The design of a dramatic new bridge linking Broomielaw and
Tradeston has been unveiled for the first time as part of a
£33million regeneration project.
Spiralling costs forced Glasgow City Council to scrap its
original plans for the new 'squiggly' footbridge with an original
concept from Richard Rogers, brainchild of the Millenium Dome,
passing the £60m mark.
However, the total cost of the project has now been capped at
£33m with the bridge to cost between £3m and £6m and the remainder
being spent on reinforcing the Quay wall and providing access
roads, drainage and general ground works.
A tender of £3,658,699 has been accepted from Edmund Nuttall
Ltd, the same company that worked in partnership with the council
to build the Clyde Arc (affectionately dubbed the 'squinty
bridge').
Councillors are expected to approve the tender at a committee
meeting on Friday and the bridge should be completed by May
2008.
Councillor Hanzala Malik, the executive member for development
& regeneration services at the council, praised the design and
said it will be a key feature of a "world class" development along
the International Financial Services District in Broomielaw and
Tradeston.
He said: "This is an outstanding design which represents great
value for money for the people of Glasgow.
"This bridge will provide the link to excellent public realm
work on both banks which will provide a highly attractive area in
which to work, live and play.
"We have worked with the contractors before on the construction
of the Clyde Arc and have no doubt they will provide a bridge which
will be equally popular."
Edmund Nuttal Ltd will lead the project with sub contractors
Halcrow as design engineers and Danish architect firm Dissing +
Weitling providing the vision for the new bridge. A spokesman
for Edmund Nuttall Ltd refused to comment before the tender went to
committee on Friday but said the firm was "hopeful of being awarded
the contract" and is in "ongoing discussions with Glasgow City
Council".
No name has been given to the new structure but a council source
said the design has led to it being dubbed the "squiggly" bridge to
go alongside the nearby "squinty" bridge.
A competition is expected to be announced to decide the official
name of the bridge which was originally called 'Neptune's Way' when
it was designed by Mr Rogers.
Of the £33m project budget, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow will
deliver £10m to be spent on the Quay Wall and ground work and the
European Regional Development Fund will supply £4.7m. The entire
project is expected to be £27,834,473 with built-in contingencies
for increased costs which would take it up to the £33m mark.