Report highlights Govan’s £90m regeneration success

A new report has outlined the ‘ongoing success’ of the regeneration of Central Govan in Glasgow.

The report, which was presented to Glasgow City Council on Tuesday (October 2), highlights investment of around £90m since 2006 as well as outlining future plans for the area.

New homes, office space, community venues have been built in the area, which includes the restoration and re-use of the B-Listed Lyceum, a former 1930s ‘super-cinema’, as a community-owned concert and events venue.

The report looks at the Central Govan Action Plan (CGAP) and the Govan Cross Townscape Heritage Initiative (GCTHI), both of which are award-winning projects.

The CGAP’s regeneration strategy has been focused on realising the potential of Govan’s waterfront through its Water Row site, which will eventually have 200 new homes and over 3,550 square metres of commercial space, and the redevelopment of the A-Listed Govan Old church as a major cultural destination.

The GCTHI is a grant-giving programme funded by Glasgow City Council, Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), and Historic Environment Scotland (HES), that aims to regenerate Govan town centre by both investing to make the best of Govan’s ‘exceptional historic built environment’ and using local heritage as a ‘vehicle for community learning and skills development.’

Councillor Kenny McLean, city convener for Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm at Glasgow City Council, said: ‘These programmes have made a huge contribution to the regeneration of Central Govan in recent years, with new homes, business and an improved environment showing the potential of the area as a place in which to live, work and visit.

‘I am delighted to say that the future work proposed, combined with other projects such as the Govan-Partick bridge, will continue this trend to make full and proper use of the fantastic resources that Govan has as its disposal,’ he added.

The report also says ‘significant progress’ has been made on the delivery of the GCTHI’s second phase, including work on four of the six targeted listed buildings to be repaired – Govan & Linthouse Ancillary Building, the former Hills Trust School and Govan Old.

The third and final phase of public realm improvement at Govan Cross will begin in early 2019, and GCTHI is funding improvements to the Govan Old entranceway and the Govan War Memorial, as well as facilitating community engagement including an archaeological dig that aims to increase visitor numbers to Govan Old.