| AdminHistory | One of the primary purposes of Livingston's creation was the need to provide a point of growth for the regional economy west of Edinburgh. Further to this, the Master Plan of 1963 acknowledged that the character of Livingston would depend to a large extent on the amount and type of employment provided in or near the town. The Master Plan also accepted that the rate of industrial and other economic development could be stimulated by providing a readily available supply of houses, factories and associated facilities. As such, from its outset Livingston was to incorporate areas that were specifically designated for use as industrial and commercial land. The building of the first industrial estate in Livingston, Houstoun, began shortly after designation. As the focus of Livingston changed in the early 1970s from being an area of overspill for Glasgow slum clearances to being one of economic stimulus for the Lothians, the attraction of industry and other commercial ventures grew in significance. The management of these industrial estates, and the attraction of industry and commerce, was the responsibility of the Estates and Industrial Development Department, and then, from 1987, the newly created Commercial Directorate.
Livingston Development Corporation went through a number of organisational changes during its existence. The first Estates and Industrial Development Chief Officer was appointed in 1969 (G McPherson). The second Chief Estates Officer (1979-1987), James Pollock became Chief Executive of the Corporation in 1987. It was around this time that the Estates and Industrial Development Department was reformed as part of the Commercial Directorate. In broad terms the new Directorate was to promote and attract investment and employment; secure commercial and residential development (through private house building); and to manage the Corporation's property portfolio, excluding housing.
The Commercial Directorate was a multi-disciplinary directorate which included chartered surveyors, marketing and information officers. The Community Development aspect of the Corporation was briefly part of the Commercial Directorate from 1991 to 1993, but this department returned to Property Services in 1994.
The Estates Department (as part of the Commercial Directorate) was split into three sections, Agency, Development and Adminstration.
The Agency Section:
1. Managed the Corporation's property portfolio, including land and buildings, but excluding housing.
2. Managed the portfolio towards the Wind-Up of the LDC
3. Had contact with tenants, private landlords, consultants, commercial property agents, public bodies and the general public.
4. Performed valuation of properties for sale, acquisition, letting, surrender, rating, asset valuation and management accounts.
5. Prepared property portfolio for investment market purposes.
6. Negotiated with tenants for relets and rent reviews.
The Development Section:
1. Evaluated, prepared, and implemented residential, commercial and industrial projects. Sold land and buildings from the Corporations portfolio. Its evaluation encompassed market research and viability of projects.
2. Undertook feasibility studies in respect of proposed development. Evaluated site investigations, supervised the preparation of detailed drawings and submission for planning authorisation, and made detailed costs estimates.
3. Performed the client function for the Corporation's own projects, and client's agent in respect of bespoke developments.
4. Liaised with the technical directorate to monitor and control the development projects.
5. Monitored projects' construction progress and budget.
6. Assisted in the preparation of the completed development's promotional material.
The attraction of economic growth to Livingston was perhaps the most successful achievement of the Livingston Development Corporation. With the closure of British Leyland and Plessey plants in Bathgate, employment in the wider area around Livingston was at a peak of 22%, but with the continual creation of jobs in Livingston this fell to just above the national average of 8.2%. In 1975 there were 7,930 people employed in Livingston, by 1995 this had risen to 25,694. |
| ScopeandContent | 12 subsubfonds comprising:
LDC/CD/1 Marketing and Publicity 1964-1996, comprising material relating to the marketing activities of the Corporation, including videos, photographs, posters, brochures and other marketing material.
/2 Industrial Estates; Industrial property files, factory project and feasibility files, and industrial asset disposal files, 1963-1996
/3 Commercial, Business and Leisure Developments; files relating to the development and management of commercial, business and leisure developments in Livingston, including the development of Almondvale Shopping Centre, 1966-1996
/4 Residential Property, files relating to the development of private housing within Livingston, 1972-1996
/5 Ecclesiastical Property, files relating to the development of Ecclesiastical property within Livingston, 1970-1994
/6 Educational Property, files relating to the development of Educational property within Livingston, 1968-1996
/7 Acquired Property, files relating to the development and management of acquired and pre-designation property in Livingston, 1966-1996
/8 Livingston Services and Infrastructure files, 1969-1996
/9 Tenants Management, files relating to the management of commercial tenants within Livingston, 1962-1996
/10 Lothian Regional Assessor files, 1976-1992
/11 Disposal of Corporation Assets during Wind-Up period, 1993-1996
/12 Deed Plans, 1969-1996.
|