Timetable for Glasgow streets transformation unveiled

Glasgow City Council has unveiled major plans to improve the city centre, with 11 projects set to begin in early 2025.

The redevelopment, planned to be completed by 2028, aims to transform "the look and feel" of key streets as part of an effort to upgrade the city centre.

This includes Argyle Street, Sauchiehall Street and Clyde Street, as well as George Square and the Broomielaw.

The council said the centre has faced “multiple challenges” including “the legacy of the pandemic, fires, and absentee property owners to the shift to online retail and cost-of-living and inflation crises”.

Many of the shopfronts in the "Golden Z" - comprising Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street and Argyle Street - have been lying vacant for years.

Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken previously suggested exploring the use of compulsory sales orders, which would allow the council to take action against absent owners.

Sauchiehall Street has seen two devastating fires tear through the world-renowned Glasgow School of Art in 2014 and 2018, also causing major damage to neighbouring properties such as the O2 ABC venue.

Demolition work began on the 150-year-old O2 ABC earlier this month.

Another major fire ripped through a block on the street in March 2018, which housed businesses including Victoria's nightclub.

The area is also a hub of the city's nightlife, which struggled to stay afloat throughout the pandemic.

With the announcement of Glasgow’s plans to host a scaled-back version of the Commonwealth Games in 2026, locals raised concerns around the cleanliness of the city and its ability to host a large-scale event in the face of council cuts.

The reworking of Sauchiehall, Pitt and Cambridge streets is nearing completion, but the new phase will see the Avenues project expand to cover a larger portion of the city centre early next year.

The council said the plans would make the streets more welcoming to cyclists and pedestrians, and help meet the city's environmental goals.

Cllr Angus Millar, convener for city centre recovery, said the work would bring long-term benefits to the city.

He said: “Our city centre has been hit hard in recent years by challenges such as the pandemic, absentee property owners, and the rise of online shopping.

“But it’s increasingly becoming a hub for investment and population growth. We owe it to the people of Glasgow to create a vibrant, cosmopolitan city centre.”

The work has been described as the most substantial overhaul of Glasgow’s streetscape since the 1970s pedestrianisation of Buchanan Street.

However, Cllr Ruairi Kelly, convener for neighbourhood services and assets, warned that there would be disruption as a result of the projects.

“The pandemic caused delays, but it’s crucial that we move forward with these plans," he said.

“There will of course be some disruption but we’re putting in place the foundations for the next century and can assure Glaswegians that the hassle will be worth it.”

Major plans include the closure of George Square, the redesign of its surrounding streets, and the reconfiguration of Argyle Street’s eastern end.

This means pedestrians will not be able to cross George Square between early 2025 and late 2026.

Road closures around the square will be phased and more details will be announced closer to the time.

Some of the developments will stretch into late 2027, when the High Street and Broomielaw and Clyde Street areas are scheduled for completion.

The George Street to Duke Street project is set to be finished by 2028.

The council will use the Get Ready Glasgow information portal, which is used during major events, to keep residents and businesses informed throughout the construction phase.

It will provide points of contact and advance notices of any disruptions - especially during the lead-up to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, which is expected to coincide with some of the works.

The council said 14 projects are already in the design phase, with construction beginning in early 2025.

The redesign of Cambridge Street, which started earlier this year, will be the first completed project.

And the redevelopment of Duke Street, John Knox Street, South Portland Street and George Square will begin in January - with all due to be completed by the end of October 2027.