Consultation on the future of Glasgow city centre launched
GLASWEGIANS will be encouraged to take part two 10-week public consultations to shape the Central District of the city centre and double the population.
From Friday, December 6 until Friday, February 14 residents will be asked to provide feedback on the draft strategy created by Glasgow City Council.
This is the fourth of nine city centre districts developed in collaboration between architects Austin-Smith: Lord and MVRDV through online and face to face discussions.
Another consultation to increase the city centre’s population from just over 20,000 to 40,000 over the next 15 years will also be made available on the council’s website.
The 10-week period allows for local parties to make their views known before the final action plan on both subjects is produced.
The Central District lies at the heart of the city centre and is key to all the surrounding areas. It contains the city’s leading retail quarter and public transport provision.
Throughout the development of the plan, five key themes have been identified to make the area a more attractive place for residents and tourists:
• Great Streets and Spaces aims to respond to the car and bus dominated character of the district and address the shortage of quality green and public spaces.
• Updated Mobility incorporates proposals to enhance the city centre’s public transport and active travel networks to create a sustainable and walkable city.
• Vibrant Central explores ways to address the lack of local neighbourhood amenities which might prevent people from choosing to live within the Central District area.
• Great Buildings seeks to ensure that Glasgow’s historic fine built heritage is protected and that it continues to be recognised as some of the greatest urban architecture in the UK.
• Transforming Central focuses on the creation of agile policies and shared objectives to attract investment, secure funding and foster collaborative working in the district. Glasgow City Council will look to identify and work with partners to develop masterplan strategies for both sides of the river.
Glasgow is also trying to compete with cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham in terms of numbers living and moving to live in the centre of those cities. The local authority believes that an increase in the city centre population will help boost investor interest and approval of private sector rent development.
Six key objectives include increasing the population to 40,000 by 2035, finding productive outcomes for empty commercial space, provide a cleaner and greener city centre environment, deliver quality in design across all development, offer an innovative approach to investment opportunities and enable resilient, empowered and socially cohesive neighbourhoods. A draft action plan on both consultations is available on the council’s website.