THE £20 million revamp of Glasgow’s George Square is nearing the halfway point with new stone surfaces being installed across its bordering streets.
High-quality stone will begin to be laid to upgrade the roadway along the north side of George Square from next month, Glasgow City Council revealed. This phase of works is designed to ensure that the ‘world-class’ look and feel of the new George Square extends across surrounding roads and pavements.
Contractors are scheduled to push ahead with the installation of the new granite surfaces from January 12, with the section of road between Queen Street and North Frederick Street closing for three months to allow the works to be carried out.
Meanwhile, the new pavements currently being laid between Queen Street Station and North Frederick Street and outside the City Chambers, and which will complement the colour and style of the re-laid roads, will be completed over the Christmas period.
Rainton Construction is leading the project on behalf of Glasgow City Council.
Councillor Angus Millar, convener for city centre recovery at Glasgow City Council, said, “This new phase is all about the wall-to-wall transformation of George Square, from the City Chambers to Queen Street Station and the surrounding streets. The new George Square will be on a par with the civic spaces in many major European cities, and that means the redesign of the surrounding area, as well as the Square itself.
“Anyone visiting the city centre should come and have a look at the new stone being laid outside the City Chambers and along from Queen Street Station and they’ll get a sense of what’s coming down the line in the months ahead. And from early New Year they’ll see more and more of the plans progressed and taking shape.
“Of course, we can’t do this scale of transformation and not have some level of disruption – and the council and contractors will continue engaging with businesses and transport operators as works progress. But we’re nearing the halfway point in the redevelopment of the Square and giving Glaswegians the civic space that they, and our city, deserve.”
When completed in August, the new George Square will be resurfaced in stone, include more greenery with raised lawns and informal play areas for children, sheltered seating and feature lighting, as well as a paved area for events. The square’s 11 bronze statues are currently being restored and will return in 2026. The restoration of the Sir Walter Scott monument will also begin early in the New Year, with scaffolding already in place.
The George Square project is part of the wider £123 million Avenues programme, the biggest transformation of Glasgow city centre since the 1970s. The Avenues are funded through the Glasgow City Region City Deal, with the funding provided by the Scottish and UK Governments.
