Key Points
- Glasgow City Council’s contracts and property committee approved the off-market disposal of over 19 acres (7.75 hectares) of land on the north side of Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, to developer Apsley (Gartloch) Limited.
- The land acquisition is intended to construct a vital access road serving a planned major residential development of approximately 800 homes on adjacent land.
- The developer, Apsley, purchased the adjoining housing development site in December 2025 and aims to submit a planning permission in principle application.
- The exact route of the new access road will be finalised during the formal planning process, and part of the overall site sits close to the Bishop Loch local nature reserve.
- In addition to the Easterhouse development, the committee greenlit land sales and property transfers in Maryhill, Ruchill, Cardonald, Govanhill, and Calton to support housing initiatives and heritage restoration.
- Councillor Ruairi Kelly, SNP, the council’s deputy leader and housing convener, emphasised that these corporate decisions actively enable the delivery of hundreds of new homes across Glasgow during a declared housing shortage.
Glasgow (Glasgow Express) September 18, 2026 — Plans to construct approximately 800 new residential properties near Easterhouse have taken a significant step forward following local authority approval. As reported by Drew Sandelands of Glasgow Live, councillors sitting on Glasgow City Council’s contracts and property committee officially backed the principle of an off-market disposal of land located on the north side of Westerhouse Road.
The land transaction involves over 19 acres (7.75 hectares) of municipal property slated to provide an essential access route into a wider housing scheme. Municipal officials have been formally instructed by the committee to negotiate the specific commercial terms and conditions of the deal with the developer, Apsley (Gartloch) Limited.
Why is the land acquisition necessary for the residential development?
Detailing the background of the commercial agreement, a municipal report outlined by Drew Sandelands of Glasgow Live stated:
“The proposed purchaser is the owner of the adjoining housing development site having purchased it in December 2025.”
The documentation further clarified the developer’s operational timeline:
“The purchaser is aiming to submit a planning permission in principle for the development of c.800 residential units on the adjacent land.”
Furthermore, municipal officers explained that
“The Purchaser approached property and consultancy services with a view to acquiring land to construct an access road to the development site from Westerhouse Road. The exact route of the road will be determined during the planning process.”
The broader residential masterplan intends to transform a 49-hectare site at Gartloch Farm in Glasgow’s east end. Alongside up to 800 residential units, initial proposals indicate that a mixed-use neighbourhood hub featuring retail shops, cafes, and restaurants could be incorporated to service the incoming community. Part of the broader land area stretches near the Bishop Loch local nature reserve, prompting ongoing discussions between developers and local planning authorities regarding environmental safeguards.
How does this decision fit into wider Glasgow housing strategies?
The property committee’s endorsement of the Easterhouse access route coincided with several other municipal asset disposals aimed at addressing urban regeneration and housing needs across the city. Additional approvals included transferring land at Ledgowan Place and Sandbank Street to Maryhill Housing Association to facilitate a 138-home mixed-tenure project, alongside properties designated for social housing restoration through the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust.
Highlighting the municipal administration’s stance on these developments, Councillor Ruairi Kelly, SNP, the council’s deputy leader and housing convener, stated:
“These decisions will enable hundreds of new homes to be built… for the people of Glasgow at a time when new housing is very much needed.”
Background of the Development
The latest council approval builds on long-term strategic frameworks aimed at revitalising Glasgow’s peripheral and east-end districts. Greater Easterhouse has historically been the focus of multi-million-pound public and private regeneration initiatives over the past two decades, including the establishment of the Glasgow Fort shopping complex and thousands of preceding residential builds. Municipal development plans have continuously targeted vacant and uncultivated tracts around Gartloch Farm and Westerhouse Road for residential expansion, aligning with regional strategies to boost housing supply, improve active travel networks, and integrate natural assets like the Seven Lochs Wetland Park.
Prediction on How This Development Can Affect the Local Community
The progression of the 800-home project near Easterhouse is poised to reshape the local demographic and physical landscape significantly. For local residents and prospective homebuyers, the influx of nearly a thousand households alongside new commercial amenities will likely boost local economic activity, enhance retail choices, and accelerate infrastructure improvements, such as road upgrades and active travel paths. However, an increase in residential density may also introduce short-term construction disruptions and place additional strain on surrounding transport links, local schools, and healthcare services unless balanced by concurrent municipal infrastructure investments.
