Glasgow has been through a constant cycle of change, from the era of heavy industry on the Clyde to the dark days of post-industrial soul-searching through to the redefining impact of European City of Culture in 1990 and creative output in the years since. Glasgow has worn many hats, and today we wanted to look forward to what the future of of Glasgow will look like.
Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government have set the scene with priorities to grow capacity for tourism and double the population living in the city centre while attracting more businesses. A quick survey of the city skyline shows construction cranes are already present with vacant buildings and gap sites prioritised for new development.
What will a modern Glasgow in the future look like? What are the changes taking place right now?
Here are 20 of the biggest developments set to define the city in the coming decades.
1. A new Broomielaw
The Broomielaw District Regeneration Framework (DRF) was approved in June 2019 and work is now progressing to deliver the action plan. It focuses on building a River Park, integrating the M8, creating new buildings and spaces while transforming Broomielaw into a place which is vibrant at all times of day and at the weekend. The current timescale for completion is 2025.
2. New high-rise towers - The Àrd
A new development called The Àrd was approved late last year - regenerating a brownfield site just down the road from Charing Cross, the plans will see the partial demolition of the existing former HMRC building on India Street and proposes the part-retention of the existing concrete frame. Two high-rise buildings of 36-storeys and 10-storeys, totalling 784 student beds, are proposed. The development will also provide the charity, Glasgow Social Enterprise Network (GSEN), with a new home as it will occupy a ground floor unit free of charge. Pictured is a CGI image of what the two new student towers at Charing Cross would look like.
3. Gorbals towers coming down
Two blocks of high-rise flats in the Gorbals are set to be demolished due to a fire safety risk identified back in 2019. 305 and 341 Caledonia Road are already in preparation for demolition as the New Gorbals Housing Association (NGHA) has been moving people out of the 276 flats at the Gorbals towers. A replacement social housing development made up of around 150 houses and flats is planned on the site to take their place, although the timing of the construction is unclear.
4. A new Sighthill
The £250million Sighthill Transformational Regeneration Area (TRA) is the biggest such project in the UK outside of London. When complete, the project will have created a new neighbourhood on the north side of the city centre, just 15 minutes’ walk from George Square. Some of the features of the regenerated Sighthill will include: new housing (almost 1000 homes, with 141 already in place), a new community campus school, a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge over the M8 motorway improving the connections between Sighthill and the city centre, and a road-bridge over the Glasgow-Edinburgh railway line improving the connections between Sighthill and neighbouring communities.