A Missed Opportunity Prestige Clydeside Blueprint Lacks Proper Social Mix

Summary

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IT TAKES something of an imaginative leap to envisage the swathe of empty and derelict land where the Kelvin meets the Clyde being transformed into "a national waterfront tourist destination rivalling cities such as Sydney". The GBP1.2bn masterplan unveiled yesterday incorporates a world-class casino, a 30storey skyscraper, office space, shopping mall and a luxury hotel. This is more than a mere wishlist. Owner Clydeport Ltd, now part of Peel Holdings, has already sunk GBP80m into the area and, as a privately-owned company, it is prepared to play a long game with the planning authorities. The company has an impressive track record elsewhere, especially the north-west of England, where its portfolio includes the Trafford Centre in Manchester. It envisages a prestige development that will draw visitors in its own right and act as a worthy counterpoint to the Riverside Museum soon to take shape across the Kelvin from the site.

However, as demonstrated by the problems and delays that have impeded the Pacific Quay development on the opposite bank of the Clyde, there is many a slip 'twixt cup and lip. In particular, the developers face stiff competition from the SECC and Rangers Football Club for the coveted licence for a regional casino. Councillors may also have grave reservations about a retail complex that risks sucking trade out of the city centre, despite the addition of a fast bus link between the two.

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A Missed Opportunity Prestige Clydeside Blueprint Lacks Proper Social Mix

However, the biggest drawback of this development is not what it contains, but what it lacks. Th...

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