Johnstone - Renfrewshire Council

Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
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Renfrewshire centres strategy (draft)
Johnstone
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
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We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
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Your Town Centre
We all want to make the most of
Renfrewshire’s Town Centres. They
are points of pride, with unique
characteristics and important heritage
that serve our local communities.
The vision for Renfrewshire’s
Centres is to have vibrant, well
designed and accessible places
which offer a range and choice of
uses, activities and functions as
well as having a pleasant, safe and
well maintained environment.
The Centre Strategy will play a key
role in delivering this vision. We want
to hear your views and ideas about
how Johnstone Town Centre should
evolve to meet the needs and aspirations
of your community.
Investment in Renfrewshire
Thriving centres
Renfrewshire, as a whole, will benefit
from the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley
City Deal with better transport links,
more job opportunities to help tackle
long term unemployment support
businesses and make development sites
more attractive.
Town Centres are at the heart of our
communities. They provide a focus for
history, shopping, culture, education and
leisure. Where Town Centres succeed in
attracting, serving and reflecting local
people and communities, they naturally
become centres of growth for local
businesses.
‘Be one of Scotland’s best
locations for investment, with
great people, businesses and local
communities.’
Renfrewshire 2023—
Renfrewshire’s Community Plan
‘Have attractive environments and
successful centres that support
the growth of local communities
and the economy.’
Renfrewshire 2023—
Renfrewshire’s Community Plan
This strategy, as shown in plan form
in the centre of the document and
summarised in the action plan, outlines
what we think are the opportunities for
Johnstone Town Centre.
We want to know
what you think
Please give us your views
on this strategy or how the
actions within the strategy
are being implemented.
You can contact us at
towncentrestrategy@
renfrewshire.gov.uk
or
Development &
Housing Services
Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley PA1 1JD
Tel: 0300 300 0144
An electronic copy of this
strategy can be found
online at
www.renfrewshire.gov.uk
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
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Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
Network of centres
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
Renfrewshire’s
network of centres
Our Town Centres reflect the diversity
of Renfrewshire and its communities.
The role and function of each centre
is complementary and, as a network,
contributes to the economic growth of
Renfrewshire.
The network is based on the links
between centres and the areas that they
serve in terms of where people shop and
the range of uses that they share.
Johnstone’s role
Johnstone Town Centre is the largest
and most diverse centre in west
Renfrewshire. It plays a pivotal role as
a ‘Core’ Town Centre, supporting a rich
mix of retail, civic and cultural activities
for communities.
This strategy will focus on Johnstone’s
role within the network of centres,
examining its strengths and
opportunities for future growth.
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Johnstone’s strengths
• Johnstone Town Centre is easily
reached by public transport;
• It has a distinctive character, set
around the traditional ‘grid’ pattern
of streets and the public spaces at
Houstoun and Ludovic Squares which
form its heart;
• The centre is lively and supports a
good mix of independent and multiple
shops;
• Johnstone Town Centre performs key
civic and cultural roles through its
town hall, library and Council offices.
Question 1
Do you agree with the
strengths identified?
Are there other strengths
which we can build upon?
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
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Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
What is happening in Johnstone?
The new Town Hall is a major investment,
transforming the centre of the town.
The new building is also encouraging
private sector investment, with
proposals for refurbishment of the
Houstoun Court precinct now in place.
Businesses throughout the Town Centre
have benefitted from the Council’s
Invest in Renfrewshire Programme,
both through business advice and grant
assistance.
Local traders have benefitted from
the Retail Improvement Scheme and
improved their properties, encouraging
increased business and improving the
look of the Town Centre.
Events such as the Johnstone Fire Engine
Rally and Festive Lights Switch On are
hugely popular and bring many visitors
to the Town Centre each year, boosting
the local economy and supporting
the role of the centre as a hub for the
community.
Local community groups such as the
Johnstone Business Consortium and
Johnstone Community Council work
closely with Renfrewshire Council
to address local issues and identify
opportunities.
The development of a new public car
park at Parkers Way, adding a further 50
free spaces within the Town Centre, is a
positive example of this.
Question 2
Are there other activities
within the Town Centre we
could consider in developing
this strategy?
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
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Making the most of opportunities
We think there are more ways to build a
better Town Centre in Johnstone.
Question 3
• The new Town Hall is a catalyst for
regeneration. It will strengthen the
community and cultural attractions
within the centre. The new building
also creates the conditions for greater
private sector development;
Do you agree with the
opportunities identified?
• There is great potential for new
investment in retail, residential and
business uses in Johnstone Town
Centre. These will bring new life to the
area, compliment the Town Centre
and help boost the local economy.
We have identified some key sites
within the centre where new uses
could be accommodated. These sites
are identified on the Key Diagram on
page 9;
Are there other opportunities
we should consider?
Question 4
What opportunities exist to
inform traffic management
within the Town Centre?
