2019 marked the five-year milestone of the £1.13 billion Glasgow City Region City Deal, one of the largest and most advanced in the UK.

The period has witnessed significant progress, with all 27 projects selected and most underway since the Deal was agreed with the UK and Scottish Governments in August 2014.

Sixteen projects have already been completed by the eight member authorities to date with more than £180m spent on infrastructure.

Local businesses have benefitted from a £50m boost – the value of City Deal contracts won to date by companies across the Region.

However, the next five years are set to represent an even greater opportunity for the Region’s 50,000 businesses – with over £740m worth of further contracts anticipated – more than four times the spend to date.

City Deal projects / sub-projects completed at end December 2019:

• Projects that have completed so far: Medicity, Tontine, Cathkin Relief Road, Glasgow University Imaging Centre of Excellence, Youth Gateway, Working Matters and In Work Progression.
• Completed sub-projects: Crossmill Business Park, Newton Farm Primary School, Sighthill Remediation Contract 1, Newton Park and Ride, Glenboig Link Road, Sauchiehall Avenue, Woodhead Primary School Extension, Calton Barras Action Plan: Barras Public Realm Phase 1 and Greenlaw Business Centre.

Susan Aitken, chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet and leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The Glasgow City Region Deal continues to make significant progress and is building on its status as one of the most advanced in the UK. We are now delivering projects at pace and for place and our people. Communities are beginning to see the delivery of the Deal’s promise and that it is having a clear transformational effect.

“Over 20 major and transformative infrastructure projects are either underway or due to commence; we have worked with almost 20,000 unemployed citizens and supported 4,500 back into sustainable employment; transport and connectivity is improving; we will generate a permanent uplift in our Gross Value Added and are set to leverage billions in private sector investment, with the record-breaking investment by Barclay’s on the banks of the Clyde underpinned by City Deal investment.

“We look forward to the next five years where we can really build on the potential of the City Deal and ensure we have the levers to transform the Glasgow City Region into the real Powerhouse of the North.”

Scottish secretary Alister Jack said: “The Glasgow City Region Deal has made great progress since 2014 with projects which are helping to create thousands of jobs, homes and opportunities that will improve people’s lives.

“I look forward to seeing further developments as the fruits of our £523m Glasgow City Region City Deal investment benefit the region.

“The UK Government has committed more than £1.4bn in city and growth deals across Scotland – with more to come. We are working to bring sustainable growth and prosperity to every part of the country, and we will continue to work with the Scottish Government and local partners to ensure this happens.”

Benefits from the City Deal Programme expected to be realised in the next five years include more than 7,700 new homes built; over 400 hectares of land reclaimed, redeveloped or assembled and over 80 hectares of vacant land brought back into use. Over 400,000 square metres of commercial, industrial, residential and other floor space outcomes will also have been realised through the current projected amount of follow-on investment.

Next year will see further progress.

At Sighthill in Glasgow, the largest UK urban regeneration scheme of its type outside of London, City Deal investment is creating a new neighbourhood, re-connecting an area equivalent in size to 60 football pitches to the near-by city centre and opening up the north of the city for growth. A new city park is also set to open at Sighthill later in the year. Future developments include an iconic bridge over the M8 motorway

At Ocean Terminal in Greenock, completion of a new berthing facility is expected early in the New Year, with the floating of a new Pontoon. The plans also include a new visitor centre which is still to be delivered. Together these are set to boost cruise ship passengers to over 150,000 passing through Greenock Ocean Terminal each year, delivering £26m in annual visitor spend to the economy.

Greenlaw Business Centre will also formally open in East Renfrewshire, providing modern office accommodation and support for local small businesses.

The first Smart Canal in Europe will complete and open soon. This innovative project combines new technology with the 250-year-old Forth and Clyde Canal to mitigate flood risk and unlock 110 hectares in north Glasgow for investment, regeneration and 3,000 new homes.

Work is progressing apace in Renfrewshire to develop the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland, where a 52-hectare site next to Glasgow Airport is being transformed into Scotland’s centre for manufacturing research and innovation. Home to the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland and the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, the fully developed district is estimated to create thousands of jobs and boost Scotland’s manufacturing sector by £535m in GVA every year. More than 365 jobs are being supported through the construction of the £39.1m enabling infrastructure, funded through the City Deal, which started in 2019 and is scheduled for completion by early 2021.

And at nearby Renfrew, advance works are taking place to prepare for construction of the first opening road bridge over the River Clyde, transforming the waterfront and improving access to work, education, hospitals and leisure. The Clyde Waterfront Renfrew Riverside project, scheduled for completion by 2023, is anticipated to inject an additional £859m into the City Region economy over the next 25 years, attracting new developments along the river.