PLANS to bring a multi-million-pound ‘Health Innovation Hub’ to Govan have been praised by the local community.

The University of Glasgow told of their ambitious plans to build the facility on derelict land close to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Community groups – including local housing associations Linthouse, Govan, and Elderpark – reacted with delight.

The university is a key partner of the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District (GRID), spanning both sides of the River Clyde.

Their four-storey, 6000 square metre hub will bring jobs to Govan with a firm focus on employing local labour in its construction and delivery.

In July 2020, the university announced it had been awarded £38 million to create a ‘Precision Medicine Living Lab’ — described as a project focused on translating cutting-edge science and innovation into a real-world medical setting.

It is through this that the Health Innovation Hub is being developed.

Precision medicine is described as looking at the genetics, environment, and lifestyle of a person in order to select the treatment that could work best for them, and trail-blazing research is expected at the hub.

The university is keen on keeping the community informed of its plans with a variety of Govan community groups attending a recent information event held at the offices of Elderpark Housing.

Among those attending, in addition to the housing associations, were community council representatives, regeneration group Central Govan Action Plan and Govan Workspace plus local Glasgow City councillor Stephen Dornan.

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A spokesperson for the three housing associations said: “We applaud the willingness of the University of Glasgow to engage with Govan organisations whose local knowledge is invaluable when it comes to bringing innovation and regeneration to our community.

“The economic and physical regeneration of the Govan area is vitally important to the people we serve as housing associations. This hub undoubtedly has transformational benefits for the local community.”

Meanwhile, the regeneration of Govan is in full swing with all three housing associations having recently built or are in the process of building many new affordable homes.

Elsewhere, a much-anticipated new bridge linking Govan to Partick is to be created while the iconic Clyde steamer TS Queen Mary - out of action since the 1970s and berthed at Pacific Quay - is being restored to sail, creating a tourism focal point.