Glasgow’s Govan district is set to transform with a planned project at the Graving Docks to revitalise the region
In February, planning permission was granted for repair works to begin. As part of a massive brownfield project, 300 new homes and other community upgrades will be built in the area.
A short film has been released documenting the plans for the Govan Graving Docks revamp and the history of the area.
The Govan Graving Docks revamp will revitalise a stagnant area
The video, titled Rising Tides, was recorded by Chris Leslie, a BAFTA winning Scottish film-maker and highlights the current state of the docks, having fallen out of use 40 years ago, as well as interviewing locals about their memories of the docks and how they feel about the plans.
The plans show Dock One as being used for its original purpose: dry docking ships for repairs. The other docks will be utilised for 304 homes and a local green space for activities, part of Scotland’s commitment to green goals.
The plans also show an active travel route to better connect the area to the city.
80% of the site will be given to a community ownership trust
Deirdre Gaughan, local resident and chairperson of Central Govan Action Plan (CGAP), said: “When the docks were open the place was thriving, so it was absolutely awful when the docks closed in 1988. I just know that this project can make Govan thrive again.”
Chris Leslie added: “For centuries, the phrase, ‘Glasgow made the Clyde, and the Clyde made Glasgow,’ has spoken to the city’s intimate connection with the river, capturing its romanticised legacy.
“But today, for many, the Clyde feels like a shadow of its former self—a still and silent divider rather than a unifying force. The shipbuilding era days that once defined it is long gone, and much of its rich heritage has been dismantled and discarded. To me, it’s a tragedy that the city has turned its back on the river and its history.
“So, when I heard about the plans to develop Govan Graving Docks – especially with the idea of it becoming a working dry dock again – I approached O’Donnell Brown (architects) and asked if I could tell this story. I knew it was a story worth documenting, not just for the site but for the city and the river’s future.”
