December 8 2023

A former greyhound racing stadium in Glasgow's east end is set to become the centrepiece of the Clyde Gateway Regeneration project under ambitious redevelopment plans.

Drawing inspiration from the redevelopment of similar greyhound stadiums at Catford Green and Walthamstow, as well as former football stadia at Highbury Square and Upton Park, Cooper Cromar propose to immortalise the track layout at Shawfield in a public park lined by 450 apartments - a quarter of which would be affordable.

Skirting the circumference of the present track with flats the mixed-use neighbourhood will play a key role in delivering 10,000 new homes for the district with the site also set to host a 150-bedroom hotel and 700 sqm of retail space. The race track itself would be transformed into open parkland, hiding under deck parking below, with the professed goal of ensuring 'landscaping takes priority over parking'.

Building at scale to address key corners the development could reach 15 storeys in height overlooking Rutherglen Road, before cascading down through a series of landscaped roof decks.

In a consultation statement, the architects stated: "The massing and design are evocative of Shawfield’s form and rich history.

"High-quality green space sits at the heart of a sequence of spaces, vistas and pedestrian linkages, to and through the development."

Consultations are ongoing for an application for planning permission in principle which could gain consent by the latter half of 2024. At that point development partners would be invited to deliver the scheme in stages. 

4 Comments

#1 Posted by Roddy_ on 8 Dec 2023 at 18:11 PM

This is a perfect example of getting married to 'the concept' rather than working with the opportunities and constraints of the site. Yes, we know there used to be a greyhound track but does that make for a good paradigm for housing? Probably not.

This actually reminds me of the Espaces D'Araxas in Paris - and not in a good way. Mis-scaled housing fronting a mis-scaled public space. Add in the 'leakage' of the surface car parking and broken perimeter and you have a proper guddle.

This is what you get when architects try to be urban masterplanners. An embarrassing assemblage and another planning disaster (if it gets through) to add to Oatlands.

#2 Posted by Roddy_ on 8 Dec 2023 at 19:54 PM

Sorry - typo - Espaces D'Abraxas.

#3 Posted by GC on 9 Dec 2023 at 21:16 PM

If they're going to go round the track, why not go all the way around? Quite like the corner tower nearest the bridge but they have enough space to extend the line down and have another at the main road corner, while also having a line of apartments around the southern half of the track and still a decent amount of space at the front of that for parking, surely that is a more effective use of the space while adhering to the concept. The landscaping there is unnecessary with the green space in the middle and a large park right across the road.

#4 Posted by Nairn's Bairn on 11 Dec 2023 at 17:49 PM

Don't despair #1 - with a bit of work I'm sure they'll whippet into shape.

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