Scotland Housing Awards winner 2023

Excellence in development for affordable housing

Partner organisation: Clackmannanshire Council

The re-development of a former vacant co-op site in the centre of Alloa for 60 intergenerational, and dementia-design informed flats.

The site lies at the heart of the town centre and had lain vacant and derelict, negatively affecting the amenity, image and perception of the town centre, conservation area and the adjacent Category A listed Speirs Centre.

The council acquired the site with an existing, acceptable, but unremarkable planning permission in place. The council had an ambition to create a high quality town centre living environment for people of all ages and an exemplar for independent living. Its registered social landlord partner, Kingdom Housing Association shared that ambition, and took forward the development of the site.

This marked a new chapter in the evolution of Alloa town centre - once again making it a living place, particularly for older people. Services such as shops, post office, public transport, council offices and library are easily accessible, however, perceptions around safety and the quality of the town centre environment for living needed to be addressed.

Both the development design, and the related streetscape projects needed to come together to achieve this. The council and Kingdom engaged with Architecture and Design Scotland (ADS) on the project. As a result, a multi-agency design review process was undertaken involving the architects, various council services, Kingdom HA, health and social care partnership, local business and third sector, Historic Environment Scotland and dementia design academics from the university of Stirling. This process transformed the scheme beyond recognition, creating inclusive flats and safe and attractive communal outdoor spaces and immediate public realm, all informed by dementia design principles.

The design review process was backed up by public consultation about the wider town centre using the place standard tool, gaining around 300 responses. This gave further insight into key issues for the development and wider actions around the town centre. The Primrose Street development and these wider town centre projects are known collectively as ‘Living Alloa’.

The development will have a hugely positive impact on the surrounding area and is providing a housing solution to maximise the time the local ageing community can remain within their own homes, supported by further improvements around the town centre. The new homes provide residents with energy efficient homes which will meet Housing for Varying Needs, achieve Secured by Design Gold and Kingdoms design standards.

The design review process transformed early iterations of the scheme to create a development that meets and exceeds aspirations in terms of town centre living. Key changes to the development that emerged from the process included:

• Pulling the building much closer to the A-listed Speirs Centre, recreating a “street” in Primrose Place
• Forming an entrance plaza with high quality hard and soft landscaping, public art and seating which also acts as a setting for the town’s Registry office
• Creating a perimeter block around the site’s three street frontages, and thereby allowing all apartments to be dual aspect
• Creating light, bright and generous communal internal and covered external spaces within the building for pausing or social interaction as well as mobility scooter recharging
• Creating a bespoke enclosed communal garden with a variety of paths, open and enclosed areas, seating and raised planting beds.

This means the development complies with Dementia Services Development Centre guidelines and it achieve the highest level of dementia friendly accreditation.

A partnership approach to the funding of the project was achieved, with funding provided through:

• Scottish government investment subsidy at £4.8 million
• Private finance raised by Kingdom Housing association at £3 million
• Additional grant subsidy provided by Clackmannanshire Council at £990,000.

The physical transformation to the area is significant, with this previously vacant and derelict site now occupied by a high quality building that enhances its surroundings.

Footfall around the area is markedly higher, streets and alleyways that were often avoided, particularly after dark, now seen as safe and pleasant spaces to pass through.

Providing adaptable, affordable and attractive smaller properties has helped meet the long term housing needs of many older and physically disabled people. The built-in adaptability and dementia friendly elements will cut down on costs of retro-fitting to existing stock, which is often a less than an ideal solution, and the town centre location allows residents to access shops and other amenities within a short distance of their home.

Ongoing work is taking place with the council, Kingdom Housing Association and Stirling University to build on lived experiences of residents to enhance and improve future similar housing projects and further develop the Clackmannanshire Council’s sustainable aging policy.

The development is changing the image and perception of Alloa town centre as a place to live, visit and do business in.