Barrhead

Barrhead

Barrhead is East Renfrewshire's principal town in the Levern Valley and a key focus for growth, regeneration and service provision. Its character is shaped by its industrial heritage, strong civic functions and extensive investment in regeneration and infrastructure that has transformed significant areas of previously developed land. The town provides a broad range of services and facilities, including schools, healthcare, leisure and community facilities, council offices, retail provision and a vibrant town centre. Strong transport connections, including the railway network and Balgray Station, together with access to surrounding greenspaces and countryside such as the Dams to Darnley Country Park, make Barrhead a highly accessible and well-connected place.

Barrhead continues to play an important role in delivering homes, employment opportunities, services and community facilities for both local residents and surrounding communities. The town has benefited from significant public and private sector investment in recent years, improving public spaces, community infrastructure and connectivity. Its town centre remains the primary focus for retail, services, employment and civic activity, while parks, open spaces and the wider blue and green network contribute to health, wellbeing, biodiversity and climate resilience.

The Spatial Strategy identifies Barrhead as a Growth Area and a key location for sustainable, infrastructure-led growth. Future development will build upon the Brighter Barrhead Programme, Masterplan Consent Area and wider regeneration initiatives. Growth will be supported by investment in infrastructure, services and environmental improvements, helping to create well-connected neighbourhoods, strengthen the town centre and reinforce Barrhead's role as a sustainable, inclusive and thriving place.


Key Place Priorities for Barrhead

The Strategic Allocation and complementary urban development sites in Barrhead will be delivered as a coordinated programme of growth, supported by the infrastructure, services and investment required to create a sustainable, connected and resilient place.

Housing and Regeneration

The strategy will:

  • Deliver a range of high-quality homes, including affordable housing, within sustainable and well-connected neighbourhoods.
  • Deliver the Springfield Road West Strategic Allocation (Strat 1.1).
  • Promote the regeneration and productive reuse of brownfield, vacant and underused land and buildings, including the Shanks regeneration opportunity (PP7.1).

Town Centre,Services and Community Facilities

The strategy will:

  • Support the continued implementation of the Brighter Barrhead Programme and Barrhead Masterplan Consent Area (PP4.28 and PP4.29).
  • Strengthen and diversify Barrhead and the Town Centre (PP4.1) as the primary location for retail, leisure, cultural, community, employment and service uses serving the Levern Valley and wider East Renfrewshire area.
  • Ensure education, healthcare and community infrastructure is provided in line with planned growth.

Movement and Connectivity

The strategy will:

  • Improve walking, wheeling and cycling connections between neighbourhoods, schools, services, greenspaces and transport hubs.
  • Support improvements to public transport accessibility, integration and connectivity.
  • Promote sustainable travel choices and reduce reliance on the private car where practical.

Green Networks, Environment and Climate

The strategy will:

  • Enhance parks, open spaces, sports and recreation facilities, woodlands, biodiversity and wider green networks.
  • Strengthen connections between the town and surrounding countryside, including Dams to Darnley Country Park (SP2.6).
  • Integrate blue and green infrastructure, climate adaptation measures and biodiversity enhancement into new development.

Barrhead

Barrhead is East Renfrewshire's principal town in the Levern Valley and a key focus for growth, regeneration and service provision. Its character is shaped by its industrial heritage, strong civic functions and extensive investment in regeneration and infrastructure that has transformed significant areas of previously developed land. The town provides a broad range of services and facilities, including schools, healthcare, leisure and community facilities, council offices, retail provision and a vibrant town centre. Strong transport connections, including the railway network and Balgray Station, together with access to surrounding greenspaces and countryside such as the Dams to Darnley Country Park, make Barrhead a highly accessible and well-connected place.

Barrhead continues to play an important role in delivering homes, employment opportunities, services and community facilities for both local residents and surrounding communities. The town has benefited from significant public and private sector investment in recent years, improving public spaces, community infrastructure and connectivity. Its town centre remains the primary focus for retail, services, employment and civic activity, while parks, open spaces and the wider blue and green network contribute to health, wellbeing, biodiversity and climate resilience.

The Spatial Strategy identifies Barrhead as a Growth Area and a key location for sustainable, infrastructure-led growth. Future development will build upon the Brighter Barrhead Programme, Masterplan Consent Area and wider regeneration initiatives. Growth will be supported by investment in infrastructure, services and environmental improvements, helping to create well-connected neighbourhoods, strengthen the town centre and reinforce Barrhead's role as a sustainable, inclusive and thriving place.


Key Place Priorities for Barrhead

The Strategic Allocation and complementary urban development sites in Barrhead will be delivered as a coordinated programme of growth, supported by the infrastructure, services and investment required to create a sustainable, connected and resilient place.

Housing and Regeneration

The strategy will:

  • Deliver a range of high-quality homes, including affordable housing, within sustainable and well-connected neighbourhoods.
  • Deliver the Springfield Road West Strategic Allocation (Strat 1.1).
  • Promote the regeneration and productive reuse of brownfield, vacant and underused land and buildings, including the Shanks regeneration opportunity (PP7.1).

Town Centre,Services and Community Facilities

The strategy will:

  • Support the continued implementation of the Brighter Barrhead Programme and Barrhead Masterplan Consent Area (PP4.28 and PP4.29).
  • Strengthen and diversify Barrhead and the Town Centre (PP4.1) as the primary location for retail, leisure, cultural, community, employment and service uses serving the Levern Valley and wider East Renfrewshire area.
  • Ensure education, healthcare and community infrastructure is provided in line with planned growth.

Movement and Connectivity

The strategy will:

  • Improve walking, wheeling and cycling connections between neighbourhoods, schools, services, greenspaces and transport hubs.
  • Support improvements to public transport accessibility, integration and connectivity.
  • Promote sustainable travel choices and reduce reliance on the private car where practical.

Green Networks, Environment and Climate

The strategy will:

  • Enhance parks, open spaces, sports and recreation facilities, woodlands, biodiversity and wider green networks.
  • Strengthen connections between the town and surrounding countryside, including Dams to Darnley Country Park (SP2.6).
  • Integrate blue and green infrastructure, climate adaptation measures and biodiversity enhancement into new development.
Page last updated: 01 Oct 2026, 08:26 PM