Flats to be built at former Goldbergs store
THE developers behind plans to transform part of the Merchant City have been granted permission to build almost 350 flats.
Glasgow’s planning committee has approved the details of a plan to develop the former Goldbergs site.
Drum Property Group and Stamford Property Investments are behind the scheme, which will see land bounded by Trongate, Wilson Street, Brunswick Street and Candleriggs developed.
There will be ground-floor retail, leisure, restaurant or public house use. It is part of wider plans which included an approved 500-bed hotel.
In September, the developers agreed an £81.5 million deal with Legal & General to fund the 346 buildto-rent apartments.
A council officer said: “This is a modern development on a site that’s been vacant for 30 years.”
A B-listed building at 140 Trongate will be demolished but the facade will be retained as part of the new development. Buildings are set to range from seven storeys to a 17-storey block.
Councillor Ken Andrew said he was “slightly concerned about the scale of the 17-storey building”.
But a council officer said the building would be “set back from the main Trongate frontages” and “dealt with in a way that will have less impact on the Merchant City and the conservation area”.
The committee asked that public access to the land was included in the conditions of the agreement.
There will be six penthouses, 33 studios, 26 three-bed apartments, 100 two-bed apartments and 181 one-bed apartments.
Councillor Martin McElroy questioned the number of private rented sector (PRS) developments in the city.
He said: “I’ve only been on the committee for a few months, but this is already the second PRS scheme that has come before us.
“I can’t help but feel that in isolation we can consider them fine, but is there any type of strategic plan for PRS in the city?”
He added considering in isolation could build up “potential problems in the future”.
A council officer said: “The council as a planning authority cannot differentiate between tenure of residential.
“We could not refuse a residential development for just being PRS.
“Notwithstanding that, there are obviously high-level strategic discussions about the market for PRS and what Glasgow could potentially tolerate in terms of demand.
“We are aware there is a ceiling level.”
The site was home to the Goldbergs store before it was bought by Gerald and Vera Weisfeld in the 90s. Selfridges then bought the land and had plans for a department store, but an application was never submitted.