Latest news with #O2ABC
The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
New image reveals major Argyle Street transformation plans
Glasgow City Council said the work, which will include widening pavements, new green areas and better public spaces, will make the stretch from Glasgow Cross to Central Station "more attractive to residents, visitors and investors". The plans include creating a new bus route to improve public transport and link in with the ongoing work at the western end of Argyle Street. When completed, it will help "transform the look and feel of the street from the M8 to the Gallowgate", the council added. READ MORE: Scottish Government intervene in Glasgow O2 ABC site plans It will also create the conditions to take forward work to create more pedestrian-priority spaces and reduce traffic around Queen Street, Ingram Street and Candleriggs. The council said it will undertake engagement with the local community and stakeholders around these streets in the coming weeks with a view to beginning to implement changes later this year. In the meantime, it has begun gauging interest from contractors wishing to bid for what it says will be the biggest overhaul of the area since the 1970s. The plans have been welcomed by business leaders, transport operators and passenger groups. Cllr Angus Millar, Convener for City Centre Recovery and Transport, said: 'The Argyle Street East Avenue is about readying these famous streets for the century ahead. Recent decades have been tough for this part of town but we're seeing new turnaround developments on Trongate, major new retail offerings on Argyle Street and global employers investing in new headquarters just further west. That's real confidence in our city centre. 'The Argyle Street East Avenue is about creating the conditions for more of that. But also, giving Glaswegians a greener, more attractive city centre with an international look and feel they can be proud of.' How the pedestrian-friendly zone at the corner of Queen Street / Ingram Street will look (Image: Glasgow City Council) Funded by the Scottish and UK Governments through the Glasgow City Region City Deal, the Argyle Street East project is part of the wider £120million-plus Avenues programme underway across large parts of the city centre. The work, which is scheduled to begin in early 2026, also links into the redevelopment of George Square, which is also progressing. As part of the Argyle Street East Avenue, a new west-to-east bus route will pass through the pedestrianised section of the street, creating much shorter journey times and better public transport connections. It will also create the conditions to accelerate work to create more pedestrian-priority spaces and reduce traffic around Queen Street, Ingram Street and Candleriggs. These areas will be developed by early 2026. Dr George Hazel OBE, Chair of the Glasgow City Region Bus Partnership, said the changes would deliver faster, more reliable journey times, adding: 'This makes public transport a more attractive and convenient option, encouraging people to make fewer car journeys which reduces congestion and contributes toward a more equitable and sustainable transportation system for all. It also supports the economy of the city centre improving access for workers and the retail and leisure sectors.' How the pedestrian-friendly zone at Ingram Street will look facing east (Image: Glasgow City Council) Greig MacKay, Director for Scotland at Bus Users UK - a charity dedicated to promoting accessible public transport, added: "A new west-to-east bus route in the city centre will help reduce journey times and increase service reliability which is good news for those who rely on public transport, and for the wider environment. Interventions which make journeying by bus a more viable and appealing option can attract new bus passengers and encourage existing users to travel more frequently.' Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: "The move to significantly enhance both the functionality and appeal of a key part of Glasgow City Centre is a welcomed development. Creating a more attractive environment for businesses, residents and visitors, while improving connectivity between our transport hubs, is essential to Glasgow's long-term economic recovery. 'Although the Avenues programme is complex, using a combination of lessons learned from previous phases alongside continued engagement with business, it is hoped there will be limited impact on the trading environment. Infrastructure investments of this nature will support footfall, boost local trade and help make the city centre of Glasgow a more vibrant and accessible place for all." The council has published a Prior Information Notice (PIN) for the Argyle Street East project, which will gauge the market interest from contractors who may wish to bid for the project contract. PINs give the opportunity for potential bidders to research and prepare bids and so shorten the procurement process timescale.
