Glasgow City Council to allocate funding to allow creation of cutting edge commercial space in Dalmarnock

Glasgow City Council is set to allocate £6.56 million in City Deal funding from the Scottish and UK Governments to support the delivery of XWorks, a cutting‑edge innovation facility in Dalmarnock. The project will create almost 40,000 sq ft of flexible hybrid space designed for High Value Manufacturing (HVM), enabling new and growing companies to scale within Glasgow’s east end.

The flexible, modular design of XWorks will allow occupiers to adapt units to suit diverse needs across engineering, medical technology, renewable energy, bioscience and digital innovation. Plans outline capacity for up to five businesses, with space for HVM, laboratories, prototyping zones and specialist R&D environments.

Glasgow City Region’s Strategic/Outline Business Case for the wider Enabling Commercial Space Programme clearly identified the need for high‑quality commercial space in the Glasgow city‑region to meet existing and future demand.

XWorks was identified as one of the priority developments within Clyde Gateway Innovation, an ambitious, multi‑partner programme supported by Glasgow City Council, South Lanarkshire Council, Scottish Enterprise and academic partners including the University of Strathclyde. The initiative will deliver up to one million square feet of flexible commercial and lab‑enabled workspace, innovation labs, hotels and residential development — all connected to low‑carbon heat networks and green infrastructure along the River Clyde corridor.

Located on a brownfield site at Bartholomew Street / Playfair Street, XWorks will form a key component of this £500 million regeneration initiative, transforming more than 100 hectares across Glasgow’s east end and South Lanarkshire into one of Scotland’s most important hubs for advanced manufacturing, life sciences, clean energy and deep‑tech activity.

The arrival of XWorks strengthens the growing deep‑tech ecosystem taking shape across the Clyde Gateway area, where companies such as Simera Sense — an international satellite‑camera manufacturer establishing a high‑value electronics assembly operation locally — demonstrate the region’s increasing appeal to innovation‑focused industries. This momentum is supported by a wider cluster of firms active in sectors including space technology, cybersecurity, energy systems, software and clean‑tech, creating a solid foundation for advanced manufacturing and research‑driven growth throughout the district.

Funding for XWorks is part of a wider £64 million investment from the Glasgow City Region City Deal for the Enabling Commercial Space Programme. The project is also funded by Clyde Gateway, Glasgow City Council’s Vacant & Derelict Land Fund, and Scottish Enterprise.

Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said:

“This investment helps meet that demand, while attracting skilled and technical jobs to the East End and bringing Glasgow’s new economy right into the heart of those communities with a proud industrial tradition.”

Martin McKay, Chief Executive of Clyde Gateway, said: “XWorks represents a major step forward in our mission to establish Clyde Gateway as a leading hub for advanced manufacturing and innovation. By delivering the kind of high‑quality, flexible space that high‑growth companies need, we’re creating the conditions for new industries to flourish and for long‑term economic opportunities to take root in Dalmarnock and across the wider district.”

The Glasgow City Region City Deal will see both the Scottish and UK Governments each provide £500 million of funding for infrastructure projects across the city‑region.