Plans to regenerate Cowlairs in the north of Glasgow, including 850 new homes and a playpark, have been presented by the City Council.

The council's Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm City Policy Committee were updated on the now-completed Cowlairs Masterplan report, which outlines the plans for the new mixed-tenure homes and park, as well as a central boulevard and urban cross to establish an identity for the area; commercial and community facilities; good-quality amenity, green and water space; an active travel network; and better connections to surrounding communities.

These plans complement the current and planned housing-led regeneration in neighbouring areas including Sighthill, Port Dundas, Hamiltonhill and Ruchill, which will see the building of 3,200 new homes along and near the canal corridor.

A key feature of the new homes in Cowlairs will be their environmental impact, as the aim is to maximise the use of the Passivhaus standard when building housing, and in doing so deliver ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for heating or cooling.

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Cowlairs is a 30 hectares site with good views across Glasgow, whose boundary lies between Possilpark, Carlisle Street and Keppochhill Road, and is made up of former tenement housing land; the former Cowlairs Park; and the former St Theresa's Primary School.

The Cowlairs Masterplan was informed by community and stakeholder consultation, and this engagement will continue as plans are progressed.

The next steps for the area's regeneration are to appoint a developer to deliver the new housing, open space areas and infrastructure works, the latter being funded by the Glasgow City Region City Deal. Site start on the first phase of housing is expected in 2022.

Councillor Greg Hepburn, Chair of the Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm City Policy Committee, said: "For far too long, neighbourhoods on the periphery and to the north of the city centre have been forgotten or abandoned.

"But our plans for Cowlairs are a real signal of our intent that North Glasgow will again become home to flourishing new communities: people living in the state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient homes reconnected to neighbouring areas and with the city's social and economic life.

"Right next door in Sighthill you can clearly see one of the biggest regeneration projects of its type in Europe gathering apace. It has really unlocked the potential for the whole area around the canal. In just a few short years Glaswegians will see new homes, new neighbourhoods and a new North Glasgow."

(MH/JG)