• The centre has well-loved public
spaces at Houstoun Square and
Ludovic Square. There is potential to
make more of these spaces for a range
of activities and events;
• The wider centre environment can
also be made a more attractive place
for residents, visitors and businesses.
As part of this, there is an opportunity
to work with local stakeholders to
consider improvements to traffic
management within the centre.
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
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Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
Our Action Plan for Johnstone
Developing the local economy
• Johnstone’s new Town Hall will
strengthen the community and civic
role of the Town Centre;
• We will continue to support existing
businesses by:
1. Providing funding through the
Retail Investment Scheme;
2.Exploring the potential for a Town
Centre Simplified Planning Zone;
3.Exploring potential mechanisms
to foster and support enterprise
within the Town Centre;
• We will work with public and private
sector partners to support the
development of new retail, office and
residential developments within the
Town Centre’s core;
• We will work with the local
community, Town Centre retailers and
businesses through groups such as
the Johnstone Business Consortium
and Johnstone Community Council
to agree ongoing issues, priorities and
activity.
Town Centre management
and events
• We will work with the Creative
Renfrewshire Network to deliver new
events for Johnstone which support
Town Centre activity and the local
economy;
• We will invest in Community Safety
Initiatives to encourage evening
activities in the Town Centre;
• We will expand the scope of
maintenance of the Town Centre;
including graffiti removal and shop
front graphics for vacant units;
• Seek to facilitate improvement where
possible to the traffic management in
the Town Centre.
Environment
Question 5
It is important that Johnstone’s
Town Centre looks good, feels safe
and attracts visitors, residents and
businesses. To do all this, we will:
Do you agree with the
economic actions and town
centre management actions
identified?
• Continue to invest in programme of
Town Centre maintenance including
litter picks, street cleaning, seasonal
planting and grass cutting;
• Work with owners and developers to
bring forward proposals for key gap
sites within the Town Centre;
• Support delivery of private sector
investment within Houstoun Court
precinct;
• Improve and strengthen key
pedestrian routes—Church Street,
MacDowall Street, Provost Close;
• Enhance key entrance ‘gateways’ to
the centre—Rail Station, High Street
and from the A737.
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
Are there any other actions
we could consider?
Are there more opportunities
to work with local business
groups to foster enterprise
within Johnstone Town Centre?
Are the correct opportunity
sites identified, are there
others that we should
consider?
Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
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To Glasgow/Paisley
Key
Morrisons
To
Irvine/Ayr
Patons
Mill
H
Hig
F
B
Floorburn
House
t
Stre
e
t
rch
Stre
e
Chu
Mac
C
5
reet
Will
iam
Dow
all S
tree
t
h St
E
D
A. Craigdonald Place
B. Floorburn House
C. Police Station
D. Social Club
E. Registration Office
F. Vacant Site
G. Paton’s Mill
H. Vacant Site
I. Advice Works
Bandstand
I
G
Provost
Close
Town
Hall
Johnstone
High Parish
Church
Main Transport Route
Existing Pedestrian Link
Railway Line
Railway Station
Gateways
Landmark Buildings
Opportunity Sites
Potential Improvements
Town Centre Boundary
A
Johnstone
Station
Key diagram
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
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Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
Making it happen
This Town Centre Strategy for Johnstone
is one of a suite of action plans developed
for each of Renfrewshire’s centres.
Making it happen will not only
strengthen Johnstone but will also help
achieve the vision for the network of
centres which, in turn, will improve the
economic and environmental base of
Renfrewshire as a whole.
We need your help to deliver this vision.
Partnership working will be vital to
prioritise and monitor our actions.
Funding the actions set out in this
strategy is also important. We will
work closely with community planning
partners and funders to explore
appropriate mechanisms and identify
budgets for delivery.
Staying on track
The Town Centre Strategies are all
non-statutory Supplementary Planning
Guidance to help deliver the proposals
set out in the Renfrewshire Local
Development Plan.
The delivery of the actions listed in
this Centre Strategy will be monitored
annually.
Progress and improvements in the area
will be reported to the relevant Local
Area Committee.
If progress is slow in delivering the
actions, then the review will examine
and investigate new and alternative
ways of achieving results.
The Centre Strategies will be updated
every two years.
Question 6
Are there opportunities
to work more closely with
specific community groups on
delivering this strategy?
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
We want to know
what you think
Please give us your views
on this strategy or how the
actions within the strategy
are being implemented.
You can contact us at
towncentrestrategy@
renfrewshire.gov.uk
or
Development &
Housing Services
Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley PA1 1JD
Tel: 0300 300 0144
An electronic copy of this
strategy can be found
online at
www.renfrewshire.gov.uk
Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone
11
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
12
If you would like information in another language or format please ask us.
 0300 300 0144
We want to know what you think: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk | towncentrestrategies@renfrewshire.gov.uk | 0300 300 0144
Renfrewshire centre strategy—Johnstone