£9m invested in Shawfield project
Construction on office block is to start soon
A multi- million pound construction project could bring hundreds of jobs to Rutherglen, the Reformer can reveal.
Clyde Gateway have signed a contract that will see work start on turning former contaminated land at Shawfield into a national business district.
Red Tree Shawfield wi l l represent £9 million investment from Clyde Gateway, and will be able to support up to 250 jobs.
The office block will be the first in the new business district, named Magenta.
Construction is expected to take around 15 months.
Speaking to the Reformer, Ian Manson, chief executive of Clyde Gateway, was confident the project would be a success.
He said: “Our Red Tree brand has been very successful with two office blocks at Rutherglen and Bridgeton operating at full capacity.
“Red Tree Shawfield will be even bigger and better which will undoubtedly provide a highly attractive proposition for all sorts of small and medium sized companies.
“This is a £9 million investment by Clyde Gateway and it marks the beginning of what will be a remarkable and eye- catching transformation of the Shawfield area.
“There has been superb support from partners in getting the project to this stage and I would like to particularly thank both the Scottish Government and South Lanarkshire Council for the financial backing and flexibility they have provided over an extended period that will enable the construction work to begin next month and allow us to have the building ready for occupancy by the summer of 2018.”
The office will be four storeys high, with Clyde Gateway set tot target growth sectors such as media, communications, IT, training and engineering.
Mr Manson added: “Clyde Gateway, with the backing of South Lanarkshire Council has an excellent record of investment across the Rutherglen and Shawfield area over the past eight years that have made a real and lasting difference.
“There have been improvements i in the public realm around Rutherglen Station, new office b buildings and industrial units on Stonelaw Road and Farmeloan Road, the opening of the Cuningar Loop Woodland Park and the expanded accommodation for the Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust along with a range of projects and initiatives in education, training and employment that have impacted on thousands of local people.
“This however, is the beginning of something that will dwarf everything that Clyde Gateway has already achieved elsewhere as it is the first of what will be many such buildings within the Magenta office development which is going to be crucial in terms of our longterm goals around the creation of jobs and new business spaces, not to mention bringing previously contaminated and polluted industrial sites back into use.”
The main contractor at Red Tree Shawfield will be Robertson Construction whose team will soon be moving on site to enable a start date of the first week in April.
The building will be located at the junction of Shawfield Drive and Glasgow Road.
This marks the beginning of what will be a remarkable and eye-catching transformation of the Shawfield area
Ian Manson