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Glasgow adopts 40,000 city centre population target for 2035

June 18 2020

 Glasgow adopts 40,000 city centre population target for 2035
Glasgow City Council has approved its City Centre Living Strategy following a 10-week public consultation.
 
The roadmap sets out measures to double the population of central districts to 40,000 by 2035 through measures such as incentives to convert vacant commercial space, developing brownfield land and delivering new public spaces.
 
Capitalising on a compact built legacy the report recommends a concentration of urban functions to boost economic, environmental and social goals by regaining lost population density.
 
In a statement, the authority wrote: "Glasgow city centre has not traditionally been a centre for residential growth. Approximately 20,000 people live in the area – a low figure in the context of the wider city population and comparator city analysis.  The Centre for Cities has reported that the number of 22-29-year-olds living in large city centres nearly tripled over 2000-2011, as young, single, highly educated 'millennials' opted to settle in urban areas.
 
"Population density is now considered crucial to the success and sustainability of city centres. These areas have traditionally been home to a thriving retail sector, and while Glasgow remains the biggest shopping destination in the UK outside of London’s West End, the rise of online shopping and shifting investor demand means that new uses have to be found for redundant floor space, and residential development offers a good opportunity to repurpose this space."
 
In recent years Glasgow has looked on as UK competitors such as Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham lead the way in terms of city centre growth.

11 Comments

Graeme McCormick
#1 Posted by Graeme McCormick on 19 Jun 2020 at 08:31 AM
Interested to know what the incentives will be. An Annual Ground Rent is the best incentive. It forces public and private owners to use their properties or if they don’t they should dispose of the properties to those who will do so.
Senga
#2 Posted by Senga on 19 Jun 2020 at 13:15 PM
ach.....it'll be delivered through build to rent development. Not the best way for wee millennials to get on the housing ladder. The rich get richer - Manchester is a nightmare!
Billy
#3 Posted by Billy on 20 Jun 2020 at 10:36 AM
They better get started then as they will need to provide at least 750 new homes per year from now till then ...more if they are single occupancy homes. They need to start converting the old and redundant office spaces . The car park to the East of St Enoch Square is a great location and a sizeable plot . A suggestion would be to have as many South facing balconies as possible.
Not a clue
#4 Posted by Not a clue on 20 Jun 2020 at 20:35 PM
#3 thanks Billy this is a website that no architect visits anyway. We'll try out best thanks. Love society.
Felicity Hunter
#5 Posted by Felicity Hunter on 21 Jun 2020 at 13:49 PM
There is a chance almost 3 million people from Hong Kong will be allowed to move to the UK soon, they are well used to living in a high density environment, they could consider building some massive Hong Kong style blocks of flats to attract them here.
Billy
#6 Posted by Billy on 21 Jun 2020 at 18:13 PM
With Glasgow moving at snail pace I doubt if they will achieve their goal. How long ago were the Buchanan galleries extension, the Candleriggs site proposals? Would Glasgow have accommodation to offer Hong Kong residents wanting to settle in the Uk?To achieve their goal they are probably talking about converting or constructing 100 flats per month every month for 15 years. The Candleriggs site has been vacant for at least 20! Not a single flat built. Meanwhile Glasgow’s competitors race ahead. Someone needs to wake them up. Leeds , Manchester and Liverpool seem to be cruising it. I am sure they will be ready for any Hong Kong residents wanting to relocate. Glasgow should have a task force ready to promote the city to Hong Kong residents as a good location to relocate to should they so desire to relocate in the Uk.
TheFakeArchitect
#7 Posted by TheFakeArchitect on 22 Jun 2020 at 12:31 PM
Being primarily Edinburgh based, I have only been involved in limited number of Glasgow developments. While I thought other Authorities were slow, Glasgow is on another level.. Its OK making ambitious statements like this, but do Glasgow Planner's seriously have the ability to accommodate? Based on my experience they most certainly do not.
Felicity Hunter
#8 Posted by Felicity Hunter on 22 Jun 2020 at 15:48 PM
@TheFakeArchitect

What do you think causes them to be so slow?

Incompetent people in important positions due to nepotism?
Big Dave
#9 Posted by Big Dave on 22 Jun 2020 at 16:33 PM
Can only echo what others have said. The GCC planning department approach is among the biggest risks to development in Glasgow. Their approach is absolutely honking.
Billy
#10 Posted by Billy on 22 Jun 2020 at 19:13 PM
Their performance needs monitoring. If not good enough given a chance to improve or out the door. Glaswegians tax payers need to start asking questions. With The Hong Kong situation we should be ready to go harnessing talents from anyone wanting to re locate. Not sitting about waiting for other cities to beat us to it. How many homes do they propose to build, convert, where and when? Where Is the detail. Who is monitoring it to ensure delivery on time?
TheFakeArchitect
#11 Posted by TheFakeArchitect on 23 Jun 2020 at 09:12 AM
@Felicity Hunter
I wouldn't know about that and will leave you to speculate. But taking on average 3 weeks just to acknowledge e-mails might be a factor, never mind actually doing anything with them. And as for Determination Deadlines.., is there actually any point?

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