(Shutterstock)
GLASGOW City Council is developing new planning guidance for tall buildings in the city centre which will help to inform decisions on their design and location.
Defining a tall building as one that ‘significantly’ exceeds general building heights in the immediate vicinity and alters the skyline, the local authority said that future applications for tall buildings are expected as demand for housing and other uses in the city centre grows.
The new guidance will look to ensure that the appropriate development of tall buildings in Glasgow city centre make the area more liveable, sustainable, and diverse as it grows – with the experience of others cities being looked at.
The topography of the city centre will also be examined to assess which areas would be most affected by tall buildings; and consider how such buildings contribute to an urban planning strategy that balances economic, environmental, social and cultural aspects.
Council officers recently held a special meeting of the Glasgow Design Panel – with architects, designers, developers and civic and heritage bodies in attendance – to consider the topic as part of the work on the guidance. a public consultation on tall building planning guidance will begin in Spring 2024.
Councillor Kenny McLean, city convener for development and land use at Glasgow City Council, said, “New planning guidance for tall buildings in Glasgow city centre will help achieve our aims of re-populating and re-densifying the city centre in a sustainable way. When complete, the guidance will ensure that tall buildings meet design standards and are located only in places that are appropriate to their local setting.”
Project Scotland spoke to Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken in September on a number of topics, including tall buildings, following Manchester’s lead, and the importance of managing density correctly. To read the article click here.