STV News
16-07-2025
- Business
- STV News
Plans to redevelop O2 ABC called in by Scottish Government
Plans to redevelop the fire-damaged O2 ABC site on Sauchiehall Street have been called in by the Scottish Government. Glasgow City Council has been informed that the decision has been taken due to the potential impact on the 'nationally important' A-listed Glasgow School of Art (GSoA). The city's planning committee approved urban regeneration development firm Vita Group's bid to replace the music venue with a public food hall and student flats last month. But the art school said the scheme would put the rebuild of the fire-hit Mackintosh building at 'significant risk' — a position that was supported by the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society. Historic Environment Scotland (HES) also objected to the proposal as it believed the planned nine-storey building would affect the setting of the A-listed 'Mack' building, obscuring important views to and from it. As a result of HES' objection, Scottish Ministers had to be notified of the ruling and had a 28-day period from being notified to decide whether to call-in the application and make their own determination. A letter was sent to Glasgow City Council yesterday (July 15) which confirmed the 'application has been referred to the Scottish Ministers and that the decision of Ministers will be final'. A reporter will be appointed by the government to assess the case and they will then submit a report, with recommendations, for its consideration. The ABC venue was damaged by a fire at the Mackintosh building in 2018 and, along with the former Jumpin' Jaks nightclub, has been vacant since. LDRS Vita Group is planning to redevelop the old O2 ABC site on Sauchiehall Street. There would be student beds and a publicly-accessible foodhall and courtyard. A dangerous buildings notice was issued by the council in July last year due to 'immediate threat', and parts of the ABC, including its facade, have been knocked down. OBARCS (ABC) Ltd, the owners of the site, previously accused GSoA of 'standing in the way of progress'. The company, and property investment firm Urban Pulse, said the school was attempting to block a 'viable, respectful development plan'. James Patterson, director of Urban Pulse, speaking on behalf of OBARCS, said there are no concrete plans or a timeline for the refurbishment of the Mackintosh building. After the plan was approved, Professor Penny Macbeth, director and principal of the GSoA, said the art school had been 'clear and provided evidence' that the project would 'fundamentally compromise' the 'Mack'. She added: 'We hope that Ministers, taking cognisance of the significant impact to the internationally important Mackintosh building and its rebuilding, will exercise their powers purposefully, acknowledging that the setting, character and function of the Mackintosh building is unacceptably compromised.' STV News Construction teams have began tearing down the O2 ABC. Stuart Robertson, director of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society, also urged the Scottish Government to 'step in and overturn this decision'. He said: 'This approval places the commitment to the rebuilding of the Mackintosh building at significant risk and will set a dangerous precedent for our built heritage.' Vita Group's 'House of Social' project includes 356 student beds as well as a publicly-accessible foodhall, which would become an events space at night. Planners at the council had recommended the scheme was approved. They reported the proposal would have a 'negative impact on the historic environment', but the current 'derelict' site is having a 'negative impact… on the viability and vitality of the city centre as a whole'. At the planning meeting on June 17, there were requests for a hearing, where those for and against the proposal could have made their case, but councillors voted 6-4 in favour of making a decision on the day. They then voted 8-2 in favour of granting planning permission. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Glasgow Times
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Scottish Government intervene in Glasgow O2 ABC site plans
In a notice published by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), stakeholders were informed that SNP ministers had taken control of the decision on the future of the half-demolished O2 ABC site 'in view of the proposed development's potential impact on the nationally important Category A-listed Glasgow School of Art'. The plans, which were approved by Glasgow City Council on June 17, are for a nine-storey block of student flats, which would include a ground-floor food hall, a pub, a takeaway, and various landscaping works at 292–332 Sauchiehall Street. A motion lodged at the Scottish Parliament by Labour MSP Paul Sweeney earlier this month claimed that the development would also encroach on 'key vistas' from the A-listed Centre for Contemporary Arts, designed by Alexander "Greek" Thomson. The plans were approved by the council last month (Image: Vita Group) READ MORE: Government called on to intervene in Glasgow O2 ABC plans Paul said: 'It's quite clear that the scale of the proposed development that was conditionally approved is completely inappropriate in the context of the Glasgow School of Art. 'If that's the only viable form of development on that site, then clearly the whole master plan for redeveloping the Glasgow School of Art needs to be rethought." The Labour MSP said this could involve a trust or the Glasgow School of Art taking ownership of the site, a venue, a museum, or exhibition space, affordable housing alongside student housing, or a combination of everything. 'That's the scale of thinking we need,' he added. 