Clyde Mission is a partnership including Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Government, other local authorities and other organisations, and which aims to use the river as a focus to bring sustainable and inclusive economic growth to Glasgow, the city region and Scotland.
In November 2010, the Scottish Government launched the Clyde Mission Fund, with £10million of funding available in this financial year for capital projects that will deliver economic stimulus and jobs. A competitive bidding process saw Glasgow City Council bid for funding against other local authorities as well as private and third sector organisations.
At the end of this process, Glasgow City Council was awarded almost £2.2million funding for two projects in Govan, and the council is also to administer over £2.765million of this funding to three third-party projects.
The first of these projects where the council is to be directly funded (£1.98million) is for enabling works at Water Row in Govan, supporting the first phase of the transformation of this key site on the south side of the river. £200,000 funding will also go to the second project, the improvement of 16 shopfronts in Govan town centre.
The third-party projects where the council is to administer Clyde Mission funding are: the Govan Heritage Trust, where £463,000 funding will deliver a 200KW river source heat pump to provide heating for the A-listed Govan Old building currently being developed for business and community use; SWG3, with £1.85million funding for infrastructure works to redevelop community space to create a community garden and growing space, workspaces for artists and creative businesses, and a creative thoroughfare linking Finnieston, Yorkhill, Partick and Govan; and The Big Cran Co, with the council administering £452,000 funding for structural repairs on the Finnieston Crane to allow it be used for community-led activities in the future.
Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “While much of the Clyde has been regenerated in recent years, there remains so much unrealised potential along its banks. These projects will deliver real economic and social benefits for communities on both sides of the river, and we look forward to the impact they will make as part of the work to return the Clyde to its rightplace place at the heart of the city.”
Due to the impact of the current lockdown and the ambitious timescales of the fund, project delivery will be challenging: council officers will therefore assist projects – and liaise with the Scottish Government on grant drawdown and carry forward – if required.
More information on Clyde Mission is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/clyde-mission/.