The Executive Committee of Glasgow City Council (GCC) has approved grant agreements to regenerate areas and communities along both sides of the Forth and Clyde canal on the north side of the city centre.

The grant agreements - with Scottish Canals and BIGG Regeneration - will help deliver funding worth over £11million for the next stages of a surface water management programme that will enable land near the canal to be regenerated, and the development of the vacant 100 Acre Hill former distillery site in Port Dundas.

The water management programme - the North Glasgow Integrated Water Management System - will provide the infrastructure to control water levels on the city's branch of the Forth and Clyde Canal, lowering it during heavy rainfall to relieve pressure in the surrounding areas. The agreement approved by the council committee today will provide £5.6million funding to develop and implement this programme.

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The development of the 100 Acre Hill site is key to the regeneration of the north canal area as it will hugely improve connectivity between the city centre, Sighthill and Possilpark.  The site is seen as a key regeneration priority, and has a potential capacity for up to 500 homes and 6,000 square metres of commercial space.  This £5.67million project will address the site remediation, access and infrastructure work costs.

The agreements approved today will move the development of the projects to Full Business Case status including detailed design and site investigations.

Both of these projects are part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal Canal and North Gateway scheme which aims to regenerate areas such as Sighthill, Port Dundas and Cowlairs. The Glasgow City Region City Deal Cabinet has already approved this funding, but given that additional third party funding will be involved, the Executive Committee had to give its approval.

Council Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of the Glasgow City Region City Cabinet, said: "These agreements mark the next stage in the regeneration of the canal corridor, and will take what has already been achieved in the area in recent years to another level. The north side of the city centre has great potential, and unlocking this through remediation and flood protection makes the area very attractive to developers and investors from both the public and private sectors."  

(MH/CD)