£95m plans to create new city business hub in financial district
GLASGOW’S International Financial Services District (IFSD) could be set to welcome a significant new office development, if plans go ahead.
Osborne and Co has pledged to invest £95m to deliver the major business hub which will provide grade A office space for up to 4000 staff in the city’s Argyle Street. The regeneration will mark the first major activity on the IFSD site in more than 20 years.
Construction jobs and local apprenticeships are expected to be created as part of the development which will benefit the city’s infrastructure, including the Argyle Street ‘Avenues’ project and the surrounding cityscape, according to planners.
The Argyle Street site, which was previously the location of the proposed 25 storey Jumeirah Hotel, offers links to the M8 and M77 motorways and is a short walk from Glasgow Central station – making it a prime destination for businesses.
An application for the site involves the additional demolition of a Grade B listed building, which is described as being ‘beyond repair’.
Will Hean, Development Director (Scotland), Osborne and Co, said: “Following positive consultation with Glasgow City Council planners, Historic Environment Scotland and the local community, we are pleased to formally lodge our detailed planning application with which we aim to begin the process of a major transformation of Glasgow’s best undeveloped city site.
“We want to deliver an office building that will add value for the city of Glasgow: providing the business community with a quality environment to thrive, a quality product to attract global occupiers and a quality regeneration of a large swath of the IFSD.”
Conor Osborne, Osborne and Co director, added: “Our new development will deliver a meaningful boost to the local economy, with jobs in construction and local apprenticeships, improvements to the city’s infrastructure – including supporting
letters@ eveningtimes. co.uk the Argyle Street ‘Avenues’ project and the surrounding cityscape.
“We engage with potential occupiers at the earliest opportunity as part of an innovative approach to providing frictionless solutions to tenants. It will provide a competitive edge for the city, giving Glasgow a highcalibre development to attract blue-chip occupiers, and demonstrate the city is ready to support inward investment.”