Developer aiming to create 67-flat 'new gateway to Paisley town centre'

A housing developer is aiming to bring to life “a new gateway to Paisley town centre” as it unveiled proposals for 67 new flats on the site of a former Department for Work and Pensions office.

Kelvin Properties has revealed that an application was validated by Renfrewshire Council’s planning department this week, and the developer, which specialises in turning urban brownfield sites into residential communities, hopes its plans will help revive Paisley town centre, which was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The spot, which has been vacant since 2018, lies south-east of Paisley town centre, on the corner of Sauce Street and Lonend.

Glasgow-based Kelvin Properties aims to redevelop the site – bought in September last year – and provide high-quality, environmentally friendly residential apartments. The firm’s director Marc Taylor said: “We hope to reinvigorate a derelict vacant site, and in doing so help to reinvigorate Paisley.

A CGI image of the redeveloped site, which has been vacant since 2018 and lies south-east of Paisley town centre. Picture: contributed.

“We see this as a key gateway site to Paisley town centre, for those travelling from the south along Lonend. We have sought to design and create a high-quality development that welcomes people to the heart of the town, while removing vacant buildings which can be an eyesore.

“With the development’s proximity to the town centre, as well as its accessible prices and impressive environmentally friendly features, we expect it to be extremely attractive to first-time buyers and young professionals. We are now very excited to progress our plans with Renfrewshire Council and bring our concept to life.”

He also said the location is “fantastic” from a sustainable travel perspective, with a bus stop directly in front of the site, and two train stations within a ten-minute walk offering direct trains to Glasgow city centre, while 15 electric-vehicle charging stations are on the cards.

The urban regeneration specialist also plans to re-use as much of the crushed material from the demolition as possible to accommodate the three flatted blocks, while solar panels will be used on the roof to power the development.

Future-proofing

A total of 25 one-bedroom apartments have been designed to include a standalone home working area outwith the bedroom – a feature Kelvin Properties believes will future-proof the development in the wake of the pandemic.

The plans, which include a fully equipped children’s play area, were submitted to Renfrewshire Council last week, and should they get the green light, Kelvin Properties hopes to start works on-site later this year.

It comes after the firm announced last week that its £10 million development at Waverley Park in Shawlands, Glasgow, had sold out in less than four months. The firm said interest in the project was beyond all expectations, attributing this to factors including “high-end” design features, including a rooftop garden, and the prime location in the heart of the south side.

Other developments in Glasgow that Kelvin Properties has brought about include Sandringham Court in Newton Mearns and The Atrium in Broomhill. It also stresses that it has generated build-to-rent accommodation in Scotland’s largest city, including Candleriggs Court and Mitchell Apartments.

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