Housing plans submitted for Charing Cross site in Glasgow

A SITE in the Charing Cross district of Glasgow has been earmarked for a large residential development – including so-called ‘co-living’, where residents share some common facilities.

Plans being submitted hope to demolish a former HMRC building on India Street and replace it with a 279-unit build-to-rent (BTR) development to the north of the site, adjacent to Charing Cross Station, and a 406-studio co-living development to the south of the site.

Says a media release issued by Orbit Communications (here) on behalf of the developers, Watkin Jones: “[Watkins Jones] has extensive experience of working in Glasgow, completing ten schemes totalling nearly 4,000 student beds over the last decade.

“The group has undertaken major BTR schemes throughout the UK, completing its first purpose-built scheme in Leeds in 2016.

“It is also a developer of co-living, with a scheme under construction in Exeter and another application going through the planning application process.

“The… scheme has been designed by architect Hawkins Brown’s local office in Glasgow, which has a good track record in the city. They received consent proposal for a four-star hotel at St Vincent Street and are also currently masterplanners for the regeneration of Custom House Quay and Carlton Place for Glasgow City Council.”

The plans have received backing from the chief executive of the city’s Chamber of Commerce.

Stuart Patrick is quoted, as saying: “It is fantastic to be seeing this level of investment being made in Glasgow.

“Delivering high-quality housing such as this, which is desperately needed, will address increasing demand. It will also serve to retain skilled young people in the city as well as regenerating the city centre, which is a key aspiration for the city council.

“Glasgow City Council’s City Centre Living Strategy [here] outlines a target to double the city centre’s population to 40,000 over the next 15 years and increasing density in the city centre is essential to its long- term success and sustainability. Schemes such as this do exactly that.

“The site has excellent transport links and local businesses will clearly benefit from these proposals.”

Picture credit: Orbit Communications