GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL INVITES EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IN ATHLETES VILLAGE MASTERPLAN FOR 2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Glasgow City Council has taken a significant step towards delivering the Athletes’ Village for the 2014 Commonwealth Games by inviting prospective development partners to express their interest in the proposal. 

The successful development of the 38.5 hectares site in Dalmarnock, in the heart of the Clyde Gateway project, is a key component in the delivery of the Games.  The Village will provide accommodation and facilities for 6,500 competitors and officials.   

After the Games, the Village will become a desirable residential community including private housing, 300 homes for rent and a new 120 bed care home for the elderly.   The removal of the temporary facilities within the Athletes’ Village after the Games will release additional land for further residential development.

The City Council expects the Village to be carefully designed, of the highest environmental standards and built to become a highly desirable new residential neighbourhood within Glasgow’s East End.   Through the development of the Village, the successful development partner will be expected to bring community benefits to the city by generating employment and training opportunities and creating opportunities for small to medium sized enterprises and social enterprises.

The interested companies must show in their formal expressions of interest that they have the appropriate resources, knowledge, skills and experience to deliver the master planning, funding, construction and re-use of the Athletes’ Village.   A short list of potential partners will be drawn up in September with the preferred developer identified in Spring 2009.

Councillor Steven Purcell, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The Commonwealth Games will provide many opportunities for Glasgow, and the Athletes’ Village will be one of the greatest providers of opportunities before and after 2014.  The creation of the Athletes’ Village offers Glasgow’s people and employers the chance to build what will be a global showcase for our city and country.  Through this they can develop skills and business networks that will be of tremendous benefit long after the athletes have gone.  After the Games, the Village area will become a vibrant neighbourhood, a flagship for the regeneration of Glasgow’s East End and a visible reminder of the legacy of the Games.  We look forward to seeing the exciting plans that interested parties will submit for this fantastic project.”

Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said: “This is a hugely important milestone in preparations for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.   The Athletes’ Village will not only provide outstanding accommodation for competitors, but once the Games are over, the village will become a living community with 1,000 houses adding to the significant physical and social regeneration of the east end of Glasgow.”

Lord Smith, Chair of the Organising Committee for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, said: “This invitation to submit a masterplan for the Athletes’ Village marks another significant step towards delivering a wonderful Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.  This is a tremendous challenge and opportunity for interested companies to contribute to a unique project in Glasgow’s history, and the Organising Committee welcomes the chance to work together with the successful development partner to create the Athletes’ Village.“

While Glasgow City Council shall make the Village site available at nil cost initially in order to reduce borrowing requirements, the appointed development partner will enter into a profit sharing arrangement with the Council at the end of the project.  

Organisations interested in submitting a masterplan for the Athletes Village should contact http://www.glasgow.bravosolution.com/.  The deadline for initial submissions is 11 August 2008.

Ends

Notes to Editors

The site identified for the Athletes’ Village is currently a mix of residential, industrial and open spaces with significant areas of vacant land.  There are approximately 850 households with a population of 1,600 in the immediate area of the Village. 

The National Indoor Sports Arena, Velodrome and Celtic Park are adjacent to the site.  The East End Regeneration Route - scheduled for completion in 2011 - linking to the M74 Completion at Polmadie will run to within 350 metres of the Village.

The masterplan for the Athletes’ Village should contain a contingency to allow accommodation for up to an extra 1,500 athletes and officials.

Post-Games, the site will incorporate 300 social rented units - all with a BRE EcoHomes excellent rating or equivalent and a 120 bed Social Work care home for the elderly.

Other features of the site will include:

The Residential Zone

• Accommodation in permanent buildings with a maximum of two athletes/officials per room and allow a maximum of two rooms per shower/wc.
• Team offices within team areas proportionate to the size of the team participating in the Games, with IT and other equipment necessary to operate effectively.
• Buildings that generally do not rise above four storeys, although this height may be exceeded where design requirements and topographical opportunities dictate.
• The numbers of each house type will be determined by the development partner but should result in a sustainable diverse and marketable outcome.  The house types within the Village should include: four storey 2-3 bedroom apartments, two storey 2-3 bedroom terrace houses, two storey 2-3 bedroom semi-detached houses, three storey 2-4 bedroom townhouses and two  storey 3-4 bedroom detached houses.
• Open spaces and amenity areas that contribute to meeting sustainability objectives.

The Village Services area should be large enough to deliver the Games requirements of:

• A restaurant capable of accommodating 2,000 diners at peak and operating 24/7 throughout the games.
• Additional dining facilities at strategic locations within the residential area capable of accommodating a total of 600 diners and operating between 10am and 10pm.
• Service centres providing laundry, television, handyman, information services and free drinks vending.
• Mobile refreshment points.
• A religious centre.
• A fully equipped polyclinic providing immediate health assessment and recuperation area.
• Facilities for the Commonwealth Games Federation Medical Commission.
• A fully equipped gymnasium/fitness/recovery centre. 
• Outdoor training facilities.
• A sports competition/records office.
• A travel centre.
• A Games Village management office.
• Police, fire and rescue facilities.
• Inventory and storage facilities (back of house).
• Staff facilities.

The International Zone

This Zone should be large enough to include:

• VIP registration and reception facilities.
• A ceremonial area.
• A shopping complex (including bank, post office, travel service and convenience shopping).
• An entertainment complex (including cinema, internet café, bar/bistro) and a suite of conference/meeting rooms.
• Media facilities.
• A security management centre.

Operational Zone

The Village Operational Zone will consist of a number of back-of-house facilities providing services that support the primary operations of the Village. These facilities should include:

• The Village loading and delivery area.
• Vehicle check point.
• Security command centre.
• Offices for personnel involved in estate management, logistics, technology management, linen handling and other support services.

Post-Games Use

• The Village should be a capable of being refitted to become a new fully integrated neighbourhood within the East End of Glasgow.
• All temporary facilities - the International and Operational Zones and Village Services - will be removed and the land made available for extensions to the residential neighbourhoods.

The development partner will be responsible for designing the site layout of the International Zone and Operational Zone, and for the provision of the site infrastructure necessary for the delivery of the post Games legacy plan in these areas.  The development partner will not be required to provide the temporary facilities, which will be procured through a separate contract by the 2014 Organising Committee.