The work being done to involve local people in the development of proposals for the Cardenden 'eco-town' has been hailed as an example of best practice by industry experts.

Representatives of Hamilton-based developers Banks Developments were invited to speak about the community consultation work they are undertaking in and around Cardenden by members of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment and the Scottish Chartered Quality Institute.

Senior technical manager Andrew Liddell and community engagement co-ordinator Siobhan Samson spoke at the event, which was held at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, and outlined the ways in which Banks is working to engage and involve individuals and groups in the local communities around this landmark scheme.

Banks set up a local liaison committee, on which twelve people from across the area now sit, with a view to enabling local residents to have their say on the scheme as it progresses, and to enable Banks to communicate the latest projects updates to representatives of the local community.


Details on Banks' community and environmental survey activities, the links formed with schools and colleges in the area, the public exhibitions held to gather feedback on and questions about the plans from local people and the expected community benefits of the scheme were also detailed in the presentation.

The eco-town proposal hopes to transform the four former mining communities of Auchterderren, Bowhill, Cardenden and Dundonald through housing-led regeneration and sustainable expansion.

It includes a wide range of houses, including terrace, semi-detached, detached and apartments, and the latest technologies and renewable energy sources would be used through the development.

Siobhan Samson said: "We work extremely hard to work with and listen to local people around all our projects, but the scale and nature of the Cardenden proposal makes it especially important to get the community involved from the earliest possible stage.

"Many of the ideas and comments we’ve received from local people have had a direct impact on the proposals that we’re developing, a fact which immediately shows the value of putting effective community consultation processes in place."

Ms Sampson added that Banks has long worked under an ethos of 'development with care' and she is pleased the firm were invited to speak about how they put this into practice within the communities around their schemes.

(GK/JM)