RENFREWSHIRE

A broad diversity of property styles makes Renfrewshire a little bit different in terms of its appeal to home buyers

Neatly bisected by the M8, Renfrewshire has probably never had a higher profile than it does now. Simply ask your friends when they last visited Braehead shopping centre, crossed the Erskine bridge or visited Glasgow Airport, and youíll start to get an idea of how important this region of 175,000 people is to the Scottish economy.

The heart of the region is Paisley, where urban regeneration is bringing the long-neglected town centre bang up to date with a stylish makeover. Modern apartments have been fashioned out of traditional buildings, highlighted by the revitalised Anchor Mill development, a former centrepiece of the townís economy and now a collection of boutique flats thronged by young professionals, enjoying the view over the White Cart Water.

But Renfrewshire has much more to offer than Paisley alone. The residents of towns such as Bridge of Weir and Kilbarchan will happily attest to the enduring appeal of their neighbourhoods, while Ferry Village is Renfrewshireís answer to Glasgow Harbour, a vast new district being constructed out of formerly derelict brownfield land, and already transforming the fortunes of the regionís eponymous capital. Along with the aforementioned Braehead and adjoining leisure complex, itís a sign of how times are changing in Renfrewshire.