Renfrewshire Council

Paisley Central Library

The transformation of an empty High Street retail space into a library which forms the heart of the Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub was singled out by the judges for the top honour at the recent prestigious property awards.

Judging Panel Chair Tom Barclay said: "As one of the judges who visited this project, I couldn't fail to be blown away, not just by the technical challenge and architectural solution, but by the human stories that emerged from this venture, taking a building that dates back to the 1870s and creating a 'public living room', promoting a safe space for all generations to come together, to play, to learn, or simply to engage."

The library has already been recognised after winning ESG Refurbishment of the Year at the Scottish Property Awards and the Physical category at the EDGE Awards, taking home silver in the Regeneration Category at the Scottish Design Awards, and is currently nominated for an AJ Architecture Award.

Reflecting on all the well-deserved recognition, project manager, Alan Pearson said:

"It was fantastic to receive the Judges Special recognition award from the Herald Property Awards Scotland which appreciated the impact of the transformation of 22 High Street into what is now Paisley Central Library. 

"Whilst the refurbishment was always a technical success in the eyes of our project team it is heartening to hear that this asset has been utilised in the way it was envisaged during the design phase and that is testament to the work being done by our friends and colleagues at OneRen. 

"The judges were particularly pleased to hear first-hand from a member of the public who told of the difference that this building is making to their family. We feel very proud to receive the award on the basis of this testimony; it makes what we do feel all the more worthwhile." 

Operated by OneRen, the hub is a £7million council investment as part of our efforts to regenerate Paisley and the surrounding areas by giving people new reasons to visit the town centre.

Ferguslie Park Tannahill development

Our housing team, in partnership with housebuilder AS Homes, collected the 'Best residential regeneration project' award for the Tannahill development in Paisley's Ferguslie Park.

Judges praised the council's commitment to regenerating housing and for creating high quality homes that are transforming the area.

The Herald Property prize is the latest accolade for the 101-home development following two awards at the Scottish Home Awards 2024.

Housing Regeneration Manager Jennifer Murdoch said: "We are delighted to receive national recognition for the recently completed Tannahill housing development in Ferguslie Park.

"The new development was delivered with housebuilder AS Homes and forms an important part of the ongoing community-led regeneration of the area. It has been a really enjoyable project to work on and it's lovely to see the residents happy and settled in their new homes."

Newbuild Housing Programme Manager, Martin MacRury, added: "Extensive engagement with the close knit Tannahill community from the outset enabled us to deliver high quality, energy efficient homes the local residents are proud of and create an attractive and desirable area for them to live in. Residents fed into the process throughout, from shaping the site and house layouts right through to moving day, ensuring Tannahill retained its strong sense of community."

Find out more information on the library and the ongoing regeneration of Paisley and Renfrewshire.

*This photo, courtesy of Gordon Terris from the Herald & Times Group, shows Housing Regeneration Development Officer Debbie McEniff (fourth from left); Martin MacRury (fifth from left); Jennifer Murdoch (third from right) and Newbuild Housing Development Manager Nicholas Smith (second from right) with AS Homes colleagues and the award presenters Des Clarke and Jennifer Reoch.

Published on Thursday 10 October 2024