Milton Study

MAST were appointed by Wheatley Group to undertake a strategic housing review of Milton in north Glasgow, examining how future investment could respond to an area largely shaped by post-war housing development. The study considered both the future of the six high-rise blocks at Castlebay and Scaraway Street and the potential for new housing across a number of vacant and underused sites.

Two principal approaches were tested. The first examined comprehensive refurbishment of the existing towers, considering fabric performance, energy use, accessibility, internal layouts, amenity and the works required to extend their useful life. The second explored new-build development capable of reproviding homes should the blocks ultimately be replaced, with the potential for a combination of both approaches.

The review looked at Milton as a neighbourhood rather than a collection of individual sites, mapping existing housing, public facilities, transport, green space, land ownership and development constraints including former mine workings. Concept layouts explored a range of family housing, cottage flats and wheelchair-accessible homes, with new streets, shared surfaces, landscape and SUDS used to establish clearer connections with the surrounding area. Across the sites considered, the initial study tested capacity for around 437 new homes.

Four sites were identified for more detailed development, alongside recommendations for further work on local amenities, landscape and transport infrastructure.  The value of the review lies in giving Wheatley a framework for decisions at both building and neighbourhood scale, allowing future investment in Milton to be considered as part of a wider strategy rather than site by site.