GLASGOW is to have its own marina as part of plans to rejuvenate the city's Clyde waterfront.
New role for old city dock
GLASGOW is to have its own marina as part of plans to rejuvenate the city's Clyde waterfront.
Scottish Enterprise, the national regeneration and jobs agency, will this week outline plans for a 300-berth dock next to Glasgow Science Centre on the south bank of the river.
Developers are being asked to help turn an area of the old Prince's Dock into a hub of maritime activity.
Scottish Enterprise is open to suggestions for floating restaurants or offices, and island' sites for hotels and house boats. The canting basin, an area created to allow ships to could turn, is one of the last free areas of open water on the riverside, now that most of the former docks have been filled.
The basin is already used by a commercial seaplane operator, and hotels and restaurants are being developed nearby as part of the digital media quarter at the new BBC Scotland HQ.
Plans for the canting basin include 300 pontoon berths with powerpoints, water and waste facilities, a clubhouse restaurant and shops.
Derek McCrindle, director of the Clyde Waterfront project for Scottish Enterprise, said: "We want something that combines the sea planes, berthing for motor cruisers and maybe floating restaurants and offices.
"It would be brilliant to have this in place for the 2014 Commonwealth Games."
Howard Morrison, commodore of Clyde Cruising Club, said the basin was "snug and protected" and could attract long-term residents as well as tourists. "I can see it being attractive to tourists, who might otherwise stay at Inverkip, Largs or Rhu," he said.
The move comes as it emerges that the Clyde Waterfront is to have more than £2billion of largely public money pumped into it over the next three years, according to a study of the development, which will help protect the area from the economic downturn.
A study by consultancy GEN for the Clyde Waterfront, the strategic partnership co-ordinating the regeneration of both banks of the river along a 13-mile stretch from Glasgow Green to Dumbarton, estimates that since 2003 more than 17,000 jobs have been created thanks to £1.46bn of investment of which £1.1bn, some 75%, is from the private sector.
Work undertaken on the Clyde Waterfront since 2003 has seen 2.8million sq ft of commercial and business space developed including the International Financial Services District and the Digital Media Quarter at Pacific Quay occupied by BBC Scotland and STV.
There have also been 6000 homes completed including social housing in the Gorbals, and two phases of apartments at Glasgow Harbour.
Clyde Waterfront argues that although the bulk of the money expected to be spent in the coming three years is from the public purse, the development of the area means it is more likely to attract further private investment once the recession ends.
The extent of state support has also protected the development from the fall-off of private sector activity, particulary in construction, seen since the economic downturn hit.
Liz Connolly, west region director of operations, Scottish Enterprise, said: "Compared to most other parts of the UK, we are fortunate to have a large number of publicly funded infrastructure projects along the river that will not only help us maintain momentum in the short term but also create the most attractive environment to attract further private investment in the future.
"We are confident that what is being created along both banks of the Clyde will present a very attractive proposition for developers and investors when the market recovers."
The study echoes research published earlier this month in the Glasgow Economic Review, which pulls together contributions from academics, economists and business leaders. The review concluded that the city's move away from manufacturing and the comparatively low cost of doing business in the city should soften the blow of the economic downturn.
It highlighted the high levels of public sector employment in Glasgow, the onset of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the city's growing reputation as a tourist destination.
As part of the Clyde Waterfront development, in the next three years there will be publicly funded work building the new £125m Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre national arena, the £74m Riverside Museum, the £13m Partick Interchange and the £842m expansion of the Southern General Hospital as well as flood prevention work in north Renfrewshire and redevelopment of Dumbarton town centre.
Planned private sector investment includes the completion of several large office developments and the Jumeirah Hotel in the International Financial Services District, the third phase at Glasgow Harbour, Ferry Village in Renfrewshire and the Lomondgate development in West Dunbartonshire.
The organisations behind Clyde Waterfront are the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, Renfrewshire Council, West Dunbartonshire Council and Scottish Enterprise.
Councillor Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council and chairman of the Clyde Waterfront Strategic Partnership, said: "It's vitally important that we remain focused on maintaining momentum during these economically challenging times. We will continue to work hard to ensure that communities along the river see real benefits from the opportunities on offer."
