Clyde Corridor Regeneration Strategy
EDAW was commissioned in August 1999 to lead a multi- disciplinary consultant team to deliver, as part of Phase 2 of the CIDRE project, a series of city specific and transnational projects. The pilot project agreed for Glasgow is the Clyde Corridor Regeneration Strategy and the objective agreed with the CIDRE Steering Group and the Glasgow partners was to prepare a robust, long term development framework for the River Clyde Corridor.
The EDAW team includes KuiperCompagnons (Rotterdam): design and architecture, Drivers Jonas: strategic property, Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde: social and economic inclusion and Oscar Faber: transportation.
The framework aims to establish the long-term vision and aspirations of the key public and private sector players for the development and management of the river, including
- identification of priority development sites and potential land uses
- waterfront urban design objectives and guidelines
- infrastructure priorities
- public transport, pedestrian and cyclist access
- proposals for active recreational use of the river
- river management objectives
- delivery mechanisms
- costs and phasing
- funding and implementation
Innovative Spatial Planning: Key Themes
The Clyde Corridor offers Glasgow and West Central Scotland the opportunity to establish a new benchmark in urban regeneration. The Clyde Corridor Regeneration Strategy needs to build on the work of the last twenty years, particularly the growth in urban tourism, investment in shared services centres and public realm investment in the City Centre. The urban renaissance of the Clyde Corridor will pilot an innovative approach to spatial planning that reflects European Union, Government and Structure Plan advice. The overall strategy is rooted in the following strategic themes:
- a compact and connected city
- a diverse mix of uses
- well integrated public transport
- recycling land and buildings
- transforming the quality of the urban environment
- choice of high quality buildings and sites for employment
- diverse range of places with character and identity
- access to the benefits of regeneration for residents, businesses and local communities
The Clyde Corridor needs to be better connected with the rest of the city. Links between the north and south of the river need to be strengthened and the Corridor seen as an essential location in a compact city. Providing a balanced mix of uses including business and work space , housing for rent and sale, community facilities and leisure visitor attractions will be core elements of the Corridor. In order to reduce the need to use private motor cars, the aim will be to integrate new development with public transport and create an environment in which it is safe and easy to walk, cycle and journey by public transport thus achieving an overall framework which caters for the car without encouraging its use.
The best economic use will be made of derelict and under-used buildings. Improving the quality of urban design and movement will require carefully designed well used public realm in the form of riverside spaces and foci, civic squares and plazas, pavements, streets and pedestrian routes thus achieving a sense of place through careful design. Finally the Corridor will cater for the businesses where high quality communications technology infrastructure is essential.
Within the Clyde Corridor a range of renewal and area based initiatives including action zones for health, employment and training are being implemented. If these are to be effective, there must be truly joined-up action to create employment, access training and education opportunities, reduce crime, improve health, housing and the environment. The strategy for the Clyde Corridor must help to achieve this and provide support for local communities and service providers through being led by people and not funding.
Our approach to the Clyde Corridor Regeneration Strategy was based on undertaking a series of tasks that included:
- data collection
- establishing the strategic context
- reviewing infrastructure and river issues
- undertaking a detailed urban design analysis
- interfacing with the other CIDRE pilot projects
- developing initial strategic concepts
- Project Development Workshop
- refining the integrated development strategy
- developing economic and social inclusion initiatives
- assessing broad economic impacts and costs
- developing area frameworks
Context: CIDRE Network Partners & Project Aim
The Clyde Corridor Regeneration Strategy is one of nine pilot projects that are being undertaken as part of phase two of the CIDRE (Cities Divided by Rivers in Europe) initiative. The CIDRE network aims to develop, test and promote best practice and innovation in spatial planning in cities divided by water whether physically, socially or economically. The CIDRE partners are:
- Dublin Corporation
- The European Urban Institute – a partnership between Glasgow City Council, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow and the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde
- Cross River Partnership – an alliance of 11 public and private sector organisations focused on the regeneration of the Thames Corridor in Central London
- Provincie Zeeland and Gemeente Vlissingen regional and local authorities
In September of 1998, the CIDRE partners submitted a bid to the North West Metropolitan Area INTERREG IIC programme and secured partner/matching funding for the project. Guidance from the Programme Secretariat suggests that ‘NWMA sponsored actions might include demonstration projects, studies, policy research and co-operation networks between a number of partners’.
The CIDRE project is set firmly within this context, and that of the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP). It has the overall aim of:
“promoting new approaches to spatial planning and cities divided by rivers in Europe by establishing and testing co-ordinated regeneration frameworks in four particular cities which will encourage the exploitation of rivers and enrich the public domain. The individual frameworks aim to unlock the immense potential of each city and their rivers, and so assist them to maintain competitive positions in the European economy”.
