Hopefully a reasonably quick decision and the thing is built without any stories chopped off the top.

'The western facade will be activated with the insertion of high level windows'

Is that meant to be a good thing? Glasgow's urbanism is dependent on the ability to build onto the neighbouring boundary walls. By 'activating' the west facade Stallan Brand are sterilising the neighbouring building. The height is fine given it's location but as the rest of the street increases in to meet it, the old wynd will have to remain three storeys and end up looking like a broken tooth.

@2 The western windows were introduced at the behest of GCC and overlook 151 Trongate, a pre-existing B listed facade from a 1990s development. It will also be incorporated into this scheme. The Tannery Building at St Andrew's Square is cited as inspiration.

The eastern elevation, adjoining TJ Hughes, has been left blank in anticipation of future development.

Then allow me to correct myself. By 'activating' the west facade Glasgow City Council are sterilising the neighbouring building. The height is fine given it's location but as the rest of the street increases in to meet it, the old wynd will have to remain three storeys and end up looking like a broken tooth.

Jesus wept, if that's the kind of thinking that's going on at GCC no wonder the city centre is fast turning into a dog's breakfast.

#2 & #4
The existing building as of 2020 has had the upper floor windows covered up with OSB and the building largely empty. There is a much bigger picture of city regeneration and the re-use of historic building stock to be getting overly worked up by two dozen windows on a gable end.

#2 & #4,

How many streets in how many cities have all their buildings at the exact same height or number of storeys? One of the interesting things in old cities like Glasgow is the varying roof and height lines, and I for one think the windows on the western facade are a great addition, not many of us would like the see the very historic neighbouring B listed facade torn down to construct something taller in the future. Nor would we want a huge blank gable wall as part of the cityscape.
Terrific proposal, glad to see it has resurfaced all these years later, hope it is quickly approved and construction begins.....long may the rebirth of the Trongate continue! It is shaping up to be a really beautiful street.

Like the Candleriggs development across the road, the retained facade is the best thing about this. But unlike across the road, there is no concession to the scale of the adjacent buildings in terms of setbacks, detailling or other modulating devices. The result is something that stands aloof from the rest of that side of the street. Of course buildings can be different heights and folk are right to point this out, but Modernism of this particular type lacks the language and nuance to accomodate such a dramatic difference in height- especially when the form is a box on end and the roof is a flat lid. Modernism has an issue with roofing buildings generally and we wind up with stuff like this that tends to break the skyline clunkily and clumsily (see opposite side of street too). Uninspiring.Classical buildings can do this rather well and without much fuss (see the rest of Glasgow for details).

Unlike S/B's recent efforts at Kingston St, there is at least some active frontage, though the shopfront (and streetscape) of the retained element would benefit from a proper heritage approach -fascias, stall risers etc etc . This is something that needs better planning guidance and proper codes to tie in with the good work already achieved by the Merchant City Townscape Heritage Initiative.

It will be interesting - given the interregnum- to see if this 'new' application passes Committee muster again, or if -as at the M&S Sauchiehal St site- scale in the Conservation Area becomes a key issue again.