vision outlined by the charette process, a Green Infrastructure Masterplan was developed, which sought to protect the ‘wild’ character of the site, contextualise landmarks, reveal key views and provide a varied and sequential experience through a mosaic of habitats, activity nodes and destination points.

Impact

The Claypits is now Glasgow’s only inner-city Nature Reserve, providing free access to a semi-natural environment for thousands of people. The community response has been overwhelmingly positive. Ongoing academic research suggests it has made a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of local communities. A recent study by Glasgow Caledonian University, commissioned by Scottish Canals, concluded that people living within 700m of the newly regenerated Glasgow Canal has a 15% lower risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease, a stroke or hypertension. It also lowered their risk of diabetes by 12% and obesity by 10%. The integrated SUDS infrastructure also facilitates the construction of 700 new homes in the adjacent Hamiltonhill community.