GLASGOW Enlightenment is launching the second round of consultations on its plans for a new £95 million residential and cultural hub in Glasgow ahead of the final planning application due to be submitted in July.
The latest consultation – which starts on Thursday May 30th at Drygate Village Hall – incorporates changes to the plans based on feedback from the initial consultation process as well as unveiling new aspects.
The developer hopes to create a new neighbourhood called Collegelands Park in the Calton area of the city, including 157 rented apartments and a student residence offering 588 bed spaces.
It will be centred around a ‘green oasis’ with a 2.5-acre park and new arts facility, which will feature hireable event space, a community lounge and a café.
Paul O’Donnell of Glasgow Enlightenment said, “When we launched the first round of consultation in April this year, we attracted lots of excitement and interest from across the city. Now as we get closer to defining our plans, we are keen to hear more about what local people think about the development. We listened when some concerns were raised about the height of the buildings, and we have acted to address this issue, reconfiguring the plans, before submitting the final planning application in July.
“We also had some very productive chats with people about how they want to see the park develop and we want to make sure their views are incorporated in the masterplan. The latest plans show the height of the BTR (build to rent) building being reduced following consultation. Both the BTR and student accommodation buildings also step down in height towards the park at the south to create attractive roof terraces with views over the park and to reduce the visual impact of the buildings on the landscape.
“More detailed plans have also been made for the arts facility which will be built by local charity Dream Machine Productions. It will now feature a modular design inspired by a traditional Glasgow bandstand, with enclosed indoor space opening out into a courtyard. The courtyard space will have ‘Happy to Chat’ benches, free Wi-Fi, charging points and spaces that encourage outdoor remote working.”
The importance of ensuring the park is a safe place for everyone to enjoy was reinforced by the consultation exercise and through discussions with Make Space for Girls. Glasgow Enlightenment is hosting a series of workshops with the organisation to make sure the park attracts diverse users, and that voices of girls and young women are heard in the planning process.
Further details on the consultation event and the Make Space for Girls workshops can be found at collegelandspark.co.uk.
Graeme Bone of Glasgow Enlightenment added, “We hope that local people will engage with the second stage of the consultation process – this is their chance to be heard and help us to deliver the best possible project for Glasgow and the local community.”
