By Scott Wright

A £205 million project to build 730 build-to-rent homes as part of a new urban neighbourhood on Glasgow’s Clydeside has received planning permission, handing a further boost to efforts to breathe new life into the waterfront area.

Glasgow City Council has given the green light to proposals from Moda Living and GDRI – a joint venture between property developer Osborne + Co and MRP, the development and investment arm of construction firm McAleer & Rushe – that would transform a four-acre brownfield site at Lancefield Quay. The land has been vacant since 2007.

The developers say the Lancefield Quay neighbourhood would feature “best-in-class” amenities, including a gym, co-working hubs and units earmarked for commercial purposes, as well as landscaped public spaces. It would take Moda’s presence in Glasgow to 1,163 homes.

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There are also plans for Lancefield Quay to run exclusively on renewable energy.

The decision to grant planning permission to the project follows what developers say had been a successful consultation with local people over the proposals. They say the plans are consistent with the council’s City Centre Living Strategy Vision 2035, which aims to attract more people to live within the city centre.

Tony Brooks, managing director of Moda Living, said: “With all the fundamentals we look for in a long-term city partner, Glasgow has immense potential for Moda Living and we are thrilled to have been granted outline permission for this key waterside site.

“Lancefield Quay will provide 730 new homes for rent to Glasgow, at a time when supply of good quality rental accommodation is at an all-time low, and we look forward to working with our delivery partners and Glasgow City Council to deliver a neighbourhood that will benefit its surrounding communities and the wider city for the long term.”

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The proposals for Lancefield Quay may be seen as a key development in efforts to link the city centre with the Scottish Event Campus, which includes the Ovo Hydro and SEC Armadillo, on the Broomielaw, as well as bars, hotels, and restaurants in the fashionable Finnieston area. Last month, property developer Summix Capital acquired a neighbouring site at Central Quay where it plans to build homes, office and commercial space, and student accommodation. Planning permission for the mixed-use development was secured by former owner XLB in 2018, with the site already home to a 79,327 square foot building occupied partially by NHS Education for Scotland.

Stephen Surphlis, managing director of MRP, said: “The granting of outline planning permission for Lancefield Quay is a very significant milestone in the delivery of this exciting new project which will regenerate this historic and important area of Glasgow. Complementing the council’s strategy, of a sustainable, inclusive, and diverse society, Lancefield Quay will provide well-designed, modern homes that will add to the vibrancy of the city centre, enhancing community integration and supporting economic regeneration.

“MRP has a proven track record of delivering important development projects in Glasgow and in many other cities throughout the UK, and we are looking forward to working in partnership with Moda Living and Osborne + Co on Lancefield Quay to bring this transformational project to life.”

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The project would be Moda Living’s second build-to-rent development in the city. Its Holland Park apartments, which are being developed in the former Strathclyde Police headquarters on Pitt Street near Charing Cross, are expected to come to be completed in the third quarter of 2023.

Conor Osborne, director of Osborne + Co, said: “Lancefield Quay represents a truly transformational site that, alongside MRP and Moda Living, we are very proud to reinstate as a destination of choice for people in the city.”

“Glasgow’s waterfront is iconic and intrinsic to its future is ensuring that the location remains relevant, which Lancefield Quay will enable with attractive rental opportunities. We’re looking forward to watching Moda bring the scheme to life as it continues the positive relationships we’ve established with the local authority and community alike.”