THE delivery of several landmark projects which form key parts of regenerating Scotland's largest city is about to take a major step forward.
Negotiations to acquire private land in the path of the first phase of Glasgow's East End Regeneration Route are all but done, now only requiring political approval for the release of the money to complete the deal.
Although the major work on the new road, which will link the M74 extension with the M8, is not expected to start until mid-2008, GBP2m is needed to buy up businesses and allotments to keep the project on schedule.
Glasgow City Council is also expected to add to the land set aside for the Commonwealth Games Village in the Dalmarnock area. It follows talks with a developer who currently owns a large tract of 15per cent of the site yet to be secured.
Creek Developments had planned a block of flats for the site but are understood to have agreed to move to one nearby for GBP1.7m. The money will come from the vacant and derelict land fund. Talks are also ongoing with four other land owners about acquiring their sites.
Meanwhile, plans for the Tradeston Bridge, which were aborted earlier this year because of spiralling costs, are back on the agenda.
The city council's executive committee is expected on Friday to approve almost GBP13m for a new quayside and public realm works ahead of tendering for a new bridge. The previous design, by worldrenowned architect Richard Rogers, was scrapped after costs rose to more than GBP60m. The entire scheme will now come in at GBP33m.
All three projects are part of the Clyde Corridor, which has been identified by the Scottish Executive as the national regeneration priority for Scotland in the medium term.
Glasgow City Council said it could not comment on any of the schemes before Friday's meeting. However, a source said approval for the money would see a "significant acceleration" in their delivery.
The source said: "A year before the Commonwealth Games decision we already own 85per cent of the site and that's something.
"Creek have been very amenable and it would appear we're on the verge of increasing ownership. As for the rest of it we have the options of more talks, reconfiguring the borders of the site or issuing compulsory purchase orders.
"The East End Regeneration Route is also on track, but we need to stick to the timetable and that means acquiring more land. And we're now certain we can deliver a world-class public realm space and iconic bridge linking the financial district with a dynamic new Tradeston."
George Redmond, councillor for Dalmarnock and one of the lead politicians driving the regeneration route, added: "I'm more than pleased with the progress and this all augers well for the future of Glasgow's east end. Both the Games Village and the regeneration route are integral to the 2014 bid but even if that fails we're in a win-win situation. Both projects will go ahead anyway and we have a number of developers expressing an interest."
The latest timetable for the GBP45m route is for tenders to be issued next September with work starting the following spring. The completion date is expected to be March 2010, several months ahead of the planned opening of the National Indoor Sports Arena.
The route will run from the M74 to Rutherglen Bridge, the Gallowgate, Provan Road via Parkhead Forge and then on to the M8, opening up the east end to a potential GBP1.6bn investment.
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