September 11 2020

Glasgow City Council is inviting submissions for its design tender for George Square and the area bounded by George Street, Hanover Street, John Street, Miller Street, Dundas Street and Dundas Lane.

A pre-qualification process has already opened with shortlisted teams expected to be announced in November, with the full tender details being published shortly thereafter.

Part of the city centre Avenues programme the work will take into account requirements for hosting major events such as the upcoming UEFA European Championships, COP 26 and the UCI Cycling World Championships.

Other principle specifications include creation of a pedestrian link from Queen Street Station to the River Clyde through Miller Street alongside active travel infrastructure. Attention will also be given to more prosaic matters relating to refuse collection and services for local homes and businesses.

Council leader Susan Aitken said: “The transformation of George Square is already underway and this project will help to redefine it as Glasgow’s principal public space and gathering place. It will make active travel and public transport more appealing, improve air quality and the local environment, and make this city neighbourhood not only more resilient and sustainable, but a more attractive place in which to live, work and visit."

Glasgow City Council's District Regeneration Framworks for the Central, St Enoch and Blythswood districts won the masterplanning award at last nights Scottish Design Awards. Singling out the approach for praise judge Riccardo Marini of Marini Urbanismo said: "This gets my vote, it's addressing issues with the liveability of this area. If they implement it. Great. My recommendation to the city - get the cars out of there!"

It is expected that the design team will be appointed in March 2021 with construction commencing in summer 2023. 

4 Comments

#1 Posted by Spike on 11 Sep 2020 at 13:27 PM

Good to see this underway, just a pity that the redesign of Queen St station which fronts on to George Square is so awful it detracts from the whole area

#2 Posted by Charlie_ on 11 Sep 2020 at 13:40 PM

Its not underway, spike. They're just announcing another design competition. After which there will doubtless be yet another public consultation on the winner then nothing will happen anyway, the whole thing will go quiet then another round of consultations starting circa 2025.

#3 Posted by Peter on 13 Sep 2020 at 01:38 AM

Here we go again. Back to, literally, Square one.

#4 Posted by Whispering Andy on 15 Sep 2020 at 14:19 PM

whisper it.....the new Queen St Station is clearly in the top 10 new architectural designs in the last 40 years.

Hopefully these proposals are developed to compliment its cutting edge architectural design with a clear sympathetic nod to the original building.

I for one wholeheartedly welcome and look forward to this developing.

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