r/Glasgow Tools

Title
Author	Scunnered20
Comment	A largely powerless council. Councils have compulsory purchase powers for property, and it's used sometimes on a case by case basis. For individual buildings or plots that cost £500k-£1m maybe. Happens much less often these days with the price of property though. But taking control over hectares of riverside land, worth billions, owned by a tax exile company? The council has no direct powers on this. AFAIK there exists legislation at Westminster level to allow government ministers to step in and mandate usage of land. Even if the government (UK) were minded to do that, it would come with huge political costs for them. I agree the council could lead on a politicised campaign for better use of the land, demanding that the Scottish Government lends their name to the cause and the UK government ministers step in. It all comes with political costs every step of the way, and if it looks like something that won't happen, I can see why the council doesn't think it's a good use of political capital. GCC seems to have a broad strategy for significant reuse of Clydeside land just now, to be rolled out over the next 10-15 years. I think this won't have been publicised if a behind-the-scenes agreement hadn't already been reached with Peel Ports over some land use. If it works out, we're going to see some movement in the coming years, with developments on vacant land along the north side of the clyde, and potentially some public works, like parkland being developed too.
Reddit Link	https://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/wxg22o/first_look_at_new_glasgow_riverside_plan_with/im1pzyu/
Created	Sat 27th Aug 2022 9:44pm
Status	normal ()

A largely powerless council.

Councils have compulsory purchase powers for property, and it's used sometimes on a case by case basis. For individual buildings or plots that cost £500k-£1m maybe. Happens much less often these days with the price of property though.

But taking control over hectares of riverside land, worth billions, owned by a tax exile company? The council has no direct powers on this.

AFAIK there exists legislation at Westminster level to allow government ministers to step in and mandate usage of land. Even if the government (UK) were minded to do that, it would come with huge political costs for them.

I agree the council could lead on a politicised campaign for better use of the land, demanding that the Scottish Government lends their name to the cause and the UK government ministers step in. It all comes with political costs every step of the way, and if it looks like something that won't happen, I can see why the council doesn't think it's a good use of political capital.

GCC seems to have a broad strategy for significant reuse of Clydeside land just now, to be rolled out over the next 10-15 years. I think this won't have been publicised if a behind-the-scenes agreement hadn't already been reached with Peel Ports over some land use. If it works out, we're going to see some movement in the coming years, with developments on vacant land along the north side of the clyde, and potentially some public works, like parkland being developed too.