Glasgow eyes building ‘garden cap’ over M8 at Charing Cross

The M8 at Charing Cross (Shutterstock)

A ‘garden cap’ could be constructed over the M8 between Sauchiehall Street and Bath Street in Glasgow.

It is one of several projects the local authority has identified for potential support funding through the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF)

In total, seven bids are being prepared for the second funding call of the LUF.

Alongside the garden cap are projects for refurbishment at the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens; regeneration projects in Drumchapel, Easterhouse and Maryhill town centres, a Possilpark liveable neighbourhood; and the Clyde Connectivity scheme at Govan.

The council said that each of the projects are ‘potentially’ deliverable before the end of 2025, with bids to be submitted by July 6. Projects must have a maximum value of £20 million, with provision for one large scale transformation bid of between £20 to £50 million.

The M8 garden cap plan would see a ‘complete reconfiguration’ of the Charing Cross area in terms of transport and public realm, through a ‘transformational’ project that would see the construction of a garden cap over the M8 between Sauchiehall Street and Bath Street.

It would bring a green space offering a new community asset to residents, visitors, and local businesses. The space would reconnect the city centre with the west end, extending the impact of – and connecting to – the avenues programme (Sauchiehall, Elmbank, and St Vincent Streets), as well as the connecting Woodside project.

Work at the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens would see a refurbishment of the facility to restore the building’s potential to ‘play its pivotal role’ as a local amenity, as Glasgow’s Local History Museum and as an integrated part of Glasgow’s events infrastructure.

Proposals for a regeneration of Drumchapel town centre are focused on the shopping centre, its immediate environs and wider connectivity to improve accessibility, and patronage. Plans for Easterhouse’s town centre include an enhancement of the Lochs Shopping Centre building; public realm improvements at key access points, including the car park and public entrances; and wider access improvements to the active travel network to increase patronage and accessibility within the local town centre – particularly focused on links to existing facilities and the Seven Lochs Wetland Park.

Plans for Maryhill would look to advance the deliver of regeneration of the town centre and adjacent transformation regeneration area, helping to unlock development through a green infrastructure strategy. The project would also aim to forge improved physical and active travel links to the city-wide active travel network and the local canal, including the Stockingfield Junction.

The Possilpark liveable neighbourhood proposals would deliver a step change in the regeneration of Possilpark, focused on Saracen Street, Stonyhurst and Allander Streets, a number of adjacent brownfield sites, the creation of the new urban park at Cowlairs with the associated development platform, and the adoption of Carlisle Street.

The final proposal combines work packages would look to connect the Clydeside community to the wider west of Scotland economic area. This would include new active travel infrastructure, placemaking measures, green infrastructure, development opportunities, and parking controls in the G51 area that the council said would unlock multiple sites for increased connectivity and investment.

Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said, “The ambitious new bids to be submitted to the Levelling Up Fund offer the opportunity to bring a range of real economic, environmental and social benefits to either local communities or the wider city.  There is a very strong case being made for these bids, any and all of which would make a difference to Glasgow.”