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Alex Neil MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment has re-visited Bridgeton Cross, Glasgow, one year on and said he was ‘highly impressed’ with progress being made on three construction projects with a combined value of over £23 million which will bring 620 permanent jobs to the area.
Each of the projects are the work of Clyde Gateway, the regeneration agency responsible for delivering the physical, social and economic transformation of communities across the East End of Glasgow and parts of South Lanarkshire, and comprise:-
(a) Red Tree Business Suites, Bridgeton
£3.6million is being spent on the conversion of the upper-floor of derelict shops and businesses at 21-51 Dalmarnock Road to provide thirty stylish and affordable business units in a variety of sizes for small and medium sized enterprises, which when fully occupied will provide 50 jobs. Construction work, being undertaken by Cruden, began in May 2011 and is scheduled to be completed by May 2012.
(b) Olympia Theatre
The £10m conversion of a 100-year old listed building that previously served as a theatre, cinema and bingo hall but has lain derelict for almost 20 years is being undertaken by CCG and got underway in March 2011 with a scheduled finish of November 2012.
The Olympia will then become home to a new state-of the art library, a centre of excellence for Amateur Boxing in Scotland as well as two floors of commercial office space, all of which will support 70 jobs.
(c) Eastgate
Work on Glasgow’s largest new-build office development (6,000 sq m) on London Road just 300 yards east of Bridgeton Cross is being carried out by Dawn Construction. Eastgate will be ready for occupation in Spring 2012 as the home to the 500 employees of Glasgow Community and Safety Services, a partnership organisation between the police and fire services and Glasgow City Council to prevent crime, tackle anti-social behaviour and promote community safety across the city.
The £9.7 million cost of Eastgate is being provided by Aviva Investors, the UK’s largest real estate manager.
In addition to the 620 permanent jobs the three locations will provide, at peak activity, 95 construction workers with employment.
Alex Neil said “I am delighted to revisit the Bridgeton projects and see the progress being made as part of the regeneration of the East End of Glasgow.
“It is encouraging to see derelict properties take on a new life as they are redeveloped to meet the modern needs of our local communities. These in turn will serve to provide much needed jobs in the area and offer a variety of facilities for local people to enjoy for years to come.”
George Redmond, the local councilllor for Bridgeton and a Clyde Gateway Board member said “All three of these projects are improving how the area around Bridgeton Cross looks and of course they are bringing much welcomed jobs to the community. But the impact of this unprecedented level of investment goes much further than that.
“The Dalmarnock Road shops have been an eyesore and a blight on Bridgeton for years, while the Olympia has towered over the Cross as a symbol of the area’s proud heritage. Everyone you speak to locally is hugely excited by all of this activity and looking forward to everything opening over the 18 months. I’m particularly pleased with the progress on Eastgate as the 500 staff from GCSS will be the first wave of what will eventually be tens of thousands of jobs attracted to Clyde Gateway over the coming years."
Alan Macdonald, chairman of Dawn Group, added: “Construction is progressing well at Eastgate and once complete it will really transform this area of Bridgeton, both in physical and economic terms, and act as a catalyst for further regeneration.
“Along with the £200m Collegelands development, this is our second major project currently on the ground in the east end of Glasgow and we want to ensure that it leaves a lasting positive impact. As one of Scotland’s leading constructions companies, we are committed to creating employment and training opportunities for local residents during the construction period to equip them with valuable experience and transferable skills which will stand them in good stead long after the development is complete.”
(GK)
