Plans to secure the long term economic growth of the area were approved by Renfrewshire councillors today following proposals for a £274 million investment in new infrastructure projects.
The three City Deal investments – the Glasgow Airport Access Project, Glasgow Airport Investment Area and Clyde Waterfront & Renfrew Riverside projects were approved by councillors today and will also be considered by Glasgow City Councillors before being given the green light by the Glasgow City Region Cabinet in December.
The projects are intended to significantly boost the local economy by attracting investment, supporting businesses and creating jobs.
Renfrewshire Council Leader Mark Macmillan, who holds the Glasgow City Region Cabinet’s enterprise portfolio, said:
“I am delighted Renfrewshire councillors have given their backing to this major investment programme which will create long term jobs and bring huge benefits not only to Renfrewshire’s local communities but right across our city region. In order for us to keep growing our economy, we need to create an attractive location for business that offers first class connections by land, sea and air, with excellent links across the Clyde and to our town and city centres. Together these projects will open up the area to tourism and businesses.”
The £39.1m Glasgow Airport Investment Area project would develop a world class business and commercial location right in the heart of Renfrewshire. It includes plans for the realignment of Abbotsinch Road, a new bridge across the White Cart, and new cycle routes, all aimed at improving connections between the Westway, Inchinnan and Airport Business Parks and as an enabler for the delivery of a world class business and commercial offering centred around the airport.
The Clyde Waterfront & Renfrew Riverside project would see the construction of a new opening bridge across the River Clyde. This £90.7m project would better link the communities of Renfrew, Yoker and Clydebank, with new roads and cycle routes giving people improved access to employment, education, health and leisure locations.
Plans for the £144m Glasgow Airport Access Project were also approved which will deliver a hybrid tram-train system to provide the long sought-after direct rail link between Glasgow Airport, Paisley and Glasgow City Centre.
A series of engagement events for these two projects will now take place to give people the chance to meet the project team and ask questions they may have regarding the initiatives.
Paisley Town Hall will hold an engagement event on Tuesday 6 December and a second will be held at Renfrew Town Hall on Wednesday 7 December.
As the proposed opening bridge linking the communities of Renfrew, Yoker and Clydebank that forms part of the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside (CWRR) project affects communities north of the river, events will also take place at Yoker Community Campus on Monday 5 December and at Clydebank Town Hall on Thursday 8 December.
All four engagement events will be open from 11am to 7pm.
Anyone attending the events will also be able to see a video of plans for the separate Glasgow Airport Access Project, which will be considered alongside Renfrewshire’s other two City Deal projects by Councillors at Renfrewshire’s Leadership Board on 30 November then by the Glasgow City Region Cabinet on 13 December.