IT was the envy of towns and cities across the country as Glasgow’s Golden Z lured shoppers to a retail experience like no other.
From high street names on Sauchiehall Street to the designer stores on Buchanan Street and the fashion giants of Argyle Street, it was a massive success story for the city.
However, even before the pandemic the edges of the Golden Z were beginning to come undone. Sauchiehall Street was impacted by two major fires and earlier this year Marks and Spencer closed its doors.
Read more: Glasgow's Byres Road revamp to get under way next year
At the other end of the retail link, Debenhams department store closed and there are now plans to demolish the flagship Buchanan Galleries shopping mall.
However, now a project is underway to reimagine the future of the City Centre’s Golden Z at the heart of Glasgow’s retail core. The city council has appointed a Glasgow-based consultant team comprising Stantec, Threesixty Architecture and Kevin Murray Associates, to create a new vision and plan for the area in and around the three streets.
Sauchiehall Street has suffered in recent years
It is in part a proactive response to the post-pandemic challenges and opportunities facing the city centre. Landowners, businesses, institutions, agencies, residents and visitors will be involved in a collaborative process to consider how the area, currently defined as the Golden Z, should improve in future as a place for all.
Councillor Angus Millar, convener for city centre recovery at Glasgow City Council, said: “The Golden Z of Sauchiehall, Buchanan and Argyle Streets has traditionally been the retail heart of Glasgow, but changes in the sector mean that action has to be taken to ensure that the area continues to thrive in the future.
“The Vision and Action Plan for the area will be informed by local businesses and residents as well as developers and investors – and guide its development in the years to come.”
The project will look at the impact of changing retail and leisure trends, growing city centre living and the need to repurpose vacant sites and buildings – as well as the potential contribution of significant future redevelopment proposals, such as those for Buchanan Galleries and St Enoch Centre.
Old BHS site at Sauchiehall Street
Funded by the Scottish Government’s City Centre Recovery Fund, it will be overseen by Glasgow’s City Centre Task Force, co-chaired by councillor Angus Millar and Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.
Preparation of the new plan will run from now until the end of March 2023. The first stakeholder workshops are being planned for late November at The Lighthouse, with further information on how to take part to follow.
Marks & Spencer on Sauchiehall Street, closed its doors earlier this year
Professor Brian Evans, Glasgow’s City Urbanist, said the pandemic, coupled with the climate emergency and Brexit had had a major impact on city centres.
He added: “This important and timely piece of work will establish ambitious investment, design and development principles for the heart of Glasgow City Centre to help it recover and enhance its role as the economic and cultural epicentre of the metropolitan city region.”
Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “Glasgow City Council’s master-planning initiative is a welcome investment, helping to rebuild the area’s reputation of being Scotland’s premier place to work, live and visit.”
Meanwhile, a £5.8m project to rejuvenate one of Glasgow’s busiest streets will get under way next year.
The Glasgow City Region Cabinet approved public realm work on Byres Road which will begin in January 2023.
It is hoped the work will rejuvenate the quality of the Byres Road streetscape and public realm to create a people-focused place with a pedestrian experience, enhance the economic vibrancy of shops and services, and make the area more cycle and environment-friendly.
The first phase of these works – Partick Cross to University Avenue – will begin in January 2023 and be complete by summer 2024. The second phase of these work – between University Avenue and Great Western Road – will be delivered under a separate contract and will commence following completion of the first phase.
Among the changes will be the introduction of a 20mph speed limit; reducing the width of the carriageway and removing a number of on-street car parking bays to create additional pedestrian and cycling space; widening and upgrading of footways to make pedestrian movement along the street more relaxed and enjoyable and to reduce the width of crossing points.
John Turner, chair of the Byres Road & Lanes Business Information District (BID), said they were very pleased that, after the considerable delays caused by the pandemic, the planned improvements to Byres Road would finally be getting underway early in 2023.
He said: “We are eagerly awaiting the completion of the works and trust that they will enhance Byres Road in its position as a top destination.”
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