The master plan for Scotland’s most scenic Business Park has been given the green light by West Dunbartonshire Council, signalling the way forward for a significant investment in Dumbarton with the potential creation of substantial numbers of new jobs. The 20 acre Lomondgate Business Park, which will be sensitively landscaped, forms part of the £100m Lomondgate major mixed-use development located to the north west of Dumbarton.
The Business Park will feature up to 10 office pavilions and a Business Village, offering a total of 190,000 sq ft of office space, along with a Hub building. The Hub will feature a 5,000 sq ft crèche, 7,000 sq ft of support services and retail space, in addition to 12,000 sq ft of office space at first floor level. It will provide high quality office accommodation for up to 1,000 employees and could significantly boost the local economy according to economic experts.
Work on constructing the first two storey office pavilion is anticipated to start in 2011. £14m has already been spent on the Lomondgate project by Walker Group, the development partner of Strathleven Regeneration Company. This includes major infrastructure works and local road improvements. Sinclair Browne, said: “Lomondgate Business Park is in an ideal location and benefits from prominent frontage to the A82 immediately west of Dumbarton. Partner: Office Agency & Development at Knight Frank, The buildings, and layout, are flexible and will be capable of catering for all sizes of office users from small organisations up to large national and international corporates.”
The Business Park is one of the most crucial elements of the £100m Lomondgate development, which is transforming redundant land including the former site of the J&B Bottling Plant, into a thriving community featuring more than 300 new homes, offices and destination services.
Councillor Ronnie McColl, Leader of West Dunbartonshire Council and a Board Member of Strathleven Regeneration Company, said: “I am delighted the Lomondgate Business Park Masterplan has been given approval. West Dunbartonshire has lots to offer new businesses and I am pleased new jobs will be created as this will be a major contribution in sustaining and growing our local economy.”
Lomondgate is already home to anchor tenant BBC Scotland where it films River City and other national productions. Aggreko last month started work on building its new £20m manufacturing and office facility on land adjacent to the Business Park. Whitbread is now close to completing its £4.1m Premier Inn and family pub/restaurant on the site.
It is expected that these will open for business in January, creating 50 full and part time jobs. The £100m Lomondgate project was launched in 2007 by Strathleven Regeneration Company, (SRC) a public-private partnership established with the support of West Dunbartonshire Council, Scottish Enterprise and Diageo, with developer Walker Group to help deliver its plans for a mixed use development on the site.
Further information on Lomondgate is available from www.lomondgate.com