About this project
The Lennoxtown Main Street Improvement Project aims to work with local people to help shape the future of the village centre.
This follows the Lennoxtown Town Centre Charrette which was commissioned by East Dunbartonshire Council in Spring 2016 to understand the community’s perception of the village centre. The main themes that emerged from the Charrette included:
- Reduce traffic dominance in the village.
- Provide enhanced sustainable transport and active travel links through the village.
- Reduce vehicle speeds & provide improved pedestrian crossing facilities at key locations.
- Improve quality and attractiveness of village centre public realm & create a sense of identity for the village.
Through the Lennoxtown Main Street Improvement Project, we aim to develop these themes into a Concept Design which can be taken forward for further funding. The project began in 2019 with an initial consultation that resulted in Concept Designs being developed and shared with the public. Unfortunately, the project was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A refresh of this Concept Design is now being undertaken by East Dunbartonshire Council and design consultants Atkins to ensure the project responds to the communities needs and aspirations for Main Street.
This report summarises the feedback we received during the most recent consultation in October and November 2022 which gave people an opportunity to tell us:
- Why you visit Main Street
- How you travel here
- What you like and don’t like about Main Street
- Whether the designs created in 2019 still reflect the needs and aspirations of the local community
Feedback was gathered through an online survey of local businesses along Main Street, public drop-in event and meetings with stakeholders.
Both the report and design boards are available to view in Lennoxtown Community Hub and Campsie Hall.
The findings below will help to inform a refresh of the concept design original developed in 2019 before applying for further funding. Once an application for funding has been made the concept design will be presented back to the community for further refinement. A full list and breakdown of the responses available by emailing: Emily.davie@atkinsglobal.com
What we learned from you
The most frequently mentioned reasons people visit Lennoxtown Main Street are:
- To use the shops and cafés
- To use the community services, including the health centre
People travel to the Main Street in a variety of ways including:
- Walking
- Cycling
- Scoot/Wheelchair
- By public transport
- By private vehicle
Most people use a combination of travel modes, depending on their circumstances. By far, the most common are:
- Walking and in a car
Most people believe it important to prioritise space on Main Street for people to move around and spend time even if it means there might be less space for private vehicles:
- Very Important / Important / Moderately Important = 70%
- Slightly Important / Not Important / Unsure = 30%
The most popular aspects of Main Street currently are:
- The shops & cafés, especially that they are local businesses
- Its convenience & the ease of access to local services and businesses
- The green areas and trees on Main Street
Other popular parts of Main Street are:
- Its convenient parking
- Its built form heritage
- The newer developments (such as the Hub)
- Its views / proximity to the surrounding area
- Its village / community feel
Overwhelmingly, the most frequent feedback on things people did not like about Main Street currently is:
- Run-down feel, or perceptions of a lack of maintenance.
Other frequent responses noted: Speeding traffic
- Haphazard parking / lack of parking regulations enforcement
- Vacant premises / quality or variety of businesses on Main Street
At the Access Panel session, the most important aspects of inclusive design for Main Street are:
- To prioritise pedestrians
- Reduced traffic speeds (traffic calming and/or 20mph zone)
- More trees or green areas
- Better / improved footways
- More Seating
- To retain parking for people with limited mobility
For local businesses / organisations, the most important aspects of design for Main Street are:
- Reduced traffic speeds (traffic calming and/or 20mph zone)
- More pedestrian crossings
- Better / improved footways
- More off-street parking
- A facelift / a refreshed streetscape
The most frequent things people mentioned they wanted to be included for the future of Main Street are:
- Reduced traffic speeds (traffic calming and/or 20mph zone)
- More trees or green areas
- Improvements for the buildings / building façades
- More pedestrian crossings
- Better / improved foot-ways
- Community space / community centre
- Support for the businesses
- A facelift / a refreshed streetscape
- More off-street parking
As an open ended question, there were a lot of good individual ideas for the future of Main Street. Some of these were wide-ranging, and extend beyond the scope of this project but important to note:
- Better sightlines for drivers
- Art Studio space to attract/support artists and makers.
- Better wayfinding, especially to heritage destinations
For the cycling group, the most important aspects of design for Main Street are:
- Cycling Lane on Main Street
- Bike Repair Stand
- Cycle Routes Noticeboard and then…
- Better access to the National Cycle Network Route
- Water Bottle Fill Point
- E-Bike Charging Point
How important do you think it is to create more outdoor public spaces within the village centre for community events and activities?
- Very Important / Important / Moderately Important = 77%
- Slightly Important / Not Important / Unsure = 23%
The most popular aspects of Lennoxtown’s heritage, geography and ‘specialness’ that people wanted to see reflected in the update to Main Street are:
- Surrounding Area / Geography / Views
- Lennoxtown itself / a destination not a thoroughfare
- The High Church
- The village’s heritage generally, perhaps even with a museum
As an open ended question, there were a lot of good individual ideas for the future of Main Street. Some of these were wide-ranging, and extend beyond the scope of this project but important to note:
- Industrial heritage
- Black Watch Football
- Railway heritage
- The Church Yard Gates
- Calico printing / textiles heritage
- As a hub for walking and cycling
People’s response to the previous concept design (developed in 2019) was generally positive. When asked whether the plans reflect people’s vision for the Main Street, the response is:
- Yes 45%
- No 24%
No Response / Unsure 31%
For local businesses / organisations, the response is:
- Yes 69%
- No 0%
- No Response / Unsure 31%
What do people like about the previous concept plans?
The most frequent responses are:
- Approve of more greenery, trees and green areas
- Approve of re-allocation of space - more usable/ social/pedestrian space
Approve of opportunity to improve/refresh the streetscape
Additionally, at the in-person consultation events:
- Approve of more / better pedestrian crossings
What do people not like about the previous concept plans?
The most frequent responses are:
- Concern over the scheme aesthetic: not suitable for local character / looks to clinical (this was the most popular by far)
- Concern that the scheme does not improve local economy / businesses / services
- Concerns over maintenance
- Concern that the scheme does not include upgrades to buildings / façades
Need to learn lessons from Kirkintilloch scheme
Additionally, at the in-person consultation events, the most frequent responses are:
- Concern over pedestrian crossings / raised crossings (this was the most popular by far)
- Concern that scheme will not be implemented
- Concern over the whole scheme
- Concern that the scheme is cosmetic only
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