Take Back the City Launches Phase Two of the Mackie's Masterplan!

The new plans, which accommodate 31 homes and around 125 people, would be located in the southwest corner of the Mackie's site.

An architect's drawing of the new plans with 3 blocks of terraced housing and 2 x 3-storey complexes, surrounded by trees.

This week the Take Back the City Coalition is launching Phase Two of our plans to build new social homes on the vacant public land at Mackie’s, with a more detailed focus on the southwest corner of the site, boundaried to the south by Springfield Parade and to the north by Paisley Park.

Read the Phase Two PAD Application here.

Last year we developed a Masterplan for homes across the whole of the 25 acre Mackie’s site and subjected it to the scrutiny of the planning process - the first community group in the north to have completed such an undertaking.

Over several months, more than 1000 people viewed the plans and gave their opinions, culminating in a day-long public consultation event held at ForthSpring Inter Community Group, which borders the site directly.

Our findings from this process confirmed all our experience in organising for homes over the last 20 years - that far from being hostile and unready for homes, the local community recognises the need and is willing to welcome families to their new homes. In fact we found that:

91% of respondents thought that the Mackie’s site should be developed in some way;
86% of people thought that the site should be used to address housing need; and
75% of respondents agreed that our Take Back the City masterplan should be developed, with the majority of people supporting the housing mix in the proposal as well as the space allocated for employment space.

Elevation drawings for the new housing development

Now architect Matthew Lloyd and his colleagues have applied the principles of the Mackie’s design brief - developed by homeless families in 2019 - to this small site which is ideal for housing. Their new plans accommodate 31 homes, in a mixture of terraced houses in keeping with the area, as well as two three and four storey blocks, which can accommodate more accessible homes for those who need them.

Ground floor and landscape plans for the new development

The plans also provide several communal allotment spaces, a children’s playground, and shared gardens. Overall, the plans expect to accommodate around 125 people.

Read the Phase Two PAD Application here

Tell us what you think about the plans here