Dargavel House, Bishopton, Renfrewshire, PA7

Residential Development Opportunity.

Description

The property is located on the southern boundary of Dargavel Village, and extends to approximately 9.05 acres (3.66 hectares). Dargavel House sits in the middle of the site
and is accessed via the driveway to the north, off Glenluce Drive. The site is mainly flat in its topography, the majority of which is covered by woodland and shrubs. The north of the site is bounded by a new housing development currently under construction with Bellway Homes. Launched in 2018, Bellway are now in the process of completing Phase 3 comprising 280 homes. Robertson Homes have recently completed their development to the north of the site. The east, south and west of the site are bound by a mix of woodland and arable land. Dargavel House itself is comprised of three floors with attic space and extends to 10,398 sqft.

HISTORY
Dargavel House is a Grade B listed 16 century tower house set within expansive grounds, located in the
historical village of Bishopton. Its history begins in 1516 when a descendant of the prominent Maxwells
of Newark family, was granted land and established himself as the first Maxwell of Dargavel.

The oldest remaining structure is a classic Scottish Z-Plan tower house, where the design aimed to give
inhabitants a 360-degree defensive vantage point. Notably, high on the east gable, there is a stone
plaque bearing the Maxwell coat of arms and a stag’s head crest dated 1584.

Despite significant earlier efforts, fortified castles were outdated by the mid-19th century. So, the Maxwell family commissioned David Bryce, Scotland’s leading high-Victorian architect, to transform the medieval tower into a fashionable country mansion. Between 1849 and 1851, Bryce added a large northwest wing, incorporating the 16th century fortress into an expansive Scots Baronial design. This Victorian overhaul reconfigured the interior, concealed the original western entrance, and reoriented the building toward the surrounding parklands.

The house was further refined in 1910, when renowned Scottish architect Peter MacGregor Chalmers
remodelled the interiors, introducing his signature intricate stonework. Its fortunes shifted during the
World Wars, when the Ministry of Defence acquired the estate and converted it into the Royal Ordnance Factory, soon the UK’s largest munitions facility with Dargavel serving as its administrative headquarters, executive offices, and training centre.

Following closure in the early 2000s, landowner BAE Systems led one of Europe’s largest brownfield reclamation projects, naming the new community after the landmark tower. Today, the listed mansion remains protected within the masterplanned Dargavel village, lending historical prestige and linking
Scotland’s medieval past, wartime legacy, and contemporary luxury living.

PLANNING
The site is allocated under a masterplan approved by Renfrewshire Council under the original reference 06/0602/PP. The planning application is from 2006 but the site has been identified as Dargavel Village Core Development Area in the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan adopted in 2021. The site has residential development potential subject to the necessary planning consents. An indicative site layout is provided.

Location

The property lies within the Dargavel masterplan site, which is around 13.5 miles west of Glasgow. Bishopton was historically a small town of c.8,000 residents, it has grown significantly in recent years as a popular commuter village. Since the early 2000's, the former Royal Ordnance Factory site has been redeveloped creating the thriving community of Dargavel Village, a mixed use growth area including a major residential scheme of circa. 4,000 homes, of which around 2,000 have been completed. Paisley, the nearest large town, is approximately 6.6 miles to the south-east. Bishopton offers a range of local amenities, supplemented by wider provision nearby. A Sainsbury’s lies around 1.1 miles north, with the nearest Co-op approximately 2.3 miles away.

Further retail, including Morrisons and Aldi, are available in Erskine, around 4.3 miles east. The village also has a selection of restaurants, pubs and cafés. Braehead Shopping Shopping Centre located circa 7 miles from the site provides a broader retail offering, with occupiers such as Apple Inc, Boots, Flannels, H&M, Marks and Spencer, Primark New Look, Pandora and Primark, alongside a wide variety of food operators including Five Guys, Nando’s, Prezzo, Stack and Still, and Snow Flake.

There is an abundance of golf courses and green spaces accessible from Dargavel House. Nearby golf courses include Kilmacolm (c.8 miles west), Old Course Ranfurly and Ranfurly Castle (c.7 miles south), and Elderslie (c.7.3 miles south-east). Robertson Park lies around 7.2 miles east, and the Knockmountain of Kilmacolm is approximately 6.7 miles east. Dargavel House is well connected, located around 7 miles east of the M8, providing access to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Bishopton railway station approximately 2.3 miles north offers services to Glasgow Central in approximately 20 minutes, with wider national connections available from there. Glasgow Airport, an international airport, is approximately 4.5 miles east. In terms of education, Dargavel Primary School (opened 2022) is about 0.8 miles away and within catchment, though capacity is expected to be insufficient as the masterplan development progresses. A new primary school, Thistle Primary is due to open in August 2027. The site is also within the catchment for St John Bosco Primary in Erskine (c.5 miles), as well as Park Mains High School (c.4.2 miles) and Trinity High School (c.5.7 miles).

Square Footage: 10,398 sq ft



Additional Info

EPC
Dargavel House has a commercial EPC rating
Rating - 30 (B)

TITLE
The Heritable Interest (Scottish equivalent of English Freehold) in the site is offered for sale. We would highlight that interested parties are required to satisfy themselves on all aspects of the Title.

Parties should note interest with Savills in the first instance in
order to be kept informed of any updated information. Whist fully intending to sell, the Seller is not obliged to accept the highest or indeed any offer to the site.

VAT
The site is elected for VAT.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Please contact the selling agents for supporting information.