Plans for a new bridge over the River Clyde between Govan and Partick have now been approved.
The cable-stayed swing bridge, for cyclists and pedestrians, will connect Water Row with Pointhouse Quay, near the Riverside Museum.
With a 115m long deck and a rotating centre span of 68m, it has been described as “one of the longest opening footbridges in Europe”.
The application was submitted by the council’s neighbourhoods and sustainability team in September last year and approved by city planners this week.
“The river represents a significant physical barrier,” the plans stated.
“Regeneration of the north bank has been driven by proximity to the established residential market of the West End and access to the University of Glasgow and cultural attraction, retail and services.
“Govan is located in close proximity to these amenities but is not physically connected to them; as a consequence, the social, economic and physical regeneration of the area has lagged behind.”
Historically, Govan and Partick were interconnected, the application stated, but “in the late 20 th century the river lost its role as a seaway, a port and a centre of industry”.
“The Govan Ferry was closed to passengers in the mid-1960s meaning that the ability to cross the river, one of the reasons for the development of Govan, was lost.”
The scheme is being funded with money from the City Deal, a £1bn investment in the Glasgow City Region by both the UK and Scottish Government.
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The investment will deliver “high-quality active travel networks linking to the University campus on the north bank and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on the south of the river,” the application added.
It added: “The intervention will remove a physical barrier to employment opportunities on either bank of the river and will reduce the cost of commutes for those travelling to and from work.”
The bridge’s deck will be supported by a 28.5m high tower, designed to reflect the history of the area, such as the cranes of the Govan Shipyard.
The council previously reported plans to award a contract for the work this summer, with construction starting later in the year.
