Glasgow Harbour will bring ‘the West End back to the Clyde’

THE next phase of a multi-million pound masterplan to redevelop Glasgow’s waterfront is set to get underway next year.

A major retail and leisure complex is planned for a prominent gap site on the north bank of the Clyde, close to the city’s award-winning Riverside Museum.

The 52-acre site in Partick was once home to the Meadowside shipyard but has lain empty for more than two decades.

Owners Peel Group are now ready to press ahead with plans to build a cinema and 170,000 sq ft of retail space, with late 2018 as an initial completion date.

A waterfront walkway and a new pedestrian bridge across the River Kelvin, linking the site with the museum, are also planned.

The developers hope the project will coincide with council plans to build a new footbridge across the Clyde, offering a new link between Govan and Partick.

Peel say the project will bring “the West End back to the river” and encourage more visitors away from the city centre.

The Scotsman understands a decision has yet to be made on the future of the B-listed Scotway House. The former shipyard office is the only structure currently left on site, but was badly damaged by fire in January.

Peel is also actively seeking residential development partners to build a mixture of medium and high rise apartments as well as town houses across the wider Waterfront site, which stretches from Yorkhill Quay to Whiteinch.

Development director James Whittaker said: “From the start of the recession in 2008 Peel have been undeterred in its investment of our strategic waters sites, securing planning permission in readiness for the return of the residential market.

“Now with financial institutions focused on investing in this sector it will enable Peel to fast track the development programme on our consented residential and mixed used sites.”

“Peel has already built up a number of successful residential partnerships with X1 and Moda Living among others and has also delivered its own residential stock.

The first phase of the Glasgow Habour masterplan was completed in 2008 and involved the construction of 1100 apartments on the site of the former Meadowside Granary, which was demolished in 2002.