The first images of how a future Buchanan Street could look have met with mixed views as a major consultation on the demolition of a city centre shopping mall gets underway.
New images have been revealed which show how the area could look through an £800million plus redevelopment plan for the area which would see Buchanan Galleries pulled down.
Designers say removing the steps would allow a new lower level entrance to the building while creating a larger public space and home for the statue of the late First Minister Donald Dewar.
Read more: Revealed: How Buchanan Street could look after mall demolition
One of the aims is to reintroduce a variety of flagship and independent shops and restaurants into the site and improve access to the key transport hubs of Queen Street station, Buchanan Street bus station and Buchanan Street subway.
Owner Landsec says feedback from the second stage of consultation demonstrated a desire for the plans to boost the day and night-time economies in the city and accommodate world-class shopping and a diverse mix of places to live, work and play.
One notable difference is the entrance to the Royal Concert Hall. The steps would be gone.
Dozens of readers posted on The Herald’s social media pages with some questioning the demolition and describing the buildings as “bland.”
Among them was Dallas Carter who said: “What happened to the 'urban village' with its streets and houses? Looks like the housing will be in tower blocks - which are not regarded as desirable these days. What's the betting that the 'housing' will be flats for students with well-off parents? They need to be with the rents these flats charge.
Robert Wakeham argued that the structure should be retained.
He said: “The Buchanan Galleries are a modern development, and even if the retail economics don't add up anymore (if that's really true) the basic structure should be retained and new uses worked around it, rather than flatten the lot and start again.”
Wullie James Barker questioned the proposals.
Writing on facebook, he said: “Why demolish a shopping centre that has more tenants in it like Hollister, Victoria’s Secret, John Lewis, Lego, Boots and Next.
“If this development gets the go ahead these businesses should be offered premises in the many empty units on Sauchiehall Street.”
G Wilson said this showed it is now private developers who drive change.
“They can raise finance from commercial banks that get to create funds out of nothing (as bank credit not cash). The return is the charges that inevitably fall on us. There should always be a grand plan A and a cheaper modest plan B. Scotland can’t even look after the treasured buildings we have.”
Michael Lloyd said the heritage buildings, that give Glasgow its character, are absent.
He said: “Instead, we get bland modernism that could be found anywhere from Singapore to Los Angeles. What is distinctive about these buildings? "Lego" architecture, cheap to build, easy to demolish when the next fad comes along. But the Council will approve the plans, because they look 'modern'.”
The final phase of the consultation begins on January 26 with drop in sessions at Buchanan Galleries.
Nick Davis, Head of Retail Development, Landsec said: “This is the final opportunity for people to give feedback on key elements of the development, and we would encourage everyone to share their views and contribute to the third stage of the consultation.”
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