Funding for 'dead zone' transformation on River Clyde

Work to transform a “dead zone” on the south bank of the River Clyde will continue after £1.2m funding was agreed to deliver the improvements.

Members of the Glasgow’s city administration committee approved the investment to transform Tradeston Bridge and the surrounding public realm.

Banking giant Barclays will match this with £1m funding of their own.

Another element of the work planned to continue the redevelopment of Tradeston – the ‘Tradeston Links’ – was also discussed by the council, which would see enhanced lighting at three nearby railway underpasses to encourage walking and cycling to and from the emerging Barclays Glasgow Campus.

Council leader Susan Aitken said: “We now have interest from Drum Property Group who are seeking to develop the Tradeston side on the south bank on the River Clyde. This has been a part of the city which has been really neglected and on the verge of dereliction for a long time.

“It has suffered enormously from deindustrialisation, a huge population loss and decline in the economic base and that little bit of the south bank of the river has been something of a dead zone for quite a long time.

“That is changing and there is a great deal of activity going on there and that is the development of over 3.7 hectares by Drum Property Group which is a mixed use development of seven urban blocks, a combination of office floor space, residential units and public spaces.

“It is really a total transformation of the area. The principle part of the development is the flagship northern European headquarters for Barclays which will support 2500 additional jobs to the city and make Barclays one of Glasgow’s biggest commercial employers.

“Barclays have restated their commitment to Glasgow during a period of economic uncertainty.”

Story by local democracy reporter Catherine Hunter