£5bn housing idea part of Glasgow's Covid-19 recovery plan

A 10-point plan for economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic is set to be agreed by the Glasgow City Region today.

It includes a proposal to deliver a housing energy efficiency retrofit programme, which would create thousands of jobs.

A ten-year £5billion scheme to upgrade the insulation “for all properties in the City Region that need it”, which explores the “use of innovative renewable technologies to deliver clean energy”, would support 75,000 jobs, the plan states.

The City Region will submit the proposal, which could also remove 10.7million tonnes of carbon emissions per year, to the Scottish and UK Governments.

Continuing to lobby governments for additional support, extending active travel options and providing safe and efficient public transport and enhancing the help available to those made redundant to find work or training are part of the planned recovery.

Establishing a regional skills programme and identifying skills opportunities and in-demand jobs in a post-Covid economy are also included.

Cabinet members from the eight councils will meet to discuss the proposals today.

The Glasgow City Region - made up of eight neighbouring local authorities, including Glasgow City Council - has been described as “the country’s economic powerhouse”.

The plan states the “inevitable impact of Covid” will mean a significant number of jobs are lost in the Region - potentially 60,000 - and adds it is “essential” these are replaced by new ones.

In a foreword to the plan, Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of the Glasgow City Region cabinet, said: “We do not underestimate the challenge we face - to our economy, businesses and labour market, particularly to young people and their future opportunities.”

She added the challenge requires “significant investment” and we “cannot simply return to ‘business as usual’”.

“Talk of rebuilding isn’t just rhetoric. Major investment in infrastructure, particularly green infrastructure, will be pivotal to stimulating our recovery.”

A refreshed economic strategy for the region will be published in 2021 to “build on the foundations” of the recovery plan.

The Region plans to engage with both governments to “increase and accelerate investment in infrastructure” to boost the economy in the short-term and to create jobs. Projects which could be accelerated include a new Glasgow Metro and work to redevelop the Ravenscraig steelworks site.

There will also be a focus on overcoming digital exclusion, including the affordability of connection, and a plan to bring vacant and derelict land back into use, which would create jobs as well as helping to tackle climate change.

The City Region has 50% of the 3510 sites on Scotland’s vacant and derelict land register, often in deprived areas.

Kevin Rush, Director of Regional Economic Growth, said: “We will continue to work with government partners to accelerate, prioritise, and expand infrastructure capital investment, particularly on significant transformational projects such as Clyde Mission, Ravenscraig, the Metro and our emerging innovation districts.

“These projects will draw vital investment to the region, create jobs and opportunities for businesses and support a green recovery.”