August 13 2024

A three-part podcast series co-produced by architect Jude Barber and crime writer Louise Welsh is set to clear the muddy waters around ownership of the River Clyde to promote community-led development.

Guests on ‘Who Owns the Clyde’ include council leader Susan Aitken, Paul Sweeney MSP and land reformer Andy Wightman, each of whom will explore the history of the waterway as well as plans for its future. Untangling the knot of opaque ownership the series will investigate the circumstances around a lack of activity on the river, attributing this to fragmented land ownership on both river banks.

Barber commented: “From opaque land ownership to an increasing trend towards privately owned public spaces (POPS), the podcast raises issues that concern us all. We hope that its reach will extend beyond communities on the Clyde and encourage more creative conversations ‒ and actions ‒ that explore new, sustainable uses for our rivers in post-industrial cities.”

‘Looking to the future Barber and Welsh will explore issues relating to management, movement, biodiversity and activity with fellow citizens and contributors to the podcast’.

3 Comments

#1 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 14 Aug 2024 at 12:23 PM

Student politics cr*p -- waterbuses / paddleboarding -- they are having a laugh.
What communities will be allowed to lead these new developments?

Post industrial rivers -- is that what we want?
Surely the trick is to try and keep hold of the industry in the first place?

#2 Posted by Mark on 14 Aug 2024 at 13:48 PM

That's a tad dismissive, FBoT: perhaps better to judge once you've listened to the podcasts? Meantime, the ship has already sailed on post-industrial rivers (as it were). If we'd wanted to retain industrial activity on the riverside, such as shipbuilding and marine engineering, we should have listened to Jimmy Reid. Instead we let Labour nationalise it, then let the Tories privatise it, and finally let foreign owners like Kvaerner and UIE shut it down.

#3 Posted by Scott on 16 Aug 2024 at 09:17 AM

Will be listening to this podcast for certain. Glasgow needs some creative thinking, we've been getting left behind other UK cities and I'm all for this type of conversation.

Paul Sweeney is also a great listen and very knowledgeable about Glasgow and its history.

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