Former police HQ gets go-ahead for flats plan
THE green light has been given to turn a former police HQ into new homes for rent.
Glasgow City Council has now approved plans for Holland Park, a 433-home development named after its Holland Street entrance.
As previously told in the Evening Times, the £120 million scheme will take over the space formerly occupied by the Strathclyde Police headquarters.
Bosses said a new community of nearly 1000 people will breathe new life into the City Centre in the Moda development.
Tony Brooks, Managing Director at Moda, said: “Securing planning permission for Holland Park is a real milestone for the business, and puts us one step closer to creating the UK’s leading lifestyle property brand.
“The absence of objections during the consultation and state of support from the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce is a real testament to the strength of the Moda and Apache Capital model, which will offer renters in the city an experience far above and beyond what is already available.”
Moda, a developer and operator of private rented housing, and joint venture partner Apache Capital Partners, a London and Gulf-based private real estate investment management firm, secured planning permission to transform the old Strathclyde Police headquarters into a”build-to-rent neighbourhood”.
Holland Park will offer 433 hightech homes designed exclusively for rent, as well as 45,000 sq ft of amenity space that all residents will have access to.
The scheme will start building later this year, with the first homes available in 2022.
The application was the subject of consultation including a two-day public extension and received no objections.
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce said the “design proposals are of an exceptional quality, and will provide vitality and vibrancy to this part of the city which is in urgent need of investment.”
Designed by Glasgow architects HAUS-Collective, the 433 homes will spread across four buildings set around a new public courtyard, ranging from 6 to 22 storeys in height.
Glasgow’s Theatreland district, the Core and Sauchiehall Street are all just a short walk away, putting future residents right in the cultural heart of the city.
There will be residents’ lounges, virtual sports simulators, health and wellness zones, landscaped roof gardens, with views of Glasgow and indoor/outdoor barbecue areas.
Moda is also looking to work with the city council to improve the surrounding public realm and install new green infrastructure.
Councillor Kenny McLean, City Convener for Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm at Glasgow City Council, said: “We wel- come this development of high-quality new homes to Glasgow.
“It will be attractive to the increasing number of people who want to live and work at the centre of Scotland’s metropolitan area.
“Holland Park complements plans for more housing investment in and around our city centre and supports the key aim of the council’s Housing Strategy in terms of ensuring access to good quality homes.”
Other rental schemes by Moda, which owns more than 5000 rental properties, are currently underway in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester.