Almost £15m of funding to regenerate Drumchapel will be delivered, it has been confirmed — following uncertainty over whether the project would go ahead.
Fears had been raised over whether the promised Levelling Up cash would be provided, as spending commitments made by the previous UK Government were reviewed.
However, the new Labour government’s budget, announced on Wednesday, included confirmation that money for core Levelling Up projects to revitalise high streets and town centres would be supplied.
And Glasgow City Council’s chief executive and leader have now received a letter confirming the funding will be delivered.
The Drumchapel project is set to improve “connectivity into and around the town to improve retail opportunities and boost the local economy”.
It would include a new public plaza, better walking and cycling routes and green space.
Funding was initially announced in November last year, with the council then committing a further £1.6m. However, following July’s election, Scottish secretary Ian Murray had said many funding commitments “didn’t have any cash attached” and there was a £22bn black hole in public finances.
Susan Aitken, council leader, had said she was concerned by the comments and urged the UK Government to deliver the funding.
At Westminster on Wednesday, October 30, Patricia Ferguson, Glasgow West MP and a former councillor for Drumchapel, asked Murray if he agreed that the project “would be a very good way to promote the economic and social growth of that area”.
Murray said Ferguson has been “an absolutely doughty campaigner for the Drumchapel project” and she “won’t have long to wait”.
He added: “The chancellor [Rachel Reeves] will come to this dispatch box shortly and announce the budget.
"And I’m hopeful that all of these projects, including some of the anti-poverty projects that she’s championed for years in her constituency, will come to pass.”
On social media, Ferguson said she was “delighted that funding has been delivered by the chancellor through the budget to regenerate our community”.
At a council meeting on Thursday, councillor Aitken said: “Simply not taking away money that was already promised to Drumchapel is a neutral achievement at best.
“I’m very glad that money is coming, but that money was already promised to Drumchapel well over a year ago.”
Labour’s budget did state the government is “minded to cancel unfunded Levelling Up culture and capital projects” that were announced in spring 2024.
But it confirmed funding for projects “providing £1bn in 2025-26 to revitalise high streets, town centres and communities”.
Following Ferguson’s election to Westminster, she resigned as a Glasgow councillor and a by-election was called for Drumchapel/Anniesland seat.
It is set to be held on Thursday, November 21.
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