Case Studies   The Glasgow Case Study. The Gorbals

Lessons from the Gorbals

This section summarises the key themes that emerged from short interviews conducted with the Gorbals SIP Manager (Alison Eccles), the Crown Street Project Director (Brian Fitch) and the Co-ordinator for Development and Regeneration at Glasgow City Council (Mick Rodgers).

The basic question posed to them was: “What are the main lessons to be learned from the Gorbals experience about effective regeneration and partnership working?”

The main themes that emerged, not necessarily in order, were:

•  The location of the Gorbals close to the city centre, coupled with its historical significance and obvious development potential. This helped to ensure priority treatment by key public organisations. Gorbals locational advantage has also been important in attracting private investment in housing development. This has also been a potential threat to the interests of locals through being priced out of the housing market, though special arrangements have been made to safeguard their interests.

•  Priority treatment by key city and regional public organisations. The high profile involvement of the GDA followed by the City Council, Scottish Homes and other bodies in a serious partnership has been instrumental in getting development underway and in attracting private investment. Their commitment to quality and innovation has been vital to the perception and reality of Gorbals regeneration. The fact that a non-housing agency took the initiative made the approach to housing-led regeneration distinctive. The funding was more generous and there was more freedom to innovate.

•  A masterplan approach, encompassing a host of softer issues (e.g. participation, employment and training) as well as housing development and land-use issues. This ensured coherent, carefully phased development and helped to instil confidence in the area on the part of private developers.

•  Public ownership of the land gave considerable control over the pace and timing of development. Most of it was bought by the GDA from GCC and much of the rest was acquired through CPO powers.

•  Strong community activity , sense of identity and attachment to the place. In addition, strong commitment to community consultation and involvement on the part of public bodies has helped to balance and reconcile different interests (incomers and locals, developers and residents). In new housing areas the aim is to rebuild/create a community to safeguard maintenance of the area in the long-term and generate stronger sense of pride and community cohesion. Special deals for local residents to purchase houses were important to prevent gentrification and maximise local benefits.

•  The relatively small size of the Gorbals area and population has assisted with issues of identity, community engagement, understanding local dynamics, targeting support and preventing dilution of investment.

•  The approach of Gorbals Initiative – low key, seeking to innovate, modest growth ambitions, working through/with other service providers and not duplicating them, only providing services as a last resort.

•  Continuity of professionals from mainstream organisations working in the area, as well as key architects etc.

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