Cambuslang is making a comeback. This is an area that suffered more than its fair share of economic hardship - no stranger to high profile closures and massive job loss.

That, however, is the past. With the help of South Lanarkshire Council Cambuslang is once again becoming a choice business location.

A big step on the road to recovery will be a joint venture to develop a major investment park in the area that could see more than £30m being invested over a ten-year period in site servicing and the construction of industrial units. The proposals would see the Council transform a 77-acre brownfield location at the site of the former Clydesmill Power Station in partnership with Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire and private developers.

The potential benefits are huge. For a start, it is expected to create 2,000 jobs. Firms will also find the site offers an excellent strategic location just half a mile from the junction of the M74.

The project will build on the success of the first two phases of the Cambuslang Investment Park. Phase One, next to the M74, is almost complete following the construction of the new printing press for the Herald and Evening Times. Early development within phase two, which straddles the Clyde between Glasgow and South Lanarkshire includes a major distribution depot.

Jack McCorkell, Economic Development Officer with the Council, says: “Phase three is an excellent opportunity to build on the established success of Cambuslang Investment Park. It will unlock the potential of the largest employment opportunity within the development corridor being created by the M74 extension.”

The project can also provide a new location for some of the businesses that will be displaced during the construction of the M74. Local businesses wishing to purchase a site for the construction of a new industrial unit will find an opportunity within this development.

A feasibility study conducted by consultants Ironside Farrar and Gee & Co revealed the private sector would not redevelop the site due to vacant land and buildings, split ownership, poor infrastructure and the need to provide sustainable urban drainage.

Public sector action will release the site’s potential to create around 70,000 square metres of industrial units with a variety of possible uses.

Work on the project is expected to begin in January 2003 to service 47 acres in a £4m joint venture with Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire (SEL) and a private developer. The major works would be the construction of a new access road from Westburn Drive and enhanced site drainage. An application has been lodged with the Western Scotland Objective Two Programme for European Regional Development Fund assistance.

It is anticipated that the construction of industrial units and the servicing

of the remainder of the site will be pursued by the private sector as a commercial investment.

South Lanarkshire Council Leader Councillor Eddie McAvoy said: “This scheme really shows the Council’s commitment to creating the right conditions for the local economy to flourish.

“It will create around 2,000 jobs for the local workforce and offer a first class, strategic location for businesses giving them excellent transport links to the new M74 extension. This is a well thought out investment which has the potential to offer a huge return for the area.”

Business South Lanarkshire - Spring 2002

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