August 16 2023

London and Scottish Property Investment Management (LSPIM) are promoting a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to regenerate Glasgow's Charing Cross district.

Charing Cross Gateway (CxG) would encompass the existing Tay House office block at 300 Bath Street and Elmbank Gardens over at Newton Street and Bath Street. Separate planning applications are being prepared for both sites by the end of the year as part of a single masterplan.

Elmbank Gardens, the first element of the scheme, would replace outdated office space with a 600-bed student accommodation building. A complementary reimagining of Tay House would follow, providing a mix of apartments, office space and public realm with a declared combined investment value of £250m.

Raising expectations for the site beyond that of a recent application for renovation LSPIM declared: " Importantly, this will create a new gateway into the city that is currently not fit-for purpose and requires significant investment.

"If approved, CXG will see the creation of a high-quality, new community and a stand-out gateway to the city centred on placemaking and sustainability."

An initial consultation will take place on 22 August between 14:00 and 19:00 at 300 Bath Street.

Elmbank Gardens is not expected to welcome students until 2028 with the redevelopment of Tay House ruled out until the end of the current building's lifespan, projected to be in the mid-2030's. 

7 Comments

#1 Posted by Shatner's Bassoon on 16 Aug 2023 at 12:03 PM

Apparently you can justify anything by drawing a circle on an aerial photo with the caption "approximate 15 minute walk"

- also the article links to an Edinburgh City Council application

#2 Posted by Meh on 16 Aug 2023 at 14:42 PM

Fix the pedestrian and cycle links/environment across Charing X first, then we'll talk about "a high-quality, new community and a stand-out gateway to the city centred on placemaking and sustainability". The place is a complete mess.

#3 Posted by Lovely on 17 Aug 2023 at 08:36 AM

But isn’t this a brilliant way to puff up three barely related low quality planning applications that will be many years apart into some kind of wonderful urban design public realm project type thingy…? I think the marketing team deserve a couple of extra double gin and tonics for coming up with this rouse.

#4 Posted by Willy the Builder on 17 Aug 2023 at 10:18 AM

Every year the government wastes millions paying 'consultants' to produce hocus-pocus like this.

A lot of real stuff could have been build with the vast sums of money paid out of 'consultants' over the years.

#5 Posted by UR on 17 Aug 2023 at 10:40 AM

@1 LSPIM are going to have to draw a bigger circle!

Sorry about that. Link fixed.

#6 Posted by Why Not on 18 Aug 2023 at 16:51 PM

#4 I must declare myself as one of these pesky "consultants" who doesn't get paid millions of the government's money. First - its a private landlord here so no gov. money involved. If you really want stuff to get done ask the council to get on with the avenues project and cap over the M8, it might just improve this area of the city. Whilst they are at it, they might do well with a coherent planning policy on student accommodation and residential development within the city centre.

#7 Posted by Scots Dave on 7 Sep 2023 at 11:22 AM

Charing Cross really has become a complete neglected carbuncle an urban eyesore. Road network completely skewed through junctions and surroundings just bring down the fantastic Georgian architecture never mind closed businesses, graffiti, litter, overgrown grass and weeds and vandalism. Start with the basics first then onwards and upwards.

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