Ferguson Marine floats Graving Dock shipyard plan
December 15 2017
Landowner New City Vision who have already submitted their own rival application for planning in principle, currently under consideration, to build 700 ‘flood proof’ homes on the site.
In a media briefing note Glasgow City Council wrote: “There are two development proposals now with Glasgow City Council’s planners for the Graving Docks site – one from New City Vision and one from Ferguson Marine.
“New City Vision are the current owners of the site. They have owned the site for many years however this is the first application they have submitted for re-development proposals.”
The proposal of application notice begins a three-month countdown until Ferguson Marine can bring forward their own application for planning in principle.
Photography by Tom Manley
19 Comments
#1 Posted by Graeme McCormick on 15 Dec 2017 at 10:21 AM
Jim McColl has been considering this for some time and he has the track record to make it happen. Glasgow has largely turn its back on the industrial development and port facilities of the Clyde unlike the second cities of Scandinavia and the Benelux countries. It's also a site over which Peel Ports doesn't have a vice-like grip preventing the renaissance of merchant ship building on the Clyde. The City should broker a deal with New City Vision for alternative sites in the City to allow Jim's scheme to proceed. On so many levels it provides longterm economic activity and wealth which would far outweigh a housing development which after the one-off boost in construction provides only modest economic return to the City's economy.
#2 Posted by Spock on 15 Dec 2017 at 10:45 AM
#1 - With all respect you do realise there is almost 2018, not 1868 anymore. Please keep the industrial activity for the outskirts of the town leaving the centre for its residents to stop the rapid urban sprawl. One by one these post-Victorian sites should go to the proper location far from sight.
#3 Posted by The Flâneur on 15 Dec 2017 at 11:10 AM
#2 - With all respect I couldn't agree less with you. The Clyde badly needs activity and life. It is forlorn without the sound and movement of ships on the water. Having ships back on this stretch of the Clyde will exert a huge pull on bringing people back to the river to see that activity and would be a huge shot in the arm to regeneration and the local economy.
#4 Posted by Armadildo on 15 Dec 2017 at 11:17 AM
They tore the heart out of this community
#5 Posted by MoFloBro on 15 Dec 2017 at 12:44 PM
I'm more inclined to agree with #1. Perhaps because the proposals for housing look so utterly mediocre.
Also, I think there are better locations in Glasgow for building housing - come to think of it, there are better places in Govan.
Also, I think there are better locations in Glasgow for building housing - come to think of it, there are better places in Govan.
#6 Posted by Alistair Houston on 15 Dec 2017 at 13:02 PM
No more ship repair/building please those days are long it would ruin the area, new ideas are needed.
#7 Posted by Jimbob Tanktop on 15 Dec 2017 at 13:42 PM
I fully agree with #1. It would be wonderful to see more industrial activity on the Clyde. Jim McColl is a serious player and has expressed a desire to break into superyacht manufacturing, providing what would effectively be high end, tech-based jobs. It may not appease estate agents, but that is almost never a bad thing.
#8 Posted by Pablo on 15 Dec 2017 at 19:17 PM
How on earth would ship building/repair ruin the area?
Great idea. Would increase the vitality of the area with life, variety, jobs and rebirth of something very Glaswegian.
Great idea. Would increase the vitality of the area with life, variety, jobs and rebirth of something very Glaswegian.
#9 Posted by Yaldy on 15 Dec 2017 at 21:01 PM
#6 Absolute right mate
i for one am absolutely disgusted glasgow got the type 26 go ahead, would hate for any world class design to be manufactured in glasgow, roll on more retail and dereliction
i for one am absolutely disgusted glasgow got the type 26 go ahead, would hate for any world class design to be manufactured in glasgow, roll on more retail and dereliction
#10 Posted by Haw Maw on 18 Dec 2017 at 10:02 AM
#6 - aye let's forget about skilled labour and trades which encourage social mobility and just have everyone work in a call centre until they decide to offshore and then we can work for amazon or Deliveroo.
#11 Posted by David Griffin on 18 Dec 2017 at 20:00 PM
Two things, why don’t your contributors have the bottle to use their own names.
A fortune has been spent preparing NCV’s proposals, we are not living in China where the richest man in the city can just take over other peoples property with some help from the Government.
A fortune has been spent preparing NCV’s proposals, we are not living in China where the richest man in the city can just take over other peoples property with some help from the Government.
#12 Posted by Spock on 19 Dec 2017 at 09:44 AM
#10 - How many skilled workers are you talking about? 200-300 tops? Each and single of them can take a host hike to, say, Port Glasgow where the shipyard could be established. Even more viable from economic point of view. On the contrary seeing a proper modern-design city quarter might bring/create jobs and opportunities for thousands. Please look around what is being created in city centres down the border and compare to the mediocre schemes being proposed in miserable town like Glasgow. Why not build more Chinese dormitories around and pretend there is no problem with the planning office at all.
#13 Posted by Daniel on 19 Dec 2017 at 10:24 AM
#11 - no, we live in the UK where anyone is free to seek planning permission over basically any piece of land, regardless of ownership.
Frankly a bit of competition in this is a good thing. Let's get the best scheme, be it housing or industry out of this site, rather than whatever mediocrity NCV would likely put forward, absent of challenge. Healthy competition is the lifeblood of capitalism, right?
Frankly a bit of competition in this is a good thing. Let's get the best scheme, be it housing or industry out of this site, rather than whatever mediocrity NCV would likely put forward, absent of challenge. Healthy competition is the lifeblood of capitalism, right?
#14 Posted by boaby wan on 19 Dec 2017 at 10:35 AM
David, if that's really your name - Just because a developer has spent a fortune on proposals doesn't indicate anything about the appropriateness or quality of said proposals, if somebody else has a different use for the site which isn't based on volume housing and may be more appropriate it only highlights that stack em high, shareholder profit driven noddy boxes isn't the only option for the site
#15 Posted by George on 19 Dec 2017 at 10:51 AM
#11 - The quality of NCV's proposal is terrible, so to have some healthy competition is good and can only drive up the quality being offered. I really like the idea of actually using these graving docks to bring industry and jobs to this area, rather than a pile of terrible student flats.
#16 Posted by nomoregrey on 20 Dec 2017 at 14:58 PM
@ no. 04 Armadildo
Good boys as well....that was a Science in my day..
Good boys as well....that was a Science in my day..
#17 Posted by Richard on 21 Dec 2017 at 11:10 AM
At last good idea and a highly approriate use for the site. Let's hope the City fathers (and mothers) can see the value of manufacturing ie making something real in the city again
#18 Posted by Terra on 8 Jan 2018 at 12:21 PM
Couldn't agree more with post #1
#19 Posted by Keyboard Warrior on 11 Jan 2018 at 16:57 PM
#11
NCV have a reputation going back years that's not exactly flattering to say the least. Look into their track record. Everything they've ever built has been done shoddily on the cheap. They repeatedly fold companies to write off their debts and set up new ones to develop the same sites.
One person who bought a house from them posted on Facebook that they're the worst house builders in Scotland. How they came to own a prime waterfront site like this who knows but I'm sure we could guess.
NCV have a reputation going back years that's not exactly flattering to say the least. Look into their track record. Everything they've ever built has been done shoddily on the cheap. They repeatedly fold companies to write off their debts and set up new ones to develop the same sites.
One person who bought a house from them posted on Facebook that they're the worst house builders in Scotland. How they came to own a prime waterfront site like this who knows but I'm sure we could guess.
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