About the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Project

Construction of the Forth and Clyde Canal or the Great Canal as it was then known, began in 1768. It was finally opened in 1790, providing a trade and transport link between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. The canal was vital to the growth of Glasgow with over 3 million tonnes of freight and 200,000 passengers being transported each year alone by the mid 1800’s. The Glasgow Branch was at the heart of this boom spawning industries such as timber mills, glass works, foundries, sugar refineries and bonded warehouses.

By 2020, the Glasgow Canal Regeneration Project aims to transform the canal into a fantastic waterside environment that will bring benefits to those living and working in Glasgow, whilst providing special destinations for visitors to the city. Sustainability in its widest sense will lie at the heart of this European scale initiative, with the project being guided by exemplar regeneration, environmental and design principles.

Read more about our Vision.