Renfrewshire Council

Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) Bishopton

The development of the site has a new mixed use community growth area called Dargavel Village.

Dargavel Village is located to the south west of Bishopton.

The site covers an extensive area and at 964 hectares is one of the largest brownfield sites in Scotland. 

The site is owned by BAE Systems and as a former Royal Ordnance Factory was used for the production of munitions over the last century.

Manufacturing at the factory ceased in 1999 and planning consent is in place for the remediation and redevelopment of the site as a new mixed use community growth area. 


Development Overview

In summary, the Community Growth Area comprises:

  • 4000 new homes
  • Infrastructure, including a new motorway junction, link roads, park and ride facilities
  • Retail and Education provision, including a new village centre and primary school
  • Community provision, including health facilities
  • Recreation and open space facilities
  • A 450 hectare Community Woodland Park

A masterplan and design codes provide a framework for delivery of the development.  The contextual masterplan, an illustrative plan of the site and design codes can be found in the related documents section.

Works commenced at the site in 2012 and development is forecast to reach completion by 2034.


Planning Obligations and Legal Agreement

A legal agreement between the Council and BAE Systems under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 identifies a range of planning obligations which are necessary to provide for implementation of the development. 

Details of the S75 Agreement can be found in the related documents section. 

Key Planning Applications

  • Outline planning consent for redevelopment of the site was granted on 10 August 2009 (Application ref. 06/0602/PP). 
  • Planning Permission in Principle was granted on 27 August 2013 (Application ref. 13/0374/PP).  This provides a framework for a new food store, commercial units, community building and park and ride facility. 
  • Planning Permission in Principle was granted on 2 March 2018 for additional residential use within the Core Development Area of the site (Application refs. 17/0393/PP and 17/0394/PP).

The applications included a significant volume of supporting information relating to planning, transport, environmental and flooding issues.  Further information can be found in the related links section.

A number of applications relating to the development have been submitted in recent years.  Information relating to these applications are available as they are considered and can be accessed through the planning search function. 

Current Activity

The development has progressed in accordance with the site masterplan and has provided strategic infrastructure across the site and a range of new homes.  This has included:

  • Major road and drainage infrastructure, including a new motorway junction
  • Extensive earthworks and remediation activity
  • Structural landscaping, new greenspaces and play areas
  • Park and ride facilities at Bishopton Rail Station
  • New retail units within the Village Centre
  • Initial phases of a 450ha Community Woodland Park
  • Around 2,100 new homes (at October 2022) providing a range and choice of housing within the area.