10.73 The South Central area is located on the south bank of the River Clyde and extends from the M8 east to the boundary with South Lanarkshire and south as far as Hampden Park and Toryglen. The area contains a number of housing areas that date from the redevelopment programmes of the 1960s and a swathe of business developments extending from Tradeston to Polmadie, dividing Gorbals and Oatlands from Govanhill.

10.74 The area has extensive vacant land, most notably at Tradeston, Bedford Street, Cathcart Road, Oatlands and Toryglen. This contributes to a rather run down appearance, made worse by poor maintenance of property, piecemeal development and poor urban design. Most of the housing areas that date from the 1960s have suffered from a lack of investment and now need renewal. In common with other disadvantaged areas in Glasgow, South Central has a high concentration of social and economic problems.

Gorbals Regeneration

10.75 Proximity of the area to the City Centre should help the regeneration process. Indeed, the public and private sector investment in high quality owner occupied housing has resulted in the area’s population increasing. The Crown Street, Hutchesontown East and Queen Elizabeth Square redevelopments have begun to create a people-friendly townscape based on traditional street layouts and a good quality of urban design and landscape. The Tramway and Hampden Park developments have provided not just the south side of Glasgow, but Scotland, with national facilities that should act as a catalyst for further regeneration.

10.76 In response to the area’s deprivation problems, the Scottish Executive designated Gorbals and North Toryglen as Social Inclusion Partnership Areas (SIPs).