Westerhill Development Road

The Westerhill Development Road (WDR) is the fifth and final phase of what was previously referred to as the Bishopbriggs Relief Road.

This phase will connect Junction 2 of the M80 (at the north edge of Glasgow) to the A803 (between Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch), by linking Lochgrog Roundabout with Crosshill Road approximately 1km to its north.

The WDR Project will support the objectives, challenges and needs identified in the Councils approved City Deal business cases which relate to alleviating traffic congestion, improving air quality, as well as providing access to strategic development sites. Its objectives are to:

• Create a new development road through the Westerhill Regeneration Area, or WRA (link WRA Masterplan)
• Facilitate the delivery of the WRA Masterplan to allow future investment in East Dunbartonshire and the Glasgow City Region
• Enhance access to new and existing employment and services
• Avoid significant environmental impacts and minimise the environmental effect on green space
• Minimise whole life carbon emissions associated with the scheme
• Contribute to the overall improvement of the air quality across Bishopbriggs.

Please note, the project does not include housing.

Consultation was held on five potential options for the new Westerhill Development Road between 29 May and 22 June 2023. The preferred route was announced in January 2024.

Since then, the design has been further developed based on additional information. This included feedback received from public and stakeholder consultation, the results of ground investigation work undertaken in late 2023, additional environmental surveys and a cost exercise to ensure affordability. The significant updates to the originally preferred design include:

• Provision of an active travel route on the western side of the WDR and signalised crossings
• Inclusion of bus stops designed in coordination with Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT)
• Provision of environmental mitigation measures, such as mammal tunnels and landscaping
• Removal of works on Crosshill Road and Cole Road between HMP Low Moss and Torrance roundabout
• Inclusion of 2 roundabout junctions to provide access to the future masterplan development parcels
• Revision of the junction connecting the new WDR to Crosshill Road to maintain access to HMP Low moss and the adjacent commercial and residential properties
• Inclusion of drainage SuDS ponds.

As part of its requirements under the Planning (Scotland) Act, the Council carried out pre-application public consultation for the Westerhill Development Road.

A pre-planning application consultation event took place between Friday 8 November and Friday 29 November 2024. There was an online StoryMap and webpage, as well as a public drop-in session in the War Memorial Hall, Bishopbriggs, on 11 November 2024. You can view the archived consultation webpage.

Further pre-application public engagement – including another drop-in event – took place in February 2025, prior to the planning application being submitted.

A planning application for Westerhill Development Road (WDR) was approved at a meeting of the Planning Board on 21 October 2025.

It included:

• 2km of new/upgraded carriageway and associated works, between the existing Westerhill Road and the A803 Kirkintilloch Road – connecting an upgraded Torrance Roundabout and Lochgrog Roundabout, and including the replacement of a section of Crosshill Road
• Environmental mitigation such as wildlife passages and tunnels, planting throughout, an acoustic fence along part of the route, landscaping and Sustainable Drainage Systems to minimise disruption to existing water levels
• A new active travel route for walking, wheeling and cycling. There will also be provision for future bus stops
• The use of recycled materials and those with a lower carbon impact.

The new route incorporates part of a former RAF Bishopbriggs base – once a World War II barrage balloon depot and now identified as brownfield/development land – and consideration has been given to preserving archaeological remains, if found. There will be interpretation boards to support future appreciation of the site.

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