Town centre will benefit from plan
Rutherglen town centre will receive a boost from Scotland’s biggest office space on the fringes of the town.
That is a view of Clyde Gateway chief executive Ian Manson.
Speaking exclusively to the Reformer after plans for the ‘Magenta’ development in Shawfield were unveiled, Ian insisted the project would also boost the economy of the Main Street and the surrounding areas.
The 1.2million square feet building has been launched by commercial property developer Highbridge Properties in partnership with Clyde Gateway.
It will form part of the ambitious national business district earmarked for the Shawfield area of Rutherglen.
Ian said it was a major boost for the town: “By bringing jobs and homes, you are helping bring shoppers and footfall and we expect to see direct benefits to Rutherglen.
“We have already developed the Red Tree Business Suites and Rutherglen Links right beside the town centre, and it is very important to us that the workers there use local amenities.
“Now we need to attract occupiers, and that is where we take comfort from the fact we have already developed over 300,000 square feet that is 90 per cent occupied. We have attracted over 3000 office workers into the Clyde Gateway area.
“It is entirely believable Shawfield can go the same way.”
Magenta forms part of phase one of the Shawfield plan. The work has already seen large tracts of land cleared of contaminated waste, something Mr Manson said was important to the local community.
“If you looked at a map of Rutherglen 10 years ago you would have worried about the future of the area. You can’t just invite companies into the area, you have to sort out the basics.
“We consult and involve everyone and life has been made easy for us because people are pretty clear with what they want - they want that land taken away and developed.”
Highbridge say Magenta will provide a ‘value for money addition to the Scottish economy’ – with Grade A office space that offers savings of 37 per cent on similar new- build offices in city centre locations, and 28 per cent on similar refurbished city centre offices.
It is expected that, as well as office space, Magenta will support a number of shops, cafes, a gym and business centre.
But Ian said Clyde Gateway wouldn’t just be focussing on Magenta: “In the long run, Clyde Gateway will be here still trying to develop the area and working on the next phase.
“There is an awful lot of work across the rest of the Shawfield area that needs to be tackled.
“This is important to Clyde Gateway because it is important to South Lanarkshire Council who have been an excellent support to us.”