June 7 2024

Glasgow is guiding future development by setting out how a doubling down on established town centres can counter weakened commuter flows in a broad strokes report.

Evidence for the City Development Plan 2 encompasses five topics; namely climate change, housing, the economy, town centres and the green belt, establishing how the planning system can promote positive outcomes on all fronts.

Outlining how existing population and retail centres will be crucial for future growth the work highlights the importance of identity in every council ward.

It highlights newly introduced measures such as removing the requirement for planning permission for the change of use of a shop to services such as a bank or dentist, illustrating how barriers to re-use can be lowered. Conversions to food and drink premises are permitted in more limited circumstances.

Other priorities include raising the resident city centre population to 40,000 by 2035, measures to address a shortfall in creative workspaces along Sauchiehall Street and the Merchant City and consolidating reduced retail provision along the 'Golden Z' following prior consultation.

A council spokesperson said: "The report focuses on key planning issues like housing, business and town centres as well as the infrastructure required to support a range of land uses in the city.

"This is important as it will allow the council to begin the process of producing the proposed plan - which will set out where development should or should not take place.”

The report also includes an infrastructure audit to establish how well-positioned the city is in terms of its green space, transport and heritage - amongst a wide range of critical factors.

6 Comments

#1 Posted by Neil Paterson on 7 Jun 2024 at 11:40 AM

so essentially we are trying to restore what was purposely bulldozed in the 60s and 70s?

Activate growth by cutting rates and offering incentives. Get rid of the M8 through Charing X.

#2 Posted by Mick on 7 Jun 2024 at 13:58 PM

Another strategy/planning/policy document. All fine and well but jeez, let’s get building

#3 Posted by Al on 7 Jun 2024 at 20:41 PM

If only we had bigger metropolitan councils that could look at the bigger picture rather than competing small councils that have allowed big out of town shopping centre / parks. Holyrood set it up this way so that there was no powerful large metro councils picking fights with them, and none of them are going to change that.

#4 Posted by Not Al on 8 Jun 2024 at 01:19 AM

Al - I hate to break it to you but the current local authority system was implemented in the 90s when they consolidated district councils to turn them all into regional ones - that happened in the last years of the Mayor government prior to even the referendum that led to Holyrood being established. Nothing to do with any party at Holyrood.

#5 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 8 Jun 2024 at 11:14 AM

Creative spaces for whom -- our new holy grail of artisan production populated by the thick end of the middle class who can't get into politics / consulting / ID advocacy?

Broad strokes -- drive by spray job more like.
City development plan -- with a focus of town centres.
Some mistake surely?

#6 Posted by Gay Gordon on 9 Jun 2024 at 08:31 AM

Increasing the numbers of folk living in the centre of the city is sensible...think of all the wonderful well populated European cities. But how it's done is important. The rush (dawdle?) to populate will serve best the big developers and their 'build to rent' wet dream. Costs for renters will be very high. This is not going to produce a very diverse urban community, rather a ghetto of younger high earners...who naturally will move on as they and their families mature. Diversity in accommodation development is vital and should be a big priority. Is anyone in planning thinking about the detail? Is this issue picked up in any policy, anywhere?

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