Architect, Urban Designer, & Director
Midlothian Council wished to test the feasibility of undertaking a comprehensive regeneration of a significant area of Dalkeith town centre, including the provision of a new council headquarters building. We were appointed to lead a multidiscipline team of chartered surveyors, sustainability experts and cost consultants to provide a detailed study to assist councillors with their decision on whether to proceed with the regeneration.
We carried out a comprehensive physical analysis of the area, as well as holding a series of information gathering consultations with stakeholders, owners, traders, tenants and the local community. We prepared sketch design proposals for property market review, costing, and preparation of a development appraisal.
The urban design proposal establishes new street connections and forms a new town square. Within this new town centre area, retail, community and residential uses were proposed. There was a lot of enthusiasm to retain residential use within the town centre and more detailed proposals were developed to ensure that these would be attractive and desirable properties both for rent and for sale.
A three-day consultation in a shop front on the high street was visited by approximately 100 people and provided a very positive response to the proposed town centre uses and massing.
