Dargavel Village - Bishopton

THE CHALLENGE

The Royal Ordnance Factory development at Bishopton was Scotland’s largest derelict site at 963 hectares. SYSTRA was commissioned by BAE Systems to join their team to develop the site to provide 2500 homes, 138,000m2 of employment land, some 12,000 m2 of community facilities and a primary school. The development comprised of three main access routes to tie into the existing road network, a new motorway junction off the M8 and off site reinforcement works.

SYSTRA’S ROLE

SYSTRA undertook from feasibility through to detailed design and delivery of the £2.5m and £1.5m construction projects for both the Northern Access Road and Station/Birch Roads respectively. The Northern Access Route comprised of 2km of access roads with associated new roundabout junction. SYSTRA’s role included design of the road design, drainage, lighting, verges and a complementary shared used footway/cycleway all within a sinuous alignment designed to provide a transition between the rural and the internal road networks. Having sought and obtained detailed Road Construction Consent approvals for the various elements, SYSTRA assisted BAE to procure, supervise and administer the construction contract.

Following on the back of the successful delivery of the Northern Access Road, SYSTRA were appointed to undertake the feasibility through to detailed design of Station Road and Birch Road, the last main connection between the development and the existing community of Bishopton. Birch Road was transformed from a somewhat dilapidated access road to a new shared use vehicular/pedestrian facility encouraging shared movement of pedestrians, cyclists and motorised vehicles alike. Following the obtaining of detailed Road Construction Consent approvals from Renfrewshire Council, SYSTRA, prepared the construction contract documentation, tendered the project and Supervised and Project managed the £1.5m construction contract. We have now been commissioned to undertake detailed design and gain approvals for the Park and Ride and associated internal access road.