With just 162 days until the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, host city Glasgow is in the final stages of preparation for the global event.
Estates Gazette has been given a sneak peek of how preparations are coming along.
Key to the success of the games is the Athletes Village which has been built on a site in the East End of Glasgow’s city centre adjacent to the 65,000 seat Celtic Park stadium – one of the key venues for the games.
The village sits on a 95-acre site in Dalmarnock and will provide accommodation for 6,500 competitors and officials. After the games, the village will become a sustainable new residential community. The first phase comprises 304 private houses, 300 homes for rent, 100 homes for mid market rent and a new 120 bed care home.
Richard Brown, director of development and regeneration at Glasgow city council, heads the team responsible for the delivery and legacy for the Games, says interest in the residential element is high. “In the first few hours of the first houses going up for sale 80% of them were sold,” he said.
“There’s a real confidence in Glasgow. We are on time and on budget for all the venues across the city.”
The council believes it will come in under the £524m estimated budget for the games, after utilising several existing venues across the city. One of those being the five month old Foster & Partners designed SSE Hydro arena, hosting the boxing and netball finals plus gymnastics.
The Games will take place in Glasgow between 23rd July and 3rd August 2014.
lisa.pilkington@estatesgazette.com
