Retail

Research has show that the independent retail sector is more resilient to change than larger national multiples and that these, in most cases local businesses, will prevail if sufficient infrastructure and and interest is in place. We will therefore seek to support the retail sector in Kilsyth by encouraging the town centre owners to refurbish larger vacant units into smaller units to provide space for entrepreneurs and established businesses to find the optimum premises for their business.

Funding constraints and legal issues do, however, constrain the level of support which the council can provide. However, we are working with partners to identify potential funding streams to promote business investment and the regeneration of the key retail areas within Kilsyth. 

Commercial 

The collapse in the demand for commercial premises such as offices in town centre locations echoes wider structural changes in the economy and the growth of digital connectivity. The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the benefits and ease of remote working across the public and private sector and led to an exponential growth in homeworking with a resulting impact on footfall within the town centre. 

This needs to be recognised in how we change the structure of Kilsyth town centre and make best use of the vacant premises which occur as a result of lower demand and need for town centre office space.

Although located just out of the town centre, Burnside Industrial Estate is a key employment location for small and medium businesses. We recognise the importance of such provision for local jobs and the economy and as such will seek to support local businesses in their growth ambitions.

Leisure & Hospitality

The leisure and hospitality sector is a key component of the move towards a more mixed-use town centre. The importance of 'Place' in terms of the public's perception of character and safety is very important in attracting people to use existing leisure and hospitality businesses. 

Ease of movement to and from the town centre will encourage people to access leisure activities and sustain and develop the night-time economy and footfall.

In meeting this aim, the Town Action Plan for Kilsyth aims to promote and sustain active travel routes and transport options to support access to town centre facilities and build footfall that will help the leisure and hospitality sectors in Kilsyth to grow. 

New Build

Encouraging more people to live in town centres is a key policy aspiration for the council, underpinning priorities around sustainability, net zero, inclusion and wellbeing. 

More people living in town centres means more support for local businesses. It means keeping bus routes active, as well as a safer place due to passive policing and greater local interest in the town centre environment. These all make a town more attractive to people living here.

Refurbishment 

We are actively seeking to replace redundant properties within the town centre with residential development to ensure that we respond to issues of vacancy and dereliction. 

We have identified several existing properties within Kilsyth Town Centre that need refurbishment due to long-term vacancy or neglect. 

Heritage Refurbishment

Kilsyth town centre has several heritage properties which are functionally obsolete but of good quality and whose external appearance contributes to the character and history of the town. 

Key heritage buildings within the town include Kilsyth Anderson Church, the former civic buildings on Market Square, the White House at 36-42 Main Street and 55/63 Main Street.

Kilsyth as a place would be architecturally poorer if these were not refurbished and subsequently fell into disrepair. Where the council do not own heritage buildings, we will support the owners in their endeavours to secure a future for these buildings by assisting in sourcing external grants and funding. 

Public Transport

Kilsyth is the only town centre in North Lanarkshire not to have direct access to the rail network, the nearest train station providing access to the rail network in the Central Belt and across Scotland is at Croy 2 miles south of Kilsyth, or 8 minutes by bus. 

Kilsyth is therefore heavily reliant upon its bus services to connect to adjacent towns and the rail network. The public have identified the frequency of bus services as an issue which needs to be addressed. As bus services are privately owned businesses, the council has no direct control over the bus service in terms of routes or frequency of services, however, we have regular engagement with the bus companies and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport to seek to improve services.

Active Travel 

Active travel (walking, wheeling and cycling) has many environmental benefits, as well as improved health and wellbeing, and is a core part of rebalancing the transport modes within our town centres.

The town centre as a focus for active travel activity needs to be driven by connecting the town to facilities and services as well as the surrounding area. 

In particular, the town centre needs to act as a key spoke for the towns active travel routes, connecting people with facilities and locations such as Colzium House and Estate, Dumbreck Nature Reserve, Antonine Wall, the Forth and Clyde Canal. 

Lastly, we will explore the possibility of a modular Active Travel Hub within the town centre to enable the public and visitors to access the surrounding community assets such as the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Antonine Wall.

Built Heritage

North Lanarkshire's towns have character and are distinctive in form and heritage, the town centres are a reminder of a positive and defining economic past (coal, iron, steel, mills, quarrying) with many notable buildings. 

The vision for Kilsyth seeks to build on the distinctive character and quality of place using this legacy to reinforce urban form and repurpose heritage buildings for new uses.

Kilsyth town centre is a designated Conservation Area which offers a degree of protection and support for the buildings and townscape which form the core civic space of the town. 

As part of the delivery of the Kilsyth Town Action Plan, we will identify key vacant or underused heritage properties in the town centre and work with owners and partners to identify and help secure funding for the repurposing of such buildings for housing, community or other viable assets. 

Place

We are seeking to promote Kilsyth as a more inclusive place, promoting longer dwell-time and increased town centre footfall. 

The Vision for Kilsyth town centre already identified the need for improved 'gateways' to the town centre, improving the aesthetical quality of streetscape and creating 'place quality' and a sense of arrival. 

Carbon Reduction

Key measures within the vision for supporting carbon reduction in Kilsyth will include:

• property upgrading, retrofit and re-purposing (making these more energy-efficient)
• developing active travel infrastructure
• greening activity
• extending EV charging infrastructure
• planning for compact urban centres and accessible services

Green Blue Infrastructure

We are working in collaboration with Scottish Canals to develop and progress the Kilsyth Flood Risk Reduction Scheme. 

The preferred option for the scheme proposes to direct flows from the Garrell Burn and Colzium Burn to Banton Loch (Townhead Reservoir) during flood events.

This would require the construction of new remotely operated flow control structures on the Garrell Burn and Colzium Burn. These flow control structures would divert a flow of water from the Colzium Burn and Garrell Burn to the Canal Feeder during flood events. 

EV Charging Infrastructure

As part of the delivery of the Kilsyth Town Action Plan, we will investigate the suitability of our public car parks and facilities for electric vehicle (EV) charging and their capacity to meet future demand and need for EV charging within our town centres.

Kilsyth Town Hub

Following consultation, the general public chose a site within Burnside Industrial Estate off Garrell Road as the preferred site for the development of the Town Hub for Kilsyth. This site was selected as it has sufficient land to accommodate the footprint of the Town Hub campus and is easily accessible. 

We are currently seeking to secure the funding to proceed with the design development of the Town Hub, the purchase of the site from private landowners and the associated statutory public consultation around education provision. No formal decision has been taken as to which schools will be incorporated into the Town Hub campus. 

Community Hubs

Community Hubs will be designed to be open and accessible to the whole community, with predominately school access during the day and the wider community able to access many areas within the hub outwith school hours.

The design of the recent Newmains Community Hub is seen as an exemplar for the development of future Community Hubs in terms of energy efficiency, accessibility, quality of internal and external learning environments and play facilities. 

We will continue to review the physical condition of our pre-1996 education estate to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the wider community.