Glasgow regeneration projects receive £2.55million

Two regeneration projects in Glasgow - at the southern terminus of the Forth and Clyde canal in the city and for the Govan Old church - today (12 March) received over £2.5million in funding from the Scottish Government's Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF).

The city council was successful in bidding for RCGF support for Govan Old - A Focus for Community Renewal, a project which will redevelop a historically significant former church building into a centre of culture and enterprise. RCGF funding of £1.9million was given to this.

RCGF funding of £650,000 was also given to Sighthill Enterprise Wharf, which will develop a multi-use container village for community use, social enterprises and start-up businesses and at a key location between Sighthill and Port Dundas.

Councillor Kenny McLean, City Convener for Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm at Glasgow City Council, said: "I am delighted that Glasgow City Council will receive £2.55million RCGF funding for two vital and exciting regeneration projects in the city.  The redevelopment of Govan Old Church will provide a focus for the cultural and economic regeneration of Govan by safeguarding the future of the A-Listed church and the world-famous 'Govan Stones', creating over 20,000 square feet of new business space, and providing more than 50 new and permanent jobs. In the case of the Sighthill Enterprise Wharf, this funding will help to provide low-cost community and business spaces for both existing local residents and the emerging new neighbourhoods of Sighthill and Dundashill, where the council is leading on the development of 1,350 new homes."

Pat Cassidy, Managing Director of Govan Workspace, the local social enterprise which is leading the Govan Old project, said: "This is great news for Govan, and marks the culmination of 10 years of hard work by the community which has always been determined to save this magnificent building from closure. In terms of its historic significance, Govan Old is a national asset on a par with celebrated sites such as Iona and Whithorn, and has never been given the recognition it deserves. Our community wants to change all that and to see it flourish as a Govan icon and a key cultural and enterprise centre in Glasgow. The impact of the award is huge, it means things are now going to happen much faster than we expected, with a first phase of works starting in less than a year. We're very grateful to the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and our partners at Central Govan Action Plan for their support and we look forward to working closely with them on what will be an inspiring project for Govan."

Steve Dunlop, CEO of Scottish Canals, said: "This is fantastic news for North Glasgow as it will create a unique and exciting location for business start-ups and social enterprises that not only add value to the local economy but bring more people onto and along the Forth & Clyde Canal. The transformation of North Glasgow is really gathering pace now with new housing, a towpath link between Port Dundas and Sighthill and plans for a parkour site and it is great that this change is being shaped by local people."

Glasgow City Council will work with a range of local partners to deliver these projects, led by Govan Workspace and Scottish Canals and the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Partnership.

The redevelopment of Govan Old is one of the key projects of the Central Govan Action Plan (CGAP), a community-led partnership and investment framework established in 2006.  CGAP is working to deliver the next stage of regeneration, with forthcoming projects such as the Govan-Partick Bridge and new housing and commercial development at Water Row.

The redevelopment of Sighthill, the largest of the eight Transformational Regeneration Areas (TRAs) in Glasgow, took another step forward in recent months with the appointment of a preferred developer to deliver 826 new homes for sale and for mid-market rent. The area will also benefit from a new campus school, retail and commercial facilities, and a new pedestrian bridge improving connectivity to and from the city centre across the M8 motorway. Work will also commence shortly on the neighbouring Dundashill (also known as '100 Acre Hill') site, which will see the construction of over 500 new homes.

The RCGF aims to support local projects that engage and involve local communities, tackling inequality and supporting inclusive growth. The fund, which has been developed in partnership with COSLA and local authorities, is open to all 32 Scottish local authorities and their Special Purpose Vehicles.