Council’s £50m quay walls strategy to play key role in regeneration of the Clyde

Glasgow City Council today (17 August) gave the green light to the next stage of investment into the regeneration of the river Clyde with the approval of a quay walls strategy for the river.

Almost £50million of funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal – focused on a stretch of the Clyde between Albert Bridge at Glasgow Green and the proposed Govan-Partick bridge – will: address the structural integrity of quay walls; enhance pedestrian and cycle connectivity along the banks of the river; unlock the development potential of vacant and derelict land along the river corridor; and improve place quality and the vibrancy of the river and its banks.

This strategy will build on the council’s success in attracting development on the banks of the river, including the International Financial Services District, Glasgow Harbour, the Riverside Museum, Pacific Quay and the SEC.  Attractions on the banks of the Clyde bring more than six million visitors to the city every year.

Councillor Kenny McLean, City Convener for Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm at Glasgow City Council, said: “The full regeneration of the Clyde is key to Glasgow’s future economic success, and today’s decision marks another step towards achieving this goal.  The banks of the Clyde offer a fantastic location for people to live, work and visit, as well as a resource that can be used to make the communities of Glasgow better connected.”

Glasgow’s City Development Plan gives recognition to the importance of the Clyde and its potential for regeneration by classifying the river corridor as a Strategic Development Framework (SDF) area within the city.

This classification will be supported by infrastructure funding of £113.9million from the Glasgow City Region City Deal through the Waterfront and West End Innovation Quarter project.  This investment will further develop the banks of the river as an urban quarter that attracts investment and supports economic growth. 

This City Deal funding of almost £50million has been allocated to a quay walls strategy that will improve the access, quality and structural integrity of the waterfront.  The lack of investment in the river’s quay walls is seen as a significant barrier to the Clyde’s regeneration, and tackling this issue will reduce the associated costs that often restricts the development of vacant sites adjoining quay walls on the Clyde.  Glasgow City Council owns approximately 3,400 metres of quay wall in the project area, and this investment will deliver a comprehensive upgrade.