Student accommodation added to Finnieston proposal
A planning application for a mixed-use development on a former car dealership site in Glasgow is set to be revised to substitute a residential block for student accommodation.
Keltbray Developments is revisiting its proposal to transform land bounded by Minerva Street, West Greenhill Place and Finnieston Street.
Permission was given by Glasgow City Council in February for 394 rental apartments across two blocks with rooftop gardens, gym, co-working spaces, meeting rooms, function rooms, greenhouses and growing areas, and residents’ lounges, plus retail space, a public square, and a new east-west pedestrian and cycle-priority street.
The developer is now consulting over changes that would see one of the residential blocks become student accommodation. The revisions to Feilden Clegg Bradley’s designs will be limited to functional requirements of the change in use including amended window and balcony sizes and a reconfigured interior.
Retail space would also be provided on Finnieston Street, to be occupied by an M&S foodstore.
A statement on the project website explains: “The materiality and design concept of the proposal is unchanged and the revised proposal will maintain the high-quality approach to the provision of public open space.
“The replacement of one block of the approved residential scheme with purpose-built student accommodation meets an identified requirement for student accommodation in the area and reflects the reduced market demand for build-to-rent developments in Glasgow.
“The changes to the proposed scheme in terms of visual appearance and design approach are minimal.”