GROUND has officially been broken on the construction of two industrial units in the Shawfield area of South Lanarkshire.
The new units will form part of the new National Business District in the Clyde Gateway area, with the scheme being one of three projects underway that are being funded by the UK and Scottish governments, Scottish Enterprise, and Clyde Gateway.
Located on formerly contaminated land – that has been described as one of the most polluted inner-city sites in the UK – the site has been remediated over a number of years, transforming derelict land that had otherwise lain empty for decades, into an area of investment, growth, opportunity and job creation.
Formerly the J&J Whites Chemical plant – also known as Shawfield Chemical Works – which operated from 1820 to 1967, and which produced up to 70% of the UK’s chromate products, generating significant volumes of hazardous chromium waste which Clyde Gateway is remediating.
Remediation works initially commenced in Shawfield in 2013, which led to the construction of ‘Red Tree Magenta’, a 40,000sq. ft managed office building, which opened in December 2018 and now supports 21 companies and over 180 jobs.
The three combined projects will cost £20.7 million, with the works spearheaded by Clyde Gateway, which in addition to the construction of the two new units, also includes further site acquisition and remediation works as well as the treatment of contaminants in the Polmadie Burn.
These projects were awarded £14.7 million in November 2023 from the UK Government and £7.5 million from The Scottish Government.
Work began on preparing the Shawfield Innovation site in the summer of this year, with a target completion of May 2025. The Scottish Government provided around £3.4 million for the project with Scottish Enterprise and Clyde Gateway each committing £1.2 million.
The two industrial units, totalling 2,700m2 (29,000sq. ft), received planning permission in March 2024 and are being constructed by Heron Bros. Designed to achieve BREEAM ‘excellent’ status in addition to exemplary ESG credentials, they are suitable for high value manufacturing (HVM) use.
Michael Shanks MP, MP for Rutherglen, said, “It’s hugely positive that the UK Government is investing directly in communities in Clyde Gateway, transforming derelict land to be safe whilst creating jobs, driving growth, and helping to reduce poverty.
“Being here today to break ground on this new development, you can see the potential this area has with the success of the nearby Red Tree Magenta and the great active travel links to nearby railway stations and the city centre.
“This work in Shawfield is yet another example of how a patient and long-term approach to delivering regeneration in partnership with other organisations across the public and private sectors is supporting thousands of jobs and bringing hundreds of acres of derelict land back into productive use.”
Scottish Government investment minister, Tom Arthur, said, “The ongoing transformation of Shawfield is revolutionary for Rutherglen and its surrounding communities. This has supported hundreds of jobs by decontaminating derelict land to make way for businesses.
“I am pleased that the Scottish Government is investing £3.4 million of new funding in Shawfield, which will enable new economic opportunities for the area.”
