Council leaders are celebrating a decade of investment amounting to £1.13 billion through the City Deal in Glasgow. The UK and Scottish governments, together with local leaders, commemorated the milestone and reflected on the significant achievements made possible by this substantial funding.
The Glasgow City Region City Deal, one of the largest and most advanced schemes in the UK, has successfully delivered a variety of high-profile projects over the past 10 years. These projects include the Greenock Ocean Terminal, the bridge over the M8 at Sighthill, and the Govan-Partick bridge, with the new Renfrew-Yoker bridge scheduled to open later this year.
The eight participating member authorities in the City Deal are East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, and West Dunbartonshire councils. Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council and chairperson of the Glasgow City Region cabinet overseeing the City Deal, expressed, “The City Deal has been a catalyst for transformation across the Glasgow City Region in the past decade.”
Signed in 2014, the City Deal sees £500 million each being contributed by the UK and Scottish governments for various infrastructure, employability, and innovation projects. The participating local councils have further contributed £130 million to the initiative.
City Deal infrastructure projects are progressing well, with 45 sub-projects already completed. This initiative has not only created employment opportunities but has also attracted over £880 million in follow-on investments for new housing and commercial developments. Additionally, £65 million of additional external funding has been generated for City Deal projects in the past decade.
Local businesses have benefitted significantly from the City Deal, with over £150 million worth of contracts awarded, creating 330 employment opportunities such as apprenticeships for the local and young workforce. The City Deal has laid the groundwork for further key programmes and investments in the region, including the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, investment zones, low carbon masterplans, and innovation accelerator programmes.
Renfrewshire Council leader Iain Nicolson highlighted the significant investments made in infrastructure, including creating new roads, bridges, and cycling routes, while East Renfrewshire Council leader Owen O’Donnell emphasised the positive impact the City Deal funding has had on economic growth, transport links, and community development in the region.
The achievements of the Glasgow City Region City Deal over the past decade demonstrate the positive outcomes that can be achieved through collaboration between government bodies and local authorities. The ongoing success of this initiative serves as a testament to the commitment to driving economic growth, improving infrastructure, and creating opportunities for the communities in the Glasgow City Region.