'It's quite clear that the Scottish Government has taken a view that this does in fact merit their direct scrutiny.'It's quite unusual for them to call in an application of this nature. I would hope that they would be minded to reject the application altogether – or at the very least impose conditions that significantly reduce its height.' Glasgow's heritage groups have welcomed the news after previously slamming the council's decision to approve the plans. Stuart Robertson, director of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society, welcomed the news, he said: "I'm really pleased to see these not well thought through plans opened up for the kind of discussion they should have had in the first place. "The planning meeting seemed to include people who were really ill-informed about the whole thing. The hearing not being voted for was a mistake. "They were discussing the A-listed Mack like it didn't exist. "If these plans had been able to pass straight through, it would've opened up a can of worms for our city's heritage." The site was ravaged by fire in 2014 and 2018 (Image: Newsquest) READ MORE: Glasgow heritage groups slam approval of O2 ABC site plans READ MORE: Glasgow O2 ABC site plans approved for student accommodation Niall Murphy, director of Glasgow City Heritage Trust, says it was 'inevitable' that the plans were called in. He said: "There was an inevitability about this, given the national issues involved and also that there were issues in terms of relations to Glasgow's own planning policies with regards to the historic built environment. "Obviously, if something is affecting the A-listed Mackintosh, even if the Glasgow School of Art is not in a happy state at the moment, it will inevitably be restored at some point. "It is arguably the most important building in the city, and we need to acknowledge that somehow, and so it would be nice to see a little bit more sensitivity to the context. "I'm sure there's a win-win solution here where the developers could adjust their proposal accordingly and everybody walks away happy. "So we'll see." The fire devastated both buildings (Image: Newsquest) READ MORE: Row erupts over O2 ABC site plans as owners clash with Glasgow School of Art We attended the planning meeting on June 17, where councillors first deliberated over whether the proposal contained enough information to make a decision today, and a motion was offered to take the proposal to a hearing. A vote was taken, and the motion for the hearing was refused, with a vote of six to four. Then, after questions between councillors, the plans were approved by a vote of eight to two. Councillors were told that the proposal was made "as compact as it can viably be", despite the "admitted negative impact on the heritage buildings in the area." Ahead of the meeting, we reported that the Glasgow School of Art said the Sauchiehall Street plans put the rebuild of the A-listed Mackintosh building 'at significant risk'. Councillor Sean Ferguson spoke up during the meeting about the rebuild of the Mackintosh building. He said: "What context are we to consider this in? In no other situation would we be considering the impact on a burnt-out ruin of a building. Councillor Eva Bolander refuted claims that the Glasgow School of Art had no concrete plans to rebuild the architect's work. Professor Penny Macbeth, director and principal of the Glasgow School of Art, responded to the claims made in the meeting. She made it clear that there was a "stated commitment" from the Art School and that work was "currently being undertaken" for the reinstatement of the Mack. The chair of the meeting, Councillor Ken Andrew, approved. He said: "It's with some regret that I will support this. "On balance, I think that the benefits of developing the site outweigh the negatives." The student accommodation would feature 356 bed spaces, comprising 306 four, five, and six-bedroom 'houses' with a shared kitchen and lounge and 50 studio spaces. It would also feature a fitness centre, social and study spaces, café-style lounges, and cycle storage.
Glasgow Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Government called on to intervene in Glasgow O2 ABC plans
It comes after Glasgow City Council approved the proposal for a nine-storey block of student accommodation on June 17. The approval was conditional on a pending referral to the Scottish Ministers due to a formal objection from Historic Environment Scotland. We reported that heritage groups slammed the decision and that the Glasgow School of Art stated that the approval "places their commitment to deliver the faithful reinstatement of the Mackintosh Building at significant risk." Now, MSPs have raised a motion that asks to review the plans which are of 'national interest'. The new proposed development (Image: Vita Group) READ MORE: Glasgow O2 ABC site plans approved for student accommodation The motion, submitted by Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, calls on the Scottish Ministers to intervene in the planning application, which proposes a nine-storey student accommodation block at 292–332 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. The motion highlights concerns that the development would obstruct key vistas to and from the adjacent, 'internationally significant', Category A-listed Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art, as well as from the nearby Category A-listed Centre for Contemporary Arts. The proposal promises an open area to admire the Mackintosh building (Image: Vita Group) READ MORE: Glasgow heritage groups slam approval of O2 ABC site plans The Glasgow School of Art has also objected, stating that the proposals "fundamentally compromise" the Mackintosh Building and place its restoration at "significant risk." The motion urges the Scottish Ministers to exercise their