THEY have become a place for protest, public speaking or simply somewhere to bask in city sunshine and Glaswegians are fond of the Concert Hall steps.
And previous plans to demolish the steps as part of a proposed expansion plan of Buchanan Galleries were met with an angry backlash.
However, now as major redevelopment plans could see Buchan Galleries pulled down to make way for a mixed-use urban neighbourhood, calls have been made for greater public space to compensate for the potential loss of the steps.
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Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, told a meeting of the City’s Administration Committee, developers were in no doubt about the regard people have for the steps.
Councillor Aitken said: “The first proposed development by Landsec in 2010 involved the demolition of the Concert Hall steps and there was a very strong reaction against that by people in Glasgow and certainly for this masterplan it has been made very clear, and Landsec are in no doubt, of the regard and affection that people have for the Concert Hall steps and the uses that they have.
“They are under no illusion about the importance of the Concert Hall steps within that masterplan and making sure that the feelings of Glaswegians about them are fully taken into account and responded to as they go forward.”
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The Herald revealed last week that shopping mall owners Landsec want to replace the flagship centre with a mixed-use urban neighbourhood including residential, offices, retail and restaurants and bars.
Labour group leader Councillor Malcolm Cunning said perhaps the loss of the steps would bring a new public space.
Councillor Cunning said: “From reports it would seem the steps are not fit for purpose, in terms of they leak and disability access is not acceptable, but perhaps as the compensation for the change to or for the loss of what has become a public space for various demonstration and events, would be the creation of an even greater and flexible public space as part of the general development.”
Councillor Aitken added that the exact steps may not continue and said they are not in great condition but most importantly they are not accessible.
She said: “They are exclusionary in terms of getting in and out of the Concert Hall. Part of the particularly strong reaction to the first proposal back in 2010 was that there wasn’t an increase in public space in fact it was the opposite and the feeling was the Buchanan Street steps are one of the few places in that part of the city centre where you can sit, or meet someone, or gather for some of the smaller and larger scale demonstrations that we see regularly.
“The difference with this masterplan is that there is a significant expansion of public space and a permeability as well which is really important. The ability to move through the space is also restored. I think the important thing is the strong feeling for the need of public space and the need for space people can occupy for their own purposes has been made very strongly to Landsec and will be reflected in the plans. Those specific steps for a number of reasons may not be able to be retained as the do not serve the purpose that they should which is for citizens to get in and out of the Concert Hall because far too many people just can’t for that particular direction.”
The new masterplan is being viewed as an opportunity to improve the area around the Concert Hall steps at the top of Buchanan Street and create better pedestrian links around Buchanan Street and Killermont Street.
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