Additional City Deal funding announced

Published: Wednesday 16 July 2025

artist's impression of what the Red Tree Labs building will look like

Three South Lanarkshire projects are to benefit from their share of more than £11 million.

The money will be divided between Red Tree Labs and Cathcart Road Net Zero Industrial Units, both in Rutherglen, and an ‘Industrial Unit Upgrade and Retrofit’ of buildings across South Lanarkshire, subject to future approvals for business cases.

Red Tree Labs is set to receive £9 million, while the Cathcart Road Net Zero Industrial Units will be allocated £1.1 million, and the industrial unit upgrade and retrofit project will be granted £963,000.

The Cathcart Road Net Zero Industrial Units will see an out-of-use council building converted into a new commercial space, creating 17 jobs.

Red Tree Labs will see the development of offices, lab space, an incubator and serviced production areas, while there could be over 200 jobs created.

The industrial unit upgrade and retrofit project will see council property which is vacant or not contributing to the commercial vitality of the area brought back into commercial use.

The funding has been sourced from the Glasgow City Region’s (GCR) City Deal.

This came from the City Deal Infrastructure Fund which was previously intended to be used for improvements in connectivity to Glasgow Airport.               

The Enabling Commercial Space Programme was established through the GCR to make flexible and high-quality business spaces, create opportunities for employment and growth, bring vacant and derelict land back into use, and attract investments.

Work was undertaken to identify projects that maximise the economic outputs within South Lanarkshire and have the potential to gain investment from partners.

Council Leader Joe Fagan said: “The Glasgow City Region City Deal has been an example of the transformative change that can be brought about when different levels of government work together, driven by local knowledge of need and opportunity, to deliver for our communities.

“This funding will provide a major benefit to South Lanarkshire and will undoubtedly help to improve our communities.”

Signed in 2014, the Glasgow City Deal provides £500 million each from the UK and Scottish governments for a range of infrastructure, employability and innovation projects with the eight local councils involved contributing a further £130 million.