“The North of Glasgow’s time has come”- were the words of Councillor Susan Aitken, the Leader of Glasgow City Council, addressing delegates at our Glasgow Development Plans Event.

Glasgow City Council, supported by the £1.1bn Glasgow City Region Deal, are undertaking major community regeneration projects across the city, with the North of Glasgow being a particular focus for development.

After facing years of urban depopulation, Glasgow’s urban population is surging, with a growth rate similar to New York City and Los Angeles, according to Aitken.

According to Atiken there are “three key large scale housing-led regeneration and development areas in the North of Glasgow.” [emaillocker id=”71749″]

Cowlairs is the most recent area the council is seeking a partner to redevelop, and Atiken detailed the area: “It’s a 30-ha site, made up of council owned derelict land. It comprises of former tenement housing, a primary school, a vacant recreation ground and Cowlairs Par, just a mile from the city centre.”

She explained the council’s vision for housing in the area: “850 new mixed-tenure homes, including 200 for mid-market rent, supported by new commercial uses and open spaces, green and blue networks.”

The redevelopment also promises to tackle the climate crisis, by adopting passive house standards as default.

Other projects in the North of Glasgow include the £250m Sighthill development, which has commenced, and which is the largest regeneration scheme outside of London, and the £40m Hamiltonhill development.

Springfield Properties are major housebuilder operating within Scotland and they’ve received a planning consent for a new, 3,002 home village at Durieshill, near Sterling, around 20 miles from Glasgow.

Mark Hamilton, Group Architectural Director described the development as featuring a “Community campus, a primary school and a secondary school.”

There has also been a focus around green place-making on the development, which Hamilton described as influencing the transport strategy: “We have a strategy where we welcome the aspirations of active travel.”

Jackie McIntosh of Wheatley Group – Scotland’s biggest social landlord – described the massive funding going into social housing in Scotland, with £3bn in funding going towards councils and registered social landlords: “We’re riding on a bit of a crest on a wave in affordable housing, the Scottish Government is ramping up to 10,000 affordable homes a year”

Wheatley have been working on Calton Village, a proposal for 254 flats and houses in Glasgow, being build on vacant land near Gallowgate, and regenerating that area.

Restoration has been another focus of Wheatley Group’s affordable housing drive, and McIntosh described one such project in Central Glasgow: “We have a number of properties along Salt Market High Street and adjoining streets in that part of the city where there are grade B tenements; we have spent £6m on renovating and restoring those buildings.”

A new crossing over the Clyde is being constructed, connecting Renfrew and Yoker. Alisdair Morrison, Head of Regeneration at Renfrewshire Council said: “Around £90m is committed for the first opening road bridge on the Clyde in years.”

Current designs for the bridge, detail a moveable bridge to allow sea traffic to pass, as well as provision for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.

High-level manufacturing is a core focus for boosting the economy of Paisley, with £160m of funding having been invested in the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District. Renfrewshire Council is seeking a JV partner to develop a world-first £56m Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre at the site.

In addition, Morrison promised around “£100m into some of Paisley’s key assets.”

Morrison said: “If Renfrewshire achieves all its planned interventions and investments based on what we know at presence it will be about £1.5 billion in the next 10 years in terms of capital value.”

Paul Broad, Director of Business Space at real estate services firm Avison Young expressed enthusiasm at the growing property markets within Glasgow, noting there is “1000s of Build to Rent units due to be constructed.”

He also remarked on the thriving office market: “77% of the office pipeline is pre-let”, showing the business growth in the area.

Glasgow is undergoing one of the most major recoveries of any city in the UK, and is an exciting place to be, both for the people and businesses that call the city home. [/emaillocker]