Context 

Glasgow is the largest of Scotland’s cities with a population of 584,240. The City is situated on the banks of the River Clyde, at the heart of Scotland’s only conurbation. It is Scotland’s principal commercial centre and one of the United Kingdom’s main regional retail and main office centres. Some key events which have influenced the City’s development include:-

Early 20th Century

• 1900, City reached peak of industrial production
  
  
• 1914-18, First World War boosted City’s heavy industries

1930’s

• 1938, Empire Exhibition attracted 13 million visitors
  
  
• 1939, Peak population of 1,128,473
  
  
• 1939-45, Second World War, pattern of prosperity and decline was repeated

1940’s

• 1945, ‘Bruce Plan’ - City Engineer proposed radial transport routes, reduced housing densities and new industrial estates
  
  
• 1946, Clyde Valley Regional Plan proposed decentralisation of population and industry (250,000 from a population of 1,128,000)
  
  
• 1946, New Towns Scotland Act
  
  
• 1947, East Kilbride New Town designated
  
  
• 1948, Castlemilk, Drumchapel and Easterhouse peripheral estates - work underway

1950’s

• 1951, City Development Plan defined 29 areas for redevelopment
  
  
• 1956, Cumbernauld New Town designated
  
  
• 1957, Housing and Town Development Scotland Act - encouraged overspill agreements with other authorities and the building of multi-storey flats
  
  
• 1958, First multi-storey house building started

1960’s

• 1960, Suburban electrified rail network opened
  
  
• 1962, Tram cars withdrawn from service
  
  
• 1964, Clyde Tunnel opened
  
  
• 1965, Highway Plan for Glasgow set out road proposals for the City
  
  
• 1967, Red Road flats, highest housing blocks in Europe, opened

1970’s

• 1970, Kingston Bridge - motorway crossing of the River Clyde opened
  
  
• 1971, Lord Esher reported on conservation measures within the City - shift in emphasis from slum clearance to rehabilitation and improvement
  
  
• 1972, Pedestrianisation of Buchanan Street started
  
  
• 1975, Reorganisation of local government - Strathclyde Regional Council and Glasgow District Council, came into existence
  
  
• 1976, Glasgow Eastern Area Renewal (GEAR) project initiated and Maryhill Corridor Project commenced

1980’s

• 1981, Glasgow District Council prepared its first Economic Development Plan
  
  
• 1982, Merchant City Initiative started - conversion of disused buildings to residential use
  
  
• 1982, Sighthill Park opens, largest park created in Glasgow for 100 years
  
  
• 1983, Burrell Gallery opened and ‘Glasgow’s Miles Better’ promotional campaign initiated
  
  
• 1984, public launch of the Glasgow District Plan
  
  
• 1984, Lord Grieve Inquiry into Glasgow housing condition
  
  
• 1985, Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) opened
  
  
• 1987, Princes Square Shopping Centre opened
  
  
• 1988, National Garden Festival at Princes Dock/Pacific Quay attracted 4.25 million visitors
  
  
• 1989, St Enoch Centre and the New Museum of Transport opened

1990’s

• 1990, Scottish Enterprise established
  
  
• 1990, City hosts European City of Culture year and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall opened
  
  
• 1991, Glasgow Development Agency (GDA) set up and ‘Glasgow’s Alive’ promotional campaign initiated
  
  
• 1992, Glasgow gained five Europa Nostra Diplomas of Merit.  Glasgow Cathedral floodlit
  
  
• 1993, Glasgow Regeneration Alliance founded
  
  
• 1996, Reorganisation of local government - Glasgow becomes a unitary authority
  
  
• 1997, Royal Town Planning Institute awards Glasgow the Silver Jubilee Cup for Planning Achievement - Cathedral Precinct and City Centre Public Realm strategy and demonstration projects for Royal Exchange Square and Candleriggs
  
  
• 1998, £200 million Buchanan Galleries Shopping Centre opened
  
  
• 1999, Glasgow hosts the 1999 Year of Architecture and Design
  
  
• 1999, Lighthouse building and Homes for the Future building project open as part of ‘Glasgow 1999’
  
  
• 1999, Scottish Parliament officially opened

2000’s

• 2000, Glasgow City Council sanctions the biggest Public Private Partnership Investment Programme in the UK - all 29 of the City’s secondary schools upgraded/refurbished over a three year period
  
  
• 2000, Scotland’s National Football Stadium - the new Hampden Park officially opened
  
  
• 2001, Scottish Football Museum opened at Hampden Park
  
  
• 2001, Glasgow Science Centre opened
  
  
• 2001, Transfer of 90,000 Council houses to the Glasgow Housing Association agreed
  
  
• 2001, Glasgow’s Financial Services District launched
  
  
• 2002, Launch of a new lighting strategy encompassing the lighting of individual buildings and landmarks, statutory street lighting, amenity and festive lighting and lighting as an art form
  
  
• 2003, With the adoption of City Plan 1 on 1st August, Glasgow moves from a system of 43 local plans of varying ages to one single up-to-date development plan covering the entire City
  
  
• 2003, Glasgow designated European Capital of Sport
  
  
• 2004, Glasgow’s first River Festival takes place
  
  
• 2004, The Clyde Gateway project is initiated to tackle the physical and economic decline of a large part of the City’s East End and part of South Lanarkshire 
  
  
• 2005, Phase 2 of the Lighting Strategy is approved and Glasgow’s first lighting festival, Radiance, is hosted 
  
  
• 2006, The Clyde Arc bridge completed
  
  
• 2006, Glasgow City Halls and Old Fruitmarket reopens after £13 million transformation
  
  
• 2006, Phase 1 of the Glasgow Harbour residential development nears completion, with phase 2 on site.  Planning application submitted for Clyde Fastlink (a dedicated public transport route) linking Glasgow Harbour to the City Centre.  Lowering the Clydeside Expressway begins
  
  
• 2006, Glasgow launches first ever City-wide celebration of Charles Rennie Mackintosh
  
  
• 2006, STV studios and offices opened at Pacific Quay 
  
  
• 2006, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and Kibble Palace reopens following refurbishment
  
  
• 2007, Glasgow hosts Europe’s largest comedy festival
  
  
• 2007, Glasgow hosts the UEFA Cup Final at Hampden Park
  
  
• 2007, Glasgow Green £15.5 million (8 year) restoration programme complete
  
  
• 2007, BBC Headquarters opened at Pacific Quay
  
  
• 2007, Glasgow successful in securing the 2014 Commonwealth Games
  
  
• 2008, Glasgow hosts the Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art
  
  
• 2008, Pollok Country Park voted Europe’s Best Park
  
  
• 2009, Glasgow successful in securing the world’s first Senior Olympics in 2012.
  
  
• 2009, Tradeston Bridge opened – Glasgow’s newest pedestrian and cycle crossing.
  
  
• 2009,  Glasgow City Plan 2 to be adopted and work to start on City Plan 3
  
• 2009, International Financial Services District and Oatlands New Neighbourhood receive Planning Award.
  

For more information telephone: 0141 287 2000

Or visit:  www.glasgow.gov.uk

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