Westerhill Regeneration Area
Quick Facts
Project value: £90 - £150 million
Size: 35 hectares
Investment type: Land release
Location: Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, G64
Landowner: Derwent London/Caledonian Properties Ltd and Harper Collins Publisher Ltd
Timescale: Pipeline
Status: Early-stage promotion of greenfield development land for employment use
Project Overview
Set in one of the most desirable local authority areas in Scotland - East Dunbartonshire - the Westerhill Regeneration Area is an attractive and accessible investment location providing land release opportunities for priority sectors, to support local and regional economic growth.
Westerhill Regeneration Area (WRA), Bishopbriggs, is situated five miles north of Glasgow city centre, 49 miles east of Edinburgh and has good transport links close to the M80 (with access onto M8/M74). It is located on of Scotland’s most sought-after local authority areas - East Dunbartonshire – boasting some of the best ‘quality of life’ and school ratings nationally. The area is well-connected to Glasgow to the south, and to the north characterised by an outstanding natural environment.
The WRA provides a great opportunity for a well-connected land supply in the Glasgow City Region and wider Scottish Central Belt for key sectors and clusters identified by Scottish Enterprise and Glasgow City Region.
The 300-hectare regeneration area is part of the Council's Place and Growth Programme – supported by the UK and Scottish Governments through the Glasgow City Region City Deal. It provides business and employment land, consisting of vacant sites/premises, occupied premises, and newly released greenfield development land with Planning Use Classes 4, 5, 6 and 11. The business land is supported by an existing Local Nature Conservation Site, a proposed active travel network, open space and green infrastructure strategy, and existing retail offer - creating a long-term sustainable masterplan.
The economic case in the recently approved Full Business Case, for the Westerhill Development Road (WDR) and WRA, is targeted towards the greenfield land parcels to the east of the WDR (parcels 8, 9, and 11 - see image below). The delivery of the WDR by 2027 will unlock approx. 35Ha of development land within these parcels, enabling at least 70,000 sqm of new commercial floorspace, leading to a significant GVA uplift - £136.9m in discounted benefits.
Aerial view of the 300 hectare Westerhill Regeneration Area
Investment Opportunities
Although East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) does not own the developable land at WRA positive progress has been made with landowners who were involved in, and supportive of, the development of the WRA Masterplan. The plan was adopted as planning guidance, becoming part of the Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP2), in September 2024. Crucially, it enabled the identification of land for the delivery of the WDR, which unlocks the newly-designated greenfield development parcels. A Full Business Case for the delivery of the WDR was approved by Glasgow City Region in February 2026.
As mentioned above, the newly released greenfield land is designated within the Councils LDP as Development Use Classes 4 Business, 5 General Industrial, 6 Storage or Distribution, and with an ancillary supply of supporting Use Class 11 Assembly and Leisure.
Landowners of the newly designated commercial land include:
- Derwent London/Caledonian Properties Ltd
- Harper Collins Publisher Ltd.
Landowners of vacant sites:
- Global Net Lease
- Westerhill Development Ltd.
Although no specific developer has been identified for the WRA, soft promotion of the sites is underway with the likes of Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International. Further promotion is planned and, with delivery of the WDR, market potential will steadily improve. The Council will continue promoting the sites using market intelligence to enable a focus towards the most appropriate potential occupiers.
The economic case for the WDR envisages follow-on development at the WRA as a result of the enabling infrastructure investment. WDR completion is planned for late 2027. The business case for the WDR/WRA Project estimates the creation of over 700 construction jobs and 377 net additional jobs by 2035 – occupancy is assumed to reach 90% by 2042, when net jobs additionality is conservatively estimated to reach 565 (FTE).
The WRA planning guidance is strongly aligned with the Glasgow City Region Economic Strategy and Westerhill is a key next generation location that supports these regional ambitions for high-productivity, high-growth investment. As such, the WRA is poised to attract commercial interest from the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy “IS-8” high-growth sectors.
Work for the WRA Masterplan included a market testing exercise (2024) to identify the market potential of the WRA. It identified that the core employment use potential at Westerhill is for a northern city-region, high amenity site for medium to larger modernising production and manufacturing businesses. This has strong strategic alignment with stemming out-commuting, productivity enhancement, technology and skills, and with replacing relocated local employment. This potential is based upon supply and demand within the wider sub-regional and regional markets rather than the local market alone.
The local market does though have very limited employment land supply, virtually no property supply, and an ageing stock of buildings. The WRA can therefore also offer the potential to modernise stock and accommodate growth. There has been recent (2025) interest in the land from a Glasgow-based manufacturing firm and from an AI data centre developer.
The local skills base offers potential for higher-value service, scientific and technical activity as well as general office space. There may also be potential for such activity associated with modern manufacturing or production at Westerhill.
Indicative development parcels
Progress Update
Westerhill Regeneration Area planning guidance adopted under the Councils Local Development Plan (2024), releasing 35 Ha of greenfield land as employment land, designated as Use Classes 4, 5, 6, and 11.
Councils land acquisition for delivery of the WDR completed March 2026.
Mobilisation of the Council and City Deal-funded enabling infrastructure project, Westerhill Development Road has commenced (March 2026). It is due to be completed by the end of 2027.
Soft promotion of the sites is underway with organisations such as Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International. A Council marketing strategy is also implemented, with support from major landowner.
For more information
🔗 Westerhill Regeneration Area
🔗 Westerhill Planning Guidance
🔗 Invest in East Dunbartonshire
Ceara Pimley City Deal Team Lead, East Dunbartonshire Council email: ceara.pimley@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
