Work starts on M8 link road to old weapons factory site
WORK has started on a new motorway junction to improve access to a massive housing development on a former weapons factory site.
BAE Systems is transforming the former Royal Ordnance Factory land in Bishopton which was once used for a host of secret military purposes.
At its height last century, 20,000 people worked round the clock producing weapons for Britain’s armed forces.
A three-year project will result in a new junction 29A being built at the intersection of Greenock Road and the M8 motorway.
A total of 2500 homes are planned for the ordnance factory site which is one of the largest brownfield developments in the UK.
Work started in 2013 and the new Dargavel Village is due to be finished by 2025.
When complete, the new junction will provide commuters and local residents with direct access eastbound and an exit off the M8 westbound.
As part of the work, badger tunnels will be installed under the A8 to allow the protected animals to move safely.
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: “It is clear the regeneration of the former Royal Ordnance site in Bishopton will bring real benefits to the local community and economy on its completion.”
Derek Mackay, MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, said Bishopton was a growing community.
He added: “The start of these works on the new motorway junction is an important milestone in the redevelopment of the area
“Not only will it significantly improve Bishopton’s transport links, it will also bring wider economic benefits to the local community making it more accessible and supporting the area’s continued regeneration.”
Steve Fogg, managing director of BAE Systems Shared Services, said the construction of the new junction was a top priority and a major milestone in the development of Dargavel Village.
He added: “We are committed to investing in the local infrastructure and developing an aspirational place for people to live.
“When it opens, the junction will enhance Bishopton’s connectivity and transport links, opening up new opportunities for the local area.”
During construction, the contractors are expected to lay more than 27,000sq m of surface drains and install more than 43 miles of vertical drains.