Les BanksBack to Dundee Ambassadors

Les Banks has lived in Dundee for more than 30 years and is part of the team working on the Waterfront development, a £70 million project to transform the city's riverfront.

I'm not a Dundonian but I've well and truly caught the Dundee bug. I moved here about 40 years ago from Penicuik in Midlothian to do a planning course at the Duncan of Jordanstone art college. It's a smashing place to be a student. I moved away for my first job but knew I wanted to return. I came back to Dundee in the 1970s and I've stayed ever since.

As a place to live, Dundee's got some fantastic advantages: south facing and surrounded by The Law, the Sidlaws and the River Tay. It's really easy to access the countryside and any outdoor activity you'd care to do. If I were a golfer, I'd be in heaven! It's also a great base to explore the rest of Scotland.

Dundee's changed dramatically over the time I've lived here. I think it really started with the overhaul of the city centre which has attracted investment and new business. This has made the city much more competitive.

The Waterfront is our city's front door. That's why it's so important to get it right. After all it remains a truism that first impressions count. The waterfront is not just being developed for image reasons but there's no question that the quality of that experience is important. When BBC Radio 1 brought their ‘Big Weekend' to Dundee in 2006, DJ Chris Moyles' opening comments were not complimentary about the visual aspect of the city. We're determined to change that, indeed, we already are. 

Infrastructure can help support Dundee's ambitions. What's been happening with the universities is really exciting. The quality of research has brought attention and kudos to the city, and it's surprising how big gaming is here - I was amazed to find out that more than 3000 people are engaged in Dundee's digital sector. We need to support the ambitions and aspiration of life sciences, digital and other key areas by providing the right infrastructure to accommodate them - whether that's for graduates to remain in the city and promote their talents or for start up businesses to come here.

We've got a chance to reconnect the city to the water. The road bridge and its associated ramps and roads in the centre have effectively created a barrier to the river. We need to make more of the Tay as it is one of Dundee's most fantastic assets. Historically, there's always been a strong link with the River - we have a maritime heritage but it became divorced.  So part of the waterfront development is about altering the road bridge and ramp arrangement to form a simple grid pattern which removes that barrier.

We're aiming to make Dundee's waterfront development different. "Clone town" is not attractive to business. We want to be prescriptive about quality and portray what's unique about the city through good design. We'll be working with the right people to ensure this happens.

To an extent I think Dundee is Scotland's best-kept secret. Still people have a preconception about the city - which is often a misconception. Sometimes it's quite nice being a ‘secret' and, while it's not always in the Dundonian nature to shout about the place, we should aim to address those misconceptions.

Connections to Dundee are really important - which is why the new waterfront development has an ambition for an improved train station. The fast rail service to Edinburgh and the air link to London City make it much easier to access the city.

Renewables is an exciting area for Dundee. We have a deep-water coast, making us an ideal location for involvement in projects such as offshore wind and wave power.

My main aspiration for the Waterfront is that it will have an enduring quality. It's got to be sustainable. We want buildings which will last - and look good.  We want street activity - a buzz that extends from the city-centre down to the water. There'll be ground floor shops, offices and accommodation and a smart new train station. There are also discussions around creating a marina here, which would be fantastic. It's an exciting time.