PLANNERS have agreed that a row of shops in a historic Glasgow City Centre building can be used as cafes and restaurants.
They have approved a change-of-use application involving four ground floor retail premises on the eastern side of B-listed Breckenridge House, Sauchiehall Street.
The proposal includes joining units 10 and 11 to form larger premises and also provide outdoor seating areas on the Sauchiehall Street and Rose Street elevations.
At the time of the application in July last year, three of the shops were occupied by retailers Route One, British Heart Foundation, and Amplifon.
A planning statement submitted on behalf of applicant Bywater Properties explained: “Demand from retail occupiers for the units at ground floor of Breckenridge House, and in this part of Sauchiehall Street, is low.
“The proposed change of use will increase the types of operator which can occupy the units, and improve their marketability. Ensuring that the units are marketable to a wider range of occupiers will reduce the risk of the units falling out of active use on expiry of the existing leases.
“The amalgamation of units 10 and 11 will create a larger corner unit within the building’s frontage on Sauchiehall Street and Rose Street. This will increase the range of sizes of units available on the ground floor of the building, further improving its ability to attract new tenants.”
The statement continued: “The proposed development will ensure that there continues to be an active beneficial use on site, will enhance the character and quality of the Central Area Conservation Area, and improve the streetscape on Sauchiehall Street through introducing activity and variety of supporting services in this area.
“The proposed development will not result in any detrimental impact on residential occupiers; the proposals include provision of appropriate ventilation and extraction to avoid impact in terms of plant noise, fumes and odour associated with cooking. In addition, the street exhibits an established night-time economy and the proposal is considered an appropriate town centre use.”
