Building in Bridgeton

I've been watching the new Glasgow Community and Safety Services building rise out of the ground near Bridgeton Cross over the past weeks and months, and on Thursday morning I got the chance to visit. Clyde Gateway were very helpful - both in minding Alexander while I donned a hardhat, and explaining how the building will work.

It's pretty impressive - the atrium area (shown in the photo) will dominate the building. There's a lot of light too, streaming in the big glazed areas facing south on London Road. The views over the city from the upper floors are also impressive - you can see the City Centre rooftops, up to Dennistoun, along to the new velodrome. 

Part of the rationale for the building of the offices is to show other developers why locating in Bridgeton can work for them - the development's still a few months away from having people sitting at desks, but you can just about imagine people working and meeting in the different spaces. 

Local people have been employed in the construction works, and although most of the jobs will be moving from a City Centre office to this one, this kind of development could really be a boost to local businesses, cafes, shops, and even various other retailers. It'll bring life to a bit of London Road that's quite lonely at night.

I'm looking forward to going back in the New Year, when more of the building works will be nearing completion.

Dalmarnock Cross consultation

I've received the following information from Clyde Gateway about the consultation events happening this week about Dalmarnock Cross. If you're interested, please do pop along!

COMMUNITY VIEWS SOUGHT ON REDEVELOPMENT OF DALMARNOCK

Clyde Gateway is seeking the views and opinions of local residents and businesses on proposals to redevelop the area around Dalmarnock Railway Station.

The proposals involve the creation of a central area, similar in feel to Bridgeton Cross and Farme Cross, around which shops, offices and businesses would be located alongside a reveloped station and within a wholly new road layout.

Three days of community consultations will take place as follows:-

Wednesday 24th, Thursday 25th and Friday 26th November : from 10am – 4pm at the Clyde Gateway Offices, Bridgeton Cross

Wednesday 24th November : from 10am – 1pm at the Bridgeton Community Learning Campus, Dale Street

Thursday 25th November : from 4pm – 7pm at the Dalmarnock Centre, Lily Street.

Staff from Clyde Gateway and the Design Team will be at all of the exhibitions to talk through the various details and to answer any questions.

All are welcome to attend, and further information is available from Alison Brown on 0141 276 1579 or by email to alison.brown@clydegateway.com

Bridgeton Cross

I attended the formal re-opening of Bridgeton Cross this lunchtime - the rain stayed off just long enough for the Lord Provost to give his speech and cut the ribbon laced around the umbrella.

The civic realm works have been done in cooperation with a group of local residents, so as to create a space the community actually want and can be proud of.

The improvement is really amazing, and very high quality. There are quotations from the works of Burns engraved in the pavements, reflecting the connection with the Bridgeton Burns Club. Young people from Dalmarnock Primary marked the occasion by signing a few of Burns' songs.

Interestingly, when the umbrella was being refurbished, the workers discovered that there was a bell up in the top of it. This has now been brought back into use, and will chime on the hour during the day.

European money for Bridgeton

I was really pleased to see this morning that £1,157,086.00 has been secured from the European Regional Development Fund for Clyde Gateway's SME Business HUB in Bridgeton.

This money will go a long way to sustain real jobs and businesses in the East End, and have a large part to play in the regeneration of the area. This is on top of other money from the Scottish Government from the Town Centre Regeneration fund.

The SNP know that to get through the recession, we need to continue to invest in our people and our communities. This particular money is coming from the EU, not the UK.

Commenting on the news, John Swinney said:

"While there are signs of a fragile recovery, this undoubtedly remains a very challenging economic climate. It is absolutely right that the Scottish Government uses all of the levers at its disposal, including European funding, to support projects which can maximise employment opportunities and support our economy through the downturn and towards sustainable economic growth.

"I am delighted by the variety of projects supported by this latest cash injection, from new business facilities to the renewable energy industry. The projects have the potential to support the creation of around 950 new jobs in Scotland.

"This builds on the Scottish Government's Economic Recovery Plan, which has already directly supported up to 15,000 jobs in the Scottish economy at this difficult time. This funding will provide a further and timely boost to our recovery prospects and be warmly welcomed in many Scottish communities."

Dalmarnock station

As part of the investment for the Commonwealth Games and in connection to the regeneration taking place in my ward through Clyde Gateway, the train station at Dalmarnock will be receiving a substantial upgrade.


I went for a meeting with SPT officials this week, and got a bit more information on the plans for the station and the timescale for the improvements.

I use the station occasionally going to meetings in Dalmarnock, but it's a bit isolated and it's usually easier to get the bus.

I'm not alone in this view, as it's pretty quiet. At the moment, the station faces out on to Swanston Street, which makes it all but invisible from the main road. Some early plans show a change in the entrance to Dalmarnock Road, and this seems to have been a popular idea at Clyde Gateway's consultation meetings.

SPT are currently working with partners to draw up a series of options, and working out the costs of the improvements.

The station itself, as you can see from the pictures, is pretty unusual, with large concrete beams supporting retaining walls, and bridges going overhead. This makes it more challenging to get the station up to the best standards to allow access for disabled passengers. Lifts would clearly be the best solution, but with limited space, I can see that careful planning will be required to fit them in safely.

The station will be well-placed for the Commonwealth Games, and everyone is keen to see it play a part, bringing tourists, and then being available for the new residents who will come to live in the area afterwards.

The officials hope to have the refurbishment work completed by the autumn of 2013, and I'll certainly keep you updated with any further information.






Eastbound platform - this may end up being the new entrance from Dalmarnock Road.







Platforms and tunnel - the roads above are Swanston Street on the left and Dalmarnock Road straight ahead.








Bridge over the tracks and supporting beams - you can see how narrow the station is, and how little room there is to redevelop.



I'd like to give my thanks to Cllr Watson and his staff for their time and the helpful information they provided.

SNP Government Funding for Bridgeton

I was delighted on Friday to hear the news that the Scottish Government has awarded Bridgeton £1.95 million to go towards redeveloping the town centre.

When the SNP Government introduced this scheme, I really hoped Bridgeton could benefit from it. Our Glasgow MSPs lobbied hard to make sure that the definition of "town centres" allowed those in cities to be included. As much as town centres in rural areas need assistance, urban town centres are often neglected for investment in the city centre. The Merchant City, International Financial Services District and the "golden z" are nice, but it's as important to invest in the places where people actually live.

Bridgeton Town Centre was chosen as one of the forty-eight town centres across Scotland to receive this funding, and has received the highest sum of money in Glasgow. This is a massive boost for the area, and shows the SNP Government’s commitment to regeneration in the East End.

I know that staff at Clyde Gateway are working hard to develop plans for the area alongside the wishes of local people, and this money will really add to what they can do. I fully support funds going towards the redevelopment of the former Olympia Cinema, which could become a huge asset for the East End.

There is £20 million in the town centre regeneration fund pot to be awarded later this year, and I am sure that Parkhead Cross, which missed out this time, will have a very good chance of getting selected next time. Parkhead has had some investment through the Townscape Heritage Initiative, but like so many of Glasgow's neglected town centres, it needs a bit extra to really make the difference for local people.