STUDENT accommodation developers are moving forward with separate proposals involving demolition of two Glasgow City Centre buildings.
Under the plans multi-storey blocks, with a total of around 750 rooms, would be built at the site of the former Marks and Spencer store in Sauchiehall Street and the vancant Archaos Nightclub premises on Queen Street.
Pre-application consultation regarding both schemes is underway.
Fusion Students are behind the Sauchiehall Street project and state: “Built on the site of the former M&S Store, the proposed mixed-use development would deliver a range of active uses that will contribute to the long-term vibrancy and regeneration of one of the city’s main thoroughfares.
“The emerging design concept for 172 Sauchiehall Street involves the careful demolition of the existing building to facilitate its redevelopment through the erection of a mixed use development incorporating student accommodation, potentially other residential uses, commercial and amenity uses.
“The upper levels of the Former M&S building would have student and potentially other residential accommodation for around 500 residents, complemented by a spacious rooftop terrace and garden: bringing Fusion Students’ unique ‘student-hotel life’ concept to the city’s growing student population.”
A large shop unit is included in the plan plus the recreation of the former Wellington Arcade, providing a publicly accessibly connection between Sauchiehall Street and Renfrew Street “delivering permeability through one of the city’s main arteries and creating a new internal environment full of active uses”.
Subject to planning approval, Fusion hope to start demolition and construction in July 2023, with the development scheduled to open in summer 2026.
Meanwhile CA Ventures say their Queen Street development would have around 230 student rooms plus ground floor commercial units.
They state: “These proposals are in response to the well documented shortage of student accommodation in the wider city and propose to ease the ever-increasing demand placed on Glasgow’s residential housing stock.”
The existing premises were built in the early 1830s as flexible shop, warehouse, office and workshop accommodation for merchants and businessmen.
The building has become vacant in recent years and has fallen into a state of disrepair.
CA Venture hope the accommodation would be ready for the academic year starting in August 2025.
They add: “Many architectural styles and languages exist within the conservation area and the proposed design will need to respond to this with the material choices and detailing.”
Planning permission was granted for a 550-room student accommodation building at 225 Bath Street in the city centre in February this year. A building warrant for demolition of the existing empty office building was approved in May.
