‘Magnificent seven’ projects identified for ‘levelling up’ funding

APPLICATIONS are being submitted that – were they to come off – would see seven relatively large-scale regeneration proposals for Glasgow receive go-ahead funding.

One of the proposals is to build a garden over a part of the M8 motorway, which slices through the city, from Edinburgh towards Greenock.

The funding would be from the UK Government’s so-called ‘Levelling Up’ fund, to help equalise different parts of the UK with the south-east of England.

The applications are being submitted by the local authority, Glasgow City Council, which has already successfully secured funding from the Levelling Up scheme. These new, seven proposals are for a second of three funding rounds, as explained here.

Says the city council, here: “The LUF has £800million available for three rounds of projects in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, under three themes: smaller transport schemes that will make a genuine difference in local areas; town centre and high street regeneration; and support for the maintenance and expansion of cultural and heritage assets.”

Bids for the second round require to be submitted by the sixth of next month.

Says the council about its first round success: “A successful £13.05million bid was made to the first call of the LUF last year for the for Pollok Country Park Stables and Courtyard project, now underway.”

It adds: “Glasgow City Council can submit up to seven bids to the LUF (one per constituency), with a maximum value of £20million per application. There is also provision for the council to submit one large scale transportation bid (with a value of between £20 – £50million).”

The seven proposals are (Glasgow City Council wording):

M8 garden cap and public realm improvements (pictured)

This project would see a complete reconfiguration of the Charing Cross area in terms of transport and public realm, through a transformational project that would see the construction of a garden cap over the M8 between Sauchiehall Street and Bath Street; creating a peaceful green space offering a new community asset to residents, visitors and local businesses. The space would reconnect the city centre with the West End, extending the impact of – and connecting to – the Avenues Programme (Sauchiehall, Elmbank, and St Vincent Streets), as well as the Connecting Woodside project.

People’s Palace and Winter Gardens

This project would refurbish both the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens to restore the building’s potential to play its pivotal role as a local amenity in one of Glasgow’s most deprived neighbourhoods, as Glasgow’s Local History Museum and as an integrated part of Glasgow’s events infrastructure. The restoration would ensure this invaluable heritage asset can be maintained and preserved for future generations, paving the way for its sustainable future.

Regenerating Drumchapel town centre

This proposal would deliver the regeneration of the core of the designated Drumchapel Town Centre focused on the shopping centre, its immediate environs and wider connectivity to improve accessibility and patronage. The proposal would link to the community hub investment proposed for the area, with public realm and active travel improvements supporting the redevelopment of the site.

Regenerating Easterhouse town centre

The proposal includes enhancement of the Lochs Shopping Centre building, public realm improvements at key access points, including the car park and public entrances, and wider access improvements to the active travel network to increase patronage and accessibility withing the local town centre, particularly focused on links to existing facilities and the Seven Lochs Wetland Park.

Regenerating Maryhill town centre

This proposal would advance delivery of regeneration within Maryhill Town Centre and the adjacent Transformational Regeneration Area, and help unlock development through a green infrastructure strategy. The project also aims to forge improved physical and active travel links to the city-wide active travel network and the local canal, including the Stockingfield Junction.

Possilpark Liveable Neighbourhood

This proposal would deliver a step change in the regeneration of Possilpark, focused on Saracen Street, Stonyhurst and Allander Streets, a number of adjacent brownfield sites, the creation of the new urban park at Cowlairs with the associated development platform, and the adoption of Carlisle Street. This local town centre provides an accessible mix of shops and services and have significant potential for growth and place improvement.

Clyde Connectivity

This proposal combines work packages that provide a people focus by removing the barriers of 1960s-style highway infrastructure and connecting the community with the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, SEC [Scottish Event Campus and Glasgow city centre to the wider west of Scotland economic area. This will include new active travel infrastructure, placemaking measures, green infrastructure, development opportunities and parking controls in the G51 area that will unlock multiple sites for increased connectivity and investment.

Picture credit: Glasgow City Council