The next stage of a project which is key to opening up the River Clyde and reinstating a public walkway is due to get underway.
Nine years since parts of the quay wall on the south bank of the river were closed off after it was discovered urgent repair work was needed which followed lengthy negotiations on how the work would be paid for, a procurement process will begin.
In 2014 the quay wall at Windmillcroft Quay meant the closure of the public walkway having to be closed between Tradeston and Springfield Quay.
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Two years later emergency demolition and replacement earthworks were carried out to temporarily stabilise a section of the quay wall were carried out, instructed by Spiers Gumley Property Management on behalf of the co-owners of the housing development.
Discussions were held between Glasgow City Council and the 278 co-owners for several months but agreement was eventually reached that the residents would each pay £5000 towards the project.
The works are part-funded by the Glasgow City Region City Deal, as part of the £50million allocated through the Deal to secure the integrity of the Clyde waterfront, consolidate the quay walls there, and activate the area.
This £50million is part of wider City Deal funding, including projects such as the Govan-Partick Bridge and Custom House Quay, to develop the river corridor into an attractive urban quarter that creates jobs and economic growth and attracts investment.
A contract award will be made towards the end of 2023, with works - already fully designed, and expected to take around two years to complete - beginning on site in 2024.
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The co-owners of the homes at Windmillcroft Quay have made a financial contribution of £1.39million (£5,000 for each of the 278 properties), with a further £750,000 from a third-party contributor.
Councillor Susan Aitken, Chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, said: “This is an important step towards the delivery of this important waterfront project, which will bring more high-quality public space to the Clydeside. Everyone living, working or visiting this area will enjoy the benefit of the work to take place here.”
Scottish Government Business Minister, Ivan McKee, said: “I welcome progress at Windmillcroft Quay and look forward to seeing the transformation of the Clyde waterfront as part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal. The Scottish Government has contributed £500 million towards the Deal to support a more prosperous, greener and fairer economy.”
While UK Government Minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord, said: "It is brilliant that the Windmillcroft Quay project has moved a step closer to delivering a much-needed renovation on the Clyde with improved connectivity for residents and visitors to enjoy. The scheme complements the additional regeneration work taking place on the river corridor that will attract jobs and investment to the area. The UK Government is supporting this project as part of its £523m investment in the Glasgow City Region Deal."
The reinstatement of the public walkway would allow access to a stretch of the riverside which has greatly changed in nearly 10 years.
In 2021 Barclays opened its new Glasgow campus on the banks of the Clyde in Tradeston.
The 500,000 sq. ft. site has transformed a brownfield area into a new city centre park comprising five buildings, including indoor and outdoor spaces for community events.
With the Windmillcroft Quay work, it would allow the riverside area to be opened up.
Glasgow City Council previously agreed to accept the offer of a funding contribution from the owners of a housing development on the south bank of the River Clyde to the creation of a new quay wall.
The co-owners of these homes have shared legal responsibility for common grounds at the development, however uncertainty remains over responsibility for the burden of maintaining the quay wall.
Over several years, the Council, Speirs Gumley and the co-owners of the 278 homes in the development frequently engaged, to consider options to address the situation. The options considered included matters of the repair or renewal of the quay wall, the legal burden and financial support.
As a result, in June 2018 Speirs Gumley submitted an application for £11.6million grant funding from the Glasgow City Region City Deal. The funding application was based on the design appraisals and cost estimates at that time. The application was approved on the basis that the council carries out the project and the City Deal funding is supported by a contribution from the property owners.
In March 2020 a meeting of the Waterfront Development concluded an almost unanimous decision in favour of providing a contribution of £1.39million toward the Windmillcroft Quay project. A further offer of £750,000 contribution was proposed by a third party contributor.
It was considered improving the quay walls in locations such as Windmillcroft Quay and Custom House Quay will unlock the area's development potential, enhance connectivity, and improve the quality of places on the waterfront.
The Glasgow City Region City Deal is supporting a number of infrastructure projects across the city-region. Both the UK and Scottish Governments are providing the Glasgow City Region local authorities with £500million each in grant funding for the Glasgow City Region City Deal.
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