THE direct legacy of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games has been highlighted ten years on from the international event.
Urban regeneration company, Clyde Gateway, has created thousands of jobs, supported thousands of businesses, and brought over 150,000 square metres of office and industrial workspace into use in the East End of Glasgow and Rutherglen following the event.
As a consequence of the heavy industrial past of the area, significant portions of derelict and contaminated land was remediated, with land around the size of 400 football pitches now being brought back into productive use.
This includes a previously derelict five-hectare site which has been transformed into Rutherglen Links Business Park – an office and industrial district which is home to TransCanada Turbines, Equi’s Ice Cream, Dalkia, and many others. Premier leisure brand, TopGolf, also moved into Rutherglen, transforming formerly disused land into one of the largest entertainment attractions in Glasgow creating around 300 jobs.
Clyde Gateway East, which has been developed to provide a sustainable, high-quality environment to attract and support growing businesses in the manufacturing, engineering and logistics sectors and once comprised 14 hectares of vacant and derelict land, but the final three (of 13) units are scheduled to complete in summer 2024 completing the development which is already home to international corporations including DHL, Torishima, and BT OpenReach.
As well as land remediation, Clyde Gateway has also retrofitted a number of vacant buildings in the area – including EastWorks in Dalmarnock which saw the transformation of a former Victoria era gas purifier shed into modern office space, which has attracted ESG technology specialists, Utopi, as the first tenant. It is also now home to Red Tree EastWorks, the Clyde Gateway managed office suite offering and Vin18 café.
The regeneration company has been influential in securing inward investment with nearly 5,000 businesses also receiving assistance from Clyde Gateway. All of which, during the month which marks ten years since the global sporting event took place, means that almost 8,000 jobs have been created and 153,650 square metres of commercial floor space completed.
Tom Arthur MSP, minister for employment and investment, said, “Our investment in and support for the regeneration of Clyde Gateway has created positive, lasting legacies for the communities which hosted the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
“It is incredible to see how these areas have improved ten years on from the Games. Clyde Gateway is an excellent example of how our long-term approach to delivering regeneration in partnership with other organisations is supporting thousands of jobs and bringing hundreds of acres of derelict land back into productive use.
“We were proud to deliver the Commonwealth Games back in 2014, which showcased Glasgow and Scotland to the world. Since then, Clyde Gateway have delivered a lasting, positive legacy for the communities who played such a huge part in delivering a successful Games.”
Martin McKay, chief executive at Clyde Gateway, added, “The Commonwealth Games has been a platform for the transformation of the east end of Glasgow and Rutherglen which has brought much needed investment into the area.
“The communities that we work in have historically been synonymous with heavy industry, but Clyde Gateway is ensuring that the area is positioned well to take advantage of the green industries of the future.
“A huge part of the regeneration has been creating spaces for organisations of all shapes and sizes to be able to relocate to. From international manufacturing businesses like Torishima and TransCanada Turbines, to small creative agencies like MadeBrave who have made Bridgeton their home, the economic transformation is clear to see.
“But there is still much more to do and the team at Clyde Gateway is relishing the opportunity to continue this important work and deliver real change for the people and communities of Rutherglen, Bridgeton and Dalmarnock.”
Johnathan Burridge, CEO at Utopi, commented, “Clyde Gateway is very well positioned logistically, and Glasgow has a great talent base that allows us to attract the best quality staff, which is why we moved our headquarters to Dalmarnock.
“Utopi is proud to play their part in the regeneration of the area and we look forward to a bright future for our business and the local community.”
