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Glasgow City Council has approved a comprehensive blueprint to revitalise North Laurieston, aiming to reconnect the historic South Bank neighbourhood to the city centre and the Clyde waterfront.
The Masterplan was developed by New Gorbals Housing Association, Glasgow City Council and Elder & Cannon Architects, shaped by extensive engagement with local residents and stakeholders. A public consultation held in summer 2026 informed the final proposals now adopted by the council.
Aligned with development frameworks for the city centre and the south of the Clyde, the strategy focuses on repairing urban fabric, re-energising streets and public spaces, and re-densifying the area while safeguarding its cultural and historic character. It also seeks to knit North Laurieston into a revitalised riverside corridor on both banks of the Clyde.
Councillor Ruairi Kelly, Depute Leader and Convener for Housing, Development, Built Heritage and Land Use at Glasgow City Council, said: "North Laurieston is a unique part of Glasgow, close to both the Clyde and city centre, home to a number of outstanding heritage buildings, and surrounded by and connecting to neighbouring areas recently regenerated or undergoing regeneration. The Masterplan for the area is important as it offers a blueprint to transform North Laurieston and realise its great potential by redeveloping its vacant land and buildings to create a thriving neighbourhood and place."
The vision looks to the short, medium and long term, recognising North Laurieston's role linking adjacent districts that have already been renewed or are in transition. It sets out to:
- Reconnect the area with the city centre, Tradeston, New Gorbals and wider Laurieston;
- Reinstate the traditional urban form by addressing gap sites, enhancing the civic waterfront and improving routes;
- Revitalise heritage assets, streets and public spaces; and
- Re-establish a lively neighbourhood on the city's South Bank.
Key actions include bringing vacant buildings back into productive use — notably many listed properties on Carlton Place — through adaptive restoration; upgrading local streets and public spaces; combatting environmental decline with better maintenance and management; and redeveloping vacant and underused plots. Given the long-term, incremental nature of much of the work, an infrastructure-first approach will prioritise high-quality public realm to build investor confidence and attract developers.
Fraser Stewart, of New Gorbals Housing Association, said: "The realisation of the North Laurieston Masterplan is strategically vital. After over 30 years of building, it will finally complete the regeneration of the Gorbals and establish it as the South Bank of the city centre once again. At the same time, it will provide hundreds of much needed homes, including for social rent, and save key parts of Glasgow's built heritage. The residents and businesses of North Laurieston have been remarkably resilient in the face of decades of decline, and they deserve for their neighbourhood to be revitalised through the urgent implementation of this Masterplan."
Tom Connolly, Director, Elder & Cannon Architects, said: "The North Laurieston Masterplan is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform a distinctive riverside setting into a vibrant, connected and memorable place. Rooted in its unique character and heritage, the Masterplan brings historic buildings back to life alongside carefully crafted contemporary architecture, creating a compelling dialogue between old and new. At its heart, an inclusive, richly landscaped and connected public realm brings the neighbourhood together - linking people, buildings, streets and the riverside to create a distinctive sense of place, rooted in the past and designed for the future."
A regeneration Steering Group is proposed to develop a project and business plan and explore funding options. The council will work with New Gorbals Housing Association, residents, businesses and stakeholders to co-ordinate delivery.
The council also intends to support building owners in managing and enhancing heritage assets and, where necessary, use statutory powers to address deterioration and return properties to active use.
The North Laurieston Masterplan will be adopted as Planning Guidance alongside Glasgow's City Development Plan 2, providing a framework to steer future development and target improvements for the community.
Further information is available via the North Laurieston Masterplan.
