B-listed meat market heritage sheds in the East End to host new park and sports facility

B-listed sheds on the former Meat Market site are set to be taken over by a trust as part of plans for a park and sports facilities.

Regeneration of the East End land, which has been empty for around 20 years, includes 500 new affordable homes, as well as active travel routes and a community hub.

The sheds, and the superintendent’s house on the site, will be pre-leased to the Meat Market Heritage Trust if councillors approve the move next week (Thursday, August 3).

It is expected a 25-year lease would allow the charity to create a linear park on an area which lies over a railway tunnel.

And, once the sheds have been refurbished, community sports facilities and bookable office space would be created. Retail space could also be provided as part of the plan.

The trust has applied for a lease through the People Make Glasgow Communities programme, which gives community organisations an opportunity to run council-owned venues.

It is expected the long-term lease would allow the trust to access funding from national bodies.

Cllr Ruairi Kelly, SNP, the council’s convener for neighbourhood assets and services, said: “The Meat Market project is transforming a site in the East End that lay vacant for 20 years, and recent progress has been remarkable in the shape of the building of new affordable homes there.

“The work that the Meat Market Heritage Trust will do will further this transformation, improving the environment for the local community and visitors, and bringing new life and opportunities to the historic sheds and superintendent’s house.”

The masterplan for the wider site was developed by the council and Milnbank Housing Association, and funding has been secured from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Scottish Government’s regeneration capital grant fund.

Meat Market Heritage Trust is a “special purpose vehicle”, created to take over the delivery and operational stages of the plan.

The council said the trust has undertaken “significant” community consultation to ensure the proposed works reflect the aims of local people.

Final award of the lease would be conditional on the trust submitting a full business case to the council — with details of the timescales and proof of funding.

The land, bounded by Duke Street, Bellgrove Street, the Gallowgate and Barrack Street/Melbourne Street, was used as the Glasgow Meat Market Abattoir and Slaughterhouse complex, established in 1817.

It was closed around 40 years ago and the sheds were later used for motor auctions.

The planned park would run from east to west to the north of the sheds. The council previously said it would be located there as, due to the presence of the railway line running underneath this part of the site, it is not suitable for development.