Billions of pounds of public funds and private investment are pouring into projects which will transform the heart of Scotland’s largest city.
The next steps in the transformation of Glasgow as new developments spring up and old areas are refurbished and renewed are due to go before councillors on Thursday.
The City Centre Strategy for 2024 to 2030 is likely to be approved by officials as they seek to shape the city’s bustling business districts to meet demand for hotels and office space.
Work to support the recovery of city centre footfall also continues, with the latest weekend footfall figures reaching pre-pandemic levels, and night-time footfall in January 2024 standing at 14 per cent higher than January 2020.
The new strategy will be overseen by the City Centre Taskforce, co-chaired by Angus Councillor Millar and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stuart Patrick, with input from the public and private sectors.
Councillor Millar, Convener for City Centre Recovery at Glasgow City Council, said the new strategy was already translating into actions. He said: “Over the decades, Glasgow has shown itself to be a master at reinvention and the latest stage of that reinvention is now well and truly underway. We know that investors have had confidence in Glasgow and this is being borne out with what we’re seeing coming on-stream.
“In the next few years Glaswegians can expect to see a lot more activity going on in the city centre. Some of this regeneration work may cause disruption, but this is about securing the city centre’s future as the beating heart of Glasgow for years to come.”
Here are the developments transforming Glasgow’s city centre:
Candleriggs Square development:
The £300 million transformation of Candleriggs Square in Glasgow includes homes, a huge hotel and leisure complex. It reached a significant stage with the completion of structural work for a 346-apartment build-to-rent complex, funded by Legal & General, last year.
READ MORE: New images of next phase of 'Avenues Plus' project
Also under construction is the 500-room hotel and leisure complex owned and operated by the pioneering hotel brand The Social Hub, due to open next month.
Barclays campus, Tradeston:
Completed in 2021 with a budget of £330 million, the 500,000 sq. ft office development has created space for 5,000 staff, transforming a former brownfield site.
Made up of five buildings - 3 new and 2 restored - and new outdoor green spaces, the development Bas created 2,500 new jobs in Glasgow.
The campus is also home to the latest Barclays Eagle Lab hosting members of the Glasgow technology start-up community.
Love Loan development, George Street:
Completed last year with a £100 million. The development includes a 245-bed Marriott Hotel, 168 -nit residence, restaurants, bars, leisure venues and a private members club.
Holland Park - Strathclyde Police HQ on Pitt Street
Converted from the former Police HQ, vacant since 2013, Holland Park will provide high quality mix of accommodation and shared spaces for a community of nearly 1000 people, with 433 units spread across four buildings.
Buchanan Galleries and the St Enoch Centre:
With a budget of around £800 million, the proposed redevelopment of Buchanan Galleries will see the creation of fresh office, retail, leisure, hotel and residential units. Planning permission was also granted last year for a mixed use re-development of the venerable St Enoch Centre.
Avenues project:
The ongoing revamp of routes through the city centre involves the revamp of Sauchiehall Street will be revamped with a new precinct at the Rose Street end, and improvements stretching up to West Nile Street. A connecting Cambridge Street Avenue will reach as far as Cowcaddens Road.
READ MORE: Candleriggs Square homes completed
Described as “attractive, accessible, safe, sustainable and easily-maintained", the refurbishment of dilapidated areas of at the heart of Glasgow is being delivered through the Glasgow City Region City Deal-funded Avenues programme, at a cost of £115million.
George Square
Planned re-development of the civic Square and around 2.5 kilometres of the surrounding streets. The new £10m plans would include a water feature, cafes, sheltered seating, a play area for children and an events space. The council hope to start work in spring 2025 and finish in 2027.
Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “As part of the City Centre Task Force, it is encouraging to see projects such as the Golden Z review, the avenues project and our recommendations on empty units all taken forward as part of this refreshed strategy.
“Private investment will be critical to turning around the fortunes of our city centre and we want to attract even more projects like those currently under development such as the Love Loan building, Candleriggs Square and the JP Morgan office development. We look forward to working with the Council and other partners in implementing this strategy.”
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