r/Glasgow Tools

Title
Author	Scunnered20
Comment	I'm not so sure it's much to do with Thatcher, I think the problem goes back further. That land (and essentially most land running along both sides of the river between the city centre and Clydebank) has been in private hands for around a century. Very quick summary here: http://www.clydewaterfront.com/clyde-heritage/the-broomielaw/clyde-navigation-trust Authority over development of land adjacent to the Clyde was given to the 'River Improvement Trust' in 1759, which dredged and canalised the river west of Gorbals Bridge to make it more suitable for river traffic and small ships to dock. Prior to that, the river was wide, uneven and very shallow. There was another Act of Parliament to transfer authority to a new body, the 'Clyde Navigation Trust' in 1858. They greatly developed the land to the west of Broomielaw, building Queen's Dock (now the SECC), Prince's Dock (now Pacific Quay) and King George V Dock (near Braehead), among several other large basins, quaysides and infrastructure to support these (warehouses, railways). Mavisbank Quay was site of a railway alignment and cargo sheds, and the main quay for concrete shipments. All of this land, square kilometres of the Clydeside, is still in the hands of the inheritor owners of the Clyde Navigation Trust: [Peel Ports.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Peel_Group) It's the main reason development of the riverside has been so slow and piecemeal. Nothing happens without the landowners' wishing to do so. Occasionally over the last 20-30 year's they've released parcels of land for development: Glasgow Harbour housing, the development of the SECC campus most obviously. But the reason for the disjointed nature of the riverside is because of this fragmented history of its use.
Reddit Link	https://www.reddit.com/r/glasgow/comments/16noa45/anyone_know_what_the_deal_is_with_mavisbank_quay/k1ji1wg/
Created	Thu 21st Sep 2023 10:34am
Status	normal ()

I'm not so sure it's much to do with Thatcher, I think the problem goes back further. That land (and essentially most land running along both sides of the river between the city centre and Clydebank) has been in private hands for around a century.

Very quick summary here:
http://www.clydewaterfront.com/clyde-heritage/the-broomielaw/clyde-navigation-trust

Authority over development of land adjacent to the Clyde was given to the 'River Improvement Trust' in 1759, which dredged and canalised the river west of Gorbals Bridge to make it more suitable for river traffic and small ships to dock. Prior to that, the river was wide, uneven and very shallow.

There was another Act of Parliament to transfer authority to a new body, the 'Clyde Navigation Trust' in 1858. They greatly developed the land to the west of Broomielaw, building Queen's Dock (now the SECC), Prince's Dock (now Pacific Quay) and King George V Dock (near Braehead), among several other large basins, quaysides and infrastructure to support these (warehouses, railways).

Mavisbank Quay was site of a railway alignment and cargo sheds, and the main quay for concrete shipments.

All of this land, square kilometres of the Clydeside, is still in the hands of the inheritor owners of the Clyde Navigation Trust: [Peel Ports.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Peel_Group)

It's the main reason development of the riverside has been so slow and piecemeal. Nothing happens without the landowners' wishing to do so. Occasionally over the last 20-30 year's they've released parcels of land for development: Glasgow Harbour housing, the development of the SECC campus most obviously. But the reason for the disjointed nature of the riverside is because of this fragmented history of its use.