CONSULTATION on tall buildings in Glasgow begins today (8 July) in response to the increasing number being built and planned, especially in the city centre.

Public feedback is being sought until 30 September and will help to shape final design guidance which will cover the best location and design principles and is a key factor in the determination of planning applications.

Glasgow City Council say it has become clear that further design guidance is necessary because of increasing pressure to develop these types of buildings; the trend to add additional height to repurposed buildings; and the move towards the re-densification and re-population of the city centre.

While various strategies identify opportunities for increased density and height along the central Clyde waterfront area, it is also considered important to maintain the character of Glasgow Central Conservation Area.

There are a range of views on tall buildings, with many people proposing that they can help reduce sprawl and provide opportunities for refurbishment and re-use.

Others suggest that they are inherently unsustainable, with a greater consumption of more materials, energy, and resources than lower-rise buildings, and create social and environmental problems.

The council says it recognises the role taller buildings can play in terms of sustainable and organic growth of the city system, and encourages competent, forward-thinking and holistic responses to the challenges of planning, constructing, and maintaining taller buildings.

However, it says there should also be low and medium-impact development that promote diversity, liveability and inclusive economic growth.

Current design guidance is based on the following factors:

· Quality of the city centre: the distinctive qualities and values of this distinctive place including historic character and context;

· Heritage: understanding the significance of the local historic environment and the potential impact on this significance;

· Visual: the impact on the city centre streetscape, and wider urban landscapes, and views of the skyline. This includes the setting of heritage assets;

· Functional: the design, embodied carbon and carbon cost, construction and operation;

· Transport: the impact on the local transport infrastructure and particularly public transport needs;

· Environmental: the influence on local micro-climates such as creation of wind tunnels, ‘canyon’ effects, distances between tall buildings, overshadowing, and effect on heritage assets in terms of the impact these micro-climatic changes could have upon their fabric, and how they are experienced; and

· Cumulative: the combined impacts on heritage assets from existing, consented and proposed tall buildings.

The tall buildings design guidance was considered earlier this year at meetings hosted by the Glasgow Design Panel and attended by architects, designers and developers, a meeting with Ward 10 (Anderston/city/Yorkhill) community councils, and last month the council hosted a digital round table workshop for UK and international professional and academic experts with previous expertise in producing tall buildings design guidance for similar scale cities to Glasgow.

The consultation beginning today will help shape the final design guidance document and is open to anyone with an interest in this topic in Glasgow. It can be found online.

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, convener for neighbourhood assets and services at Glasgow City Council, said: “New tall buildings are an increasing feature of Glasgow, particularly where increased density will help us grow the city centre population.

“With more proposed and in the pipeline, we are refining the planning and design guidance so that these buildings are located and designed in the best way for the city. We want as many people as possible to take part in this consultation to help shape this guidance and ensure that the city meets the needs of Glaswegians today and can rise to the challenges yet to come.”

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