Ladyfield Masterplan

The Ladyfield Masterplan takes a holistic and aspirational approach to placemaking and is designed to serve the wellbeing of the people that live in Dumfries now and in future. The masterplan sets out a vision for a place planned for people, addressing the climate emergency, social mobility, work, health and energy. We’re responding to the Scottish Government’s objectives to create nature-focused, sustainable communities through the recently adopted National Planning Framework 4.

Ladyfield will promote and encourage a liveable, sustainable neighbourhood, and a diversity of housing opportunities is critical to its success. Homes will be proposed that improve affordability and choice in the local area by being adaptable to changing and diverse needs and allow people to age in place. This will support and encourage mixed communities that grow together over time, creating an intergenerational community that shares knowledge, skills, and experience.

The heritage of this part of Dumfries is linked to the story of The Crichton. The Crichton has been innovating in health and wellbeing for over 150 years, supporting the happiness, health and economic success of residents and workers. There is a need for inclusive, affordable and sustainable development now, that takes a long-term, low-carbon view and addresses the challenges of an aging population and the need to retain and attract young working people to the area.

The Crichton Trust and the design team have worked collectively with stakeholder partners to develop a vision and strategic masterplan, a process underpinned by community engagement. The masterplan is founded on a series of robust, flexible, and interconnecting strategies that include landscape, ecology, hydrology, housing, energy, travel, and is driven by a purpose focused on people, place and planet.

The masterplan proposals comprise around 300 new homes of mixed size, tenure and typology, sensitively embedded within the natural landscape and heritage context. The masterplan takes cognisance of the existing trees, protecting these whilst strengthening the green-blue infrastructure for the long-term benefit of existing and future residents. The masterplan will open up parkland for the community as well as enhancing the site’s biodiversity, promoting active travel and increasing well-being opportunities for all, within a well-connected neighbourhood rooted in The Crichton Quarter.

With flexibility and adaptability at the core, this masterplan aims to address the changing housing needs of an intergenerational community, now and in the future. Providing future focused homes that meets people’s needs, will support people living life in a place for the long term, enabling encounters across generations. A burgeoning community, comprised of a range of households, will boost local amenities and assets. It will serve the wider area, enhancing localism and supporting community services, by offering people more choice to stay, travel and live locally.

The masterplan will positively face the need for climate resilience and safeguard the character of Ladyfield for the next generations by taking a low carbon approach to design, development, energy strategy and resident behaviour. We have embedded the principles of sustainable energy use into a lifetime approach to homes; housing models designed to save energy, reduce construction work and create less waste overall.

Landscape focused placemaking principles will help to promote interaction and foster a safe connected environment with spaces for leisure, informal play, and growing food. Intergenerational communities encourage healthy connections, enhanced lives at all ages and an empowered community where people live life in a place for the longer term and support one another as needs change.

The Ladyfield Masterplan is shaped by policy, driven by need and powered by people. A place that encourages encounters. A place that stands the test of time.