Planning permission granted for Glasgow’s new Clyde-side park

The Glasgow City Council project has been granted planning permission to reimagine more than seven hectares across both banks of the River Clyde, creating new public spaces, walking and cycling routes, play areas and spaces for events between Glasgow Bridge and Victoria Bridge.

For us, the project brings together many of the ways we think about places, combining engineering, movement, public realm, community engagement, biodiversity, heritage and environmental considerations to create a more connected waterfront.

The masterplan is being delivered by Hawkins\Brown, while we’re providing civil and structural engineering services, alongside support for stakeholder engagement and communications. 

The proposals will create a more accessible river edge, with new public realm and green space helping to reconnect the city centre with the Clyde. At Carlton Place, the existing open space will be renewed as an accessible urban park, while across the site the design creates opportunities for people to walk, cycle, meet, and spend time by the river.

Isla Jackson, Director and Head of Civic’s Scotland studio, said: “Securing planning permission feels like a really important moment for the project. There’s been a lot of work behind the scenes over the last few years, and a lot of different people and perspectives involved. What makes this one particularly interesting is that it’s not just about solving some pretty complex engineering challenges – it’s about thinking differently about how this part of Glasgow connects with the Clyde.”

“I’m really looking forward to seeing more green space and somewhere for people to spend time by the river. It’ll be great to see how it starts to come to life over the next year.”

Nikki Johnston, Associate at Civic, said: “What’s interesting about this project is how much has to work together. You’ve got the new quay wall and drainage infrastructure, but then you’re also thinking about how people move through the space, where they stop and spend time, and how all of that relates to the river. The hope is that the waterfront feels easier to get to, easier to move around and somewhere people actually want to spend time.”

The project has also been shaped by extensive engagement with people who live, work and spend time around the waterfront.

Becca Thomas, Director of Place at New Practice, part of Civic, said: “A big part of the project has been listening to the people who already know and use this part of Glasgow. We’ve had surveys, site walks, workshops, public events and youth engagement, as well as working with local social enterprises and artists.”

“That’s given us a much better understanding of what the waterfront means to people now, and what they’d like it to become in the future. It’s helped make sure the plans aren’t just designing a space, but responding to the people and communities around it.”

The project also creates opportunities to address wider environmental and infrastructure challenges. Surface water outfalls can be integrated through the new quay wall, supporting Glasgow’s wider approach to drainage, while blue-green infrastructure and new green space can contribute to flood resilience, biodiversity and the experience of the waterfront.

Heritage is another important part of the story. The site sits alongside the Grade A-listed Custom House and contains a range of existing features and structures that reflect the history of the waterfront. These have been considered throughout the design process, with opportunities to retain, refurbish or relocate heritage elements and strengthen the stories attached to the site.

The result is a project that is about more than renewing a quay wall or creating a new park. It is about reconnecting Glasgow with one of its defining natural assets and creating a waterfront that can support everyday life, activity and connection for the communities around it.

With planning permission now secured and construction anticipated to begin in 2027, the next stage is to turn the vision into reality – creating a place that is better for people, planet and place.