Scotland must ‘learn lessons’ of Waterfront

THE council-led redevelopment of Dundee Waterfront has been held up as an example for the rest of the country by the Scottish Land Commission.

Dundee City Council has been responsible for masterminding the £1 billion project, which has included the construction of the Kengo Kuma-designed V&A.

A seminar hosted by the commission on public interest-led development, during which public bodies such as councils take on the responsibility for developments, found stronger leadership — as was shown in Dundee — is required from other cities and towns.

Professor David Adams, commissioner at the Land Commission, said: “Scotland needs t o be braver and bolder — and government and l ocal authorities must accept more uncertainty — if we’re going to create better quality places for people.

“Scotland has been good at producing successful demonstrator projects, such as the Dundee Waterfront, but it has not been very successful i n learning the lessons from these projects or mainstreaming t his type of approach.

“Public interest-led development projects can be big, difficult and risky. If people are to be encouraged to bring forward these type of projects, they need to accept these risks.”

Dundee City Council leader John Alexander said: “Dundee Waterfront is part of a long-term, sustainable, economically more prosperous and exciting future for Dundee that has so far been 20 years in the making.

“From the outset the city council and its partners have been clear in considering the economic realities and what the city needs in terms of new employment and investment.”