Councillors from Renfrewshire Council’s finance board have agreed to award the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside contract to civil engineering specialists Graham.

The project is jointly funded by the UK and Scottish Governments through the £1.13 billion Glasgow City Region City Deal.

It will support around 700 jobs during its construction and generate hundreds of subcontract and supplier jobs.

A twin-leaf swing bridge for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians from Renfrew to Yoker on the boundary of Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire forms the centrepiece of the project.

All planning consent is in place and construction is scheduled to start in Spring and take three years to complete.

A new road through Renfrew will connect the bridge to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) being developed.

Renfrewshire Council leader Iain Nicolson said: “We are delighted to have approved the awarding of this contract and look forward to working with civil engineering specialists Graham and its project partners on what is a hugely significant project for Renfrewshire, the Glasgow City Region and indeed Scotland.

“We are excited by its potential in creating a vibrant attractive waterfront and connecting communities to their work, to hospitals and to education.

“Short-term, it will accelerate economic recovery from the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic by creating jobs and boosting opportunities for suppliers and in the long-term, the new infrastructure opens up access to development opportunities on both sides of the Clyde and will ensure the success of AMIDS, cementing Renfrewshire’s position as the home of manufacturing innovation in Scotland.”