Momentum was part of a consortium, consisting of Stallan Brand (lead), LDA Design and Savills, commissioned by Dundee City Council to prepare a long-term plan (30-year) to best prepare for, support and guide future development and investment opportunities in the city. This plan has been in development since 2019 and is centred around five interconnected key themes: living, working, visiting, connectivity and public realm.
Momentum worked closely with Stallan Brand and LDA throughout the duration of the project to support on the connectivity and public realm themes.
We provided key input into the overall illustrative report authored by Stallan Brand as well as submitting our own supporting ‘transport & connectivity technical note’ as an addendum.
Our note recommends both short, medium and long-term interventions for a range of transport modes and strategies including improvements and redesign of junctions on the inner ring road, improved traffic circulations and bus stop consolidation, rationalisation of car parking, freight consolidation, identification of key aspirational cycle routes, reducing severance caused by inner ring road to create a more liveable and vibrant city centre, interventions to promote and support safe active travel and future mobility hubs. Our technical note included UK and international case studies of best practice transport interventions to showcase the very best in progressive transport planning and show the client what could be achieved in Dundee.
General overview
Dundee city centre has undergone radical and transformative change during recent decades. Long-term strategic planning and investment have led to the creation of a high-quality public realm, extensive pedestrianisation, esteemed public art, and the delivery of major assets including a new train station terminal, new parks through Slessor Gardens and Waterfront Place, and the V&A Dundee. However, there is still great opportunity to significantly improve the role, vitality, sustainability, and resilience of Dundee’s city centre. The city centre needs to be more diverse and orientated towards supporting and celebrating people, public life, tourism, and business. The city centre and surrounding areas need more people living, working, and visiting during the daytime and evening, to sustain further growth and create a stronger city centre. The quality, attractiveness and function of the city centre’s public realm, transportation systems and active travel networks are vital to supporting these aims.
To best prepare for, support and guide future development and investment opportunities in line with the above aims, a long-term, 30-year, plan is being developed. The principal role of the plan is to set out an ambitious vision for the future of the city centre and to inform development and investment around major sites, housing, employment opportunities, leisure and tourism, transportation, active travel, pedestrianisation, environmental improvements, and public realm enhancements.
Crucially, by establishing a strong plan and vision for the future of Dundee’s city centre, it will help the council to attract private investment and to capitalise on funding opportunities and initiatives as they emerge, such as the proposed Low Emission Zone. It will also help by identifying a strategic “pipeline” of projects that will assist with their delivery under tight funding timescales.
