Once a thriving business below the Ochil hills, the Glentana Mill building now sits empty in Alva. Following on from an initial community consultation, Clackmannanshire Council approached 3DReid in 2020 to explore options for the site’s redevelopment in collaboration with Architecture and Design Scotland (A&DS). As a result, a report named the ‘Alva Pathfinder’ was produced to form a basis from which informed decisions can be made and provides the tools and actions for a range of stakeholders to proceed with investment based on rigorous analysis.
In 2023, we were approached again by Clackmannanshire Council to develop a brief for the Glentana Mill site. We were asked to set out design guidelines for 45 homes, half of which were to be fully accessible to accommodate the ageing population of Alva. We developed a series of site layouts and possibilities for the site, referencing the values and aspirations of the ‘Alva Pathfinder’ report we had previously produced. The result was a set of principles which promoted intergenerational living, created safe walkable streets and set out a clear hierarchy of public vs private spaces.
“We promoted a sense of community and intergenerational living through the creation of a square connecting the housing, children’s home and Parkland Hall.”
