£50m bid to fix Clyde’s crumbling quay walls
A £50MILLION plan to improve the River Clyde’s crumbling quay walls has won the backing of city councillors.
The work, which is seen as crucial for the regeneration of the river, will focus on the section of the river between Glasgow Green and the planned Partick-Govan bridge at the Riverside Museum.
Locations including Custom House Quay, Calton Place, Clyde Street, the Briggait and Anderston/Lancefield Quay have been identified as priority areas for investment.
The council owns around 3400 metres of the quay wall in those areas, but the remainder belongs to home-owners and other third parties.
In August 2014, the city council closed the riverside walkway at the Waterfront development after engineers discovered part of Windmillcroft Quay was crumbling.
Worried residents of neighbouring homes feared their properties would fall into the river with disastrous loss of life.
Interim repair work was carried out but experts said a longterm solution could cost £5m and could rise significantly if the wall failed and collapsed into the river.
As a result, the local authority is developing a grant scheme where owners can apply for funding if they can show they meet the objectives of the City Deal which is funding the work.
The improvement scheme will address the structural integrity of the quay walls, improve access for pedestrians and cyclists, unlock the development potential of vacant and derelict land beside the river and boost the vibrancy of the river and its banks.
City council leader Susan Ait- ken said: “The Clyde is a key part of our future economic growth and this investment will unlock regeneration that can benefit everyone in Glasgow.
“Restoring the quay walls on the Clyde will not only remove barriers to developing sites along the waterfront, bringing jobs, homes and businesses but will also improve access to the river making it an even more attractive location.”
In recent years, the regeneration of the Clyde has attracted developments such as the International Financial Services District, Glasgow Harbour, the Riverside Museum, Pacific Quay and the SECC as well as attractions on the riverbank which bring more than six million visitors to the city each year.
The £50m investment is part of the City Deal’s £114m waterfront and West End Innovation Quarter project which will further develop the waterfront as an area which attracts investment and supports economic growth.