powers under section 46(1) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 to call in the application and review its potential impact on the Mackintosh Building, a structure of national architectural significance. Sweeney's motion has been supported by fellow Labour MSPs Foysol Choudhury, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Pauline McNeill and Mercedes Villalba. The Art School say the plans put the Mack's rebuild 'significantly at risk' (Image: Colin Mearns) READ MORE: Mack rebuild 'at risk' from ABC warns Glasgow Art School Paul Sweeney MSP said: 'I share the concerns of Glasgow School of Art and Historic Environment Scotland that the proposal to build a nine-storey block of student flats on the site of the former O2 ABC on Sauchiehall Street would put the rebuilding of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Art School building at risk. 'It is clear from the plans that the block of student flats would obstruct key vistas and compromise the Art School's rebuild. 'The Mack is Charles Rennie Mackintosh's magnum opus and is arguably one of the most architecturally significant buildings in Scotland. "That is why I have called on the Scottish Government to exercise its powers and review the conditional planning consent granted by Glasgow City Council so that it can safeguard the rebuild of The Mack.' Furious locals have branded the site an 'eyesore' (Image: Colin Mearns) READ MORE: Historic Glasgow venue is an 'eyesore' say furious locals The half-demolished O2 ABC site has been dormant for months after initial demolition works were completed at the end of last year. The former cinema-turned nightclub had lain derelict since the second Glasgow School of Art fire spilt over onto its roof in July 2018. A row erupted between the Glasgow School of Art and the owners of the O2 ABC ahead of the planning meeting. The owners of the fire-ravaged Sauchiehall Street building hit out at the Art School over their objections to new plans for the derelict site. A document shared with the Glasgow Times said that the Glasgow School of Art (GSoA) haven't been engaging in discussions and that they're 'acting almost like authoritarian-like dictators rather than neighbours'. The site was ravaged by fire in 2014 and 2018 (Image: Newsquest) READ NEXT: Pictures show how George Square's £20m makeover will look next summer The GSoA told us that the plans for the O2 ABC site put the rebuild of their historic Mackintosh building at 'significant risk'. During the planning meeting, councillors were told that the proposal was made "as compact as it can viably be", despite the "admitted negative impact on the heritage buildings in the area." Over nine stories, including a basement, House of Social would include student accommodation, a food hall, a public courtyard, a bar, a gym, and more.
Glasgow Times
18-06-2025
- Glasgow Times
Clyde searches conclude after man overboard from ferry
RNLI and coastguard crews responded along with police to a report of a person having gone overboard from a Western Ferries vessel, MV Sound of Shuna, as it crossed from McInroy's Point to Hunters Quay at around 1.20pm on Sunday. All of Western Ferries' vessels joined the search, as did the CalMac ferry MV Ali Cat and a number of private vessels. The search was suspended at around 8.30pm on Sunday, but after coastguard teams were spotted at the McInroy's Point terminal the following day, HM Coastguard confirmed that teams from Greenock, Helensburgh, Kames and Dunoon had resumed the search on Monday. However, in a further statement on Tuesday, the coastguard confirmed that the teams involved in the search had since been stood down with nothing having been found. Police Scotland, who confirmed on Monday that a 64-year-old man had been reported missing from the ferry, also said that searches of the water had concluded. The incident occurred on Sunday (Image: George Munro) Police confirmed they were providing support to the man's family following the incident. Western Ferries and CalMac vessels took part in the search, that was also comprised of two RNLI crews, five coastguard teams, a number of private vessels as well as Police Scotland vessels. Rescue teams were seen at McInroy's Point ferry terminal in Gourock on Monday, before HM Coastguard told the Tele that teams from Greenock, Helensburgh, Kames and Dunoon had been sent that afternoon to assist in the search. In a statement issued to the Tele at lunchtime on Tuesday, a spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: "At around 1.24pm on Sunday, June 15, HM Coastguard received reports of a person overboard from a ferry travelling between Hunters Quay and Gourock, Scotland. "An HM Coastguard rescue helicopter and fixed wing aircraft were sent, alongside coastguard rescue teams from Dunoon, Greenock, Kames, and Largs. "Lifeboats from Helensburgh and Largs also joined the search. The search was stood down at around 4.30pm on June 16, with nothing found." Police Scotland also confirmed that searches of the water across the five mile stretch between Gourock and Cowal, had concluded. Enquiries remain ongoing. READ NEXT: Angry residents say re-routing of vital bus service is 'utter joke' READ NEXT: 'Glasgow deserves better': Heritage groups slam approval of O2 ABC siteplans Chief Inspector James McArthur said: "Around 1.40pm on Sunday, June 15 we received a report of a 64-year-old man missing from a ferry travelling between Gourock and Dunoon. "Police and partner agencies including the Coastguard attended and extensive searches have been carried out on the water and shorelines. Local officers have been assisted by our dive and marine unit and air support unit. "The water searches have concluded. However our enquiries remain ongoing and officers are providing support to his family."
