Upper Craigs

Construction

In preparation for work to continue in January 2024, utility work has already taken place at the junction of Craigs/Wellgreen. While a project of this scale will bring an element of change and disruption, Stirling Council will continue to work with its contractor, Hillhouse Group, to minimise the impact on businesses and residents.

FAQs

What is the current situation on Port Street

Stirling Council is required by law to take action and carry out work to protect the public in or in places adjacent to a dangerous building under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. As a result, we had to close the southbound lane on Port Street (from Upper Craigs to King’s Park Road) and the footway in front of the affected property on 20 December.

All efforts are being made to ensure that impacts to the adjacent businesses and city centre are kept to a minimum. All traders on Port Street are open for business, with access maintained for the businesses around the safety fencing.

The specialist engineer appointed by the building owners will assess the structural work required to make it safe. We will continue to keep residents and businesses updated while we work with the property owners and engineers to resolve the situation, including a timeline for the building repair once it is available.

Why does this work have to be undertaken right now given the issues in Port Street and resultant disruption?

We will investigate the impact of the new traffic management in Port Street on the proposed traffic management for the WCLS works. We want to minimise the level of disruption to businesses and if we delay the WCLS works further there is a risk that this will just lengthen the period of disruption.

What will you do to make sure the street isn’t accessed in the evenings and on weekends without men on site and without a banksman?

We will ensure that the signage is clear that this area is not accessible to vehicles other than deliveries and residents. If essential deliveries occur out of hours - please note, there is sufficient space for larger vehicles to turn at the bottom of Cameronian Street.

Where will I park?

·      Residents

All residents with permits will be able to park at the Wellgreen Pay and Display car park. (Opposite the Wellgreen Multi-Storey car park.)

Access will be maintained to the parking associated with the flats at the bottom of Upper Craigs.

• Visitors

There will be no regular parking bays on Upper Craigs during construction. Please use Wellgreen Multi-Storey car park instead of parking on Upper Craigs.

·      Business owners and staff

There will be no parking on Upper Craigs for business owners and staff.

·      Customers

Full pedestrian access will be maintained and customers are advised to park in the surrounding areas.

I am a blue badge holder, where can I park?

The nearest bays are on Dumbarton Road and anyone with mobility issues can speak to a site manager and he will look to accommodate them within a designated drop off zone - we will also have a small bank of parking for disabled customers.

How will I get my deliveries?

There will be designated areas for deliveries. Hillhouse will be able to indicate where these areas are as works progress. For Phase 2 delivery drivers will access Upper Craigs from the Wellgreen side of Upper Craigs and then a banksman will help them exit the street. For Phase 3 the road will be one way from Port Street and there will be a new area designated for deliveries.

How will my bins get collected?

Stirling Council’s Waste Service have been advised of the work and collections will take place as normal. As work progresses bin collection points may change and these will be clearly marked on site. If you use a private contractor for waste collections please contact them and advise them of the changes. If you need further assistance please contact the Council.

When will the works be completed?

Roughly 10 weeks for Phase 2 and completion by July.

What is the council doing to support businesses during construction in Upper Craigs?

All efforts will be made to ensure that impacts to businesses and residents are kept to a minimum during the works. Stirling Council will highlight on its social channels (that have a combined 60,000 followers) that businesses on Upper Craigs are open as usual once the road closure comes into force. 

Phasing

The plans below shows how work will be phased and will change as the project proceeds. Please be assured, access to your property will be maintained with temporary arrangements where needed. It is important that signs in place during the works are followed for safety reasons.

The plans below show how works will be phased and will change as the project proceeds. Please be assured, access to your property will be maintained with temporary arrangements where needed. It is important that signs in place during the works are followed for safety reasons.

Deliveries

There will be areas designated for deliveries. If you have regular deliveries to your business, please contact Hillhouse Group (details below) and advise your suppliers that work is taking place. Locations will vary as the work progresses.

Parking/Loading/Permit Parking

All existing parking restrictions will be suspended for the duration of the works. Please do not try to park within the site area as this will ultimately delay the project. Permit Holders can use the Wellgreen off-street car park while access will be maintained to the private car park associated with the flats at the bottom of Upper Craigs.

Bin Collections

Stirling Council’s Waste Service has been advised of the work and collections will take place as normal. As work progresses bin collection points may change and these will be clearly marked on site. If you use a private contractor for waste collections please contact them and advise them of the changes. If you need further assistance please contact the Council using the contact details below.

As with all construction work there will be unforeseen events that the contractor will need to manage so these plans are subject to change. We will keep you updated regularly as the work progresses. The contractor will have a designated person on site to manage deliveries and access issues. If you have any queries or problems please contact them in the first instance and they will do their best to help.

Contact: Gordon Anderson, 07984124307 or John McKay, 07598 728030 Email: contracts@hillhousegroup.co.uk

We appreciate your patience and understanding during these works. If you have another query or there are issues with the design that you would like to discuss, please email jacksonmi@stirling.gov.uk

Background

The current layout of Upper Craigs prevents any through way for vehicles, and as such, requires a turning circle for vehicles. This area is constrained by several factors, including: presence of anti social behaviour, vandalism, excessive street clutter and poor visibility / passive surveillance due to low footfall.

Early consultation with the local traders highlighted the importance of achieving the following:

• Transformation into a one way street, with access through to Wellgreen Road and beyond
• Traffic calming used to control speed of traffic
• Extension to the footpath on either side of the road offering a pleasant spacious environment for pedestrians
• Landscaping and seating installed to break up the parking/loading bays providing spaces for relief
• Retention of disabled parking and loading bays
• A new focal point offering the opportunity such as installation of a sculpture, water fountain or market stalls

We considered these objectives whilst working with the existing geometry to see what we can achieve.