Drumshoreland Garden Community

OPEN led the masterplanning and place-making for this new Garden Community in West Lothian on the 108 hectare site of a relocated poultry farm complex east of Livingston. The plans have been progressed within the context of the twin challenges of the Global Climate Emergency and the ongoing repercussions of the COVID-19 Global Pandemic. The vision for Drumshoreland Garden Community is therefore one which encompasses climate change, wellbeing and the creation of resilient communities which can nurture a new population of residents. The importance of being able to access local services and infrastructure within a ‘20 minute neighbourhood’ where people can meet most of their essential needs within a 20-minute walk has been recognised in emerging policy and the proposals include new education facilities and a neighbourhood centre which will support around 1800 new homes, over 25% of which will be affordable.

Significant new areas of greenspace expand the adjacent Almondell and Calderwood Country Park and provide links across the site, connecting extensive areas of Ancient Woodland with the Almond River valley. New safe and convenient routes allow for active travel and reduce the need for vehicle movements and ownership while the overall strategy provides a resilient and robust framework which supports the target of a net-zero Scotland by 2045. A combination of the Drumshoreland development and other investment across Scotland in the agriculture, food and tourism sectors could see the potential for £425 million (£275 million for Drumshoreland and £150 million across the rest of Scotland) being invested, supporting 5,750 jobs and delivering new state of the art low carbon facilities.