Author: Neale Elder

The Dundee Civic Trust Board will be considering the proposal to develop the ailing Wellgate Centre into a hub for Dundee and Angus College, as outlined recently by the College Principal, Simon Hewitt.

“Our preliminary view,” says Trust chairman Donald Gordon, “is that this has the potential to help significantly in the regeneration of a neglected building in a struggling area of Dundee.

“The Kingsway campus was always in the wrong place, the Constitution Road tower even worse; so a city centre campus, in a shopping centre that will be redeveloped and restored, has exciting promise. It will fill the town with students and staff, and this will support local businesses. Many are likely to want to live nearby, and this should also provide a ‘buzz’ and vitality that should be apparent in every large city centre.”

A matter to challenge the Trust is that it is not clear from the initial proposal as to how much of the existing Wellgate Centre would be retained, and how much demolished. The removal of some of the unneeded parts may be appropriate and essential, but modern planning and architectural policies tend to dictate that when being redeveloped all, or at least large sections, of existing buildings should be retained. Embedded carbon is present in huge quantities in existing buildings, which is released into the environment when a building is demolished. Also, the materials and construction techniques needed for a new building generate very significant carbon emissions. Both of these issues can be mitigated by the effective reuse, recycling, and repurposing of much of the existing building.

We hope to have more to report soon.

The Civic Trust has been looking at some recent planning proposals which stand to change parts of the Riverside area if approved and developed.

At Riverside Avenue, just off the roundabout below the Botanic Garden, McDonalds has proposed a drive-in restaurant (24/00509/FULL). The Trust has not opposed this, as planning approval was previously given for a similar development by another operator. In the previous application we asked for improved landscaping along Riverside Avenue in order to enhance the visual approach and biodiversity.

[Update, 15 October: the above application has now been withdrawn.]

Dundee Football Club has proposed a five-pitch training complex on ground to the east of the Dundee University playing fields (24/00487/FULL). We have received guarantees that the grass pitches will remain available to local amateur and community clubs at the council’s existing tariffs. On that basis we have supported this proposal whilst suggesting some improvements. If implemented it removes the need for a training complex inside Camperdown Park ground, which is part of their current stadium development proposal on the old NCR recreation ground site.

The City Council is pressing ahead with plans to replace the footbridge over the railway line near the west end of Magdalen Green, making use of Sustrans Scotland funding. While recognising the barriers presented by the existing footbridge for a variety of users including those with cycles, prams and wheelchairs, we feel the proposed 66-metre span and its ramped approaches take up far too much ground and we have objected. There are existing, alternative accesses to Riverside Drive from Magdalen Green which can be upgraded at modest cost and this funding could be better used on other more important sustainable transport works in the city. In any event the forthcoming Aberdeen to Central Belt railway electrification will require replacement of the existing bridge under the scope of that project.

Finally, the City Council is also keen to find a new use for the adjacent underused sports pavilion and has been exploring a community asset  transfer with at least one charitable group.

The Trust considers all planning applications in Dundee; and we find ourselves expressing a direct interest in this one.

Listed Building Consent is sought (24/00505/LBC) for a modest series of environmental and access improvements at 17 Roseangle, premises of Dundee Art Society, which functions as our meeting venue. We support the proposals, considering that the efforts to reduce carbon emissions by replacing a gas boiler with a solar panel array and air source heat pump are a role model for other listed building upgrades. We also understand the need to improve access to parking and do not object to a short length of existing wall being removed for this purpose. Internally, the rearrangement of toilet facilities will enhance the amenity of this building.

Heat pump technology continues to generate a considerable amount of scepticism, so its performance for a building of this age and type will be highly informative. Our members stand to have first-hand experience as to whether our Net Zero future is shaping up to be a comfortable one!

Launched in July, the new Urban ReLeaf Cities app allows users of Dundee’s parks to share their experience of the greenspaces in the city.  Download the app to get started!  At lots of different locations, you can access short surveys containing questions on a range of topics such as ease of access, safety, play facilities, wildlife and flooding.   You can give your personal views of the open space and upload photos. The data collected will be used to inform Dundee City Council’s greenspace strategies with the aim of improving health, wellbeing and biodiversity.

This exciting citizen science initiative is part of a four-year EU Horizon funded project involving academics, local authorities and others from six European cities, Athens, Cascais, Dundee, Mannheim, Riga and Utrecht.  The Dundee project is a collaboration between Dundee City Council and a team from Dundee University led by Professor Mel Woods.

Find out more at the Urban ReLeaf Dundee website here…

…and read about this subject (and so much more) in our latest Newsflash here.

Dundee City Council, having held a limited consultation exercise about rationalising bus stops, has listened to responses—and is to be given credit for that. The aim had been to remove some bus stops in order to speed up the service. The Civic Trust advocated alternative measures seemingly not being considered, such as improving bus routes, giving priority to buses at busy junctions and speeding up boarding with well proven technology.

In abandoning the rationalisation proposals, the council states that it recognises the point made by objecting groups that removal of bus stops will increase the distance between them! A trifle disingenuous, perhaps? It is, however, rightly acknowledged that this will be a significant issue for elderly or disabled passengers, or those with young children.

Also, however, one wonders if the council may be concerned about its liability for indirect disability discrimination, as those groups will be most affected.

We hope that the council will consult again and take other suggested steps to speed up the bus service, as put forward by Dundee Civic Trust and others.

Since 2019, Dundee Civic Trust has given awards to one or more fourth year Dundee University students studying architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. Our aim has been to engage with students and to recognise and promote excellence in their year-long project work. This year’s winner is Chinese student Gavin Wu, whose submission was entitled ‘Revive The Courtyard Vennels: Community Centre and Care Home Design’.

Informed by the environment of central Stirling, Gavin’s project demonstrated a sensitive and contextual use of the traditional archetypes of ‘Vennel Walls’ and ‘Courtyards’, connecting the old backlands together using a vibrant new complex of buildings incorporating a care home and community centre.

We were impressed by this bold attempt to ensure cross-generational interaction between the older people living in the new care home and the younger people using the community centre and hall. More of this vital mixed use planning is needed in our cities. Also of note were the interesting and original construction details, making use of sustainable materials and solar panels.

Gavin made thorough use of well-analysed inspirational precedents, including the John Modern Centre in London by MAE architects—which won the  RIBA Stirling Prize in 2023—and the Foundation Beyeler exhibition centre in Switzerland by Renzo Piano architects.

This is the final year of the award and we look forward to engaging with Dundee School of Architecture students in new ways in the future.