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The city council’s planning committee narrowly rejected previous plans for the site in November, citing concerns about the project’s impact on the city center conservation area, particularly the lack of mixed use and the concentration of student accommodation.
The scheme, on Sauchiehall Street, had been revised ahead of the planning vote to retain the neoclassical Art Deco building’s 1930s Robert Lutyens-designed appearance.
The new proposal, backed by developer Fusion Students, would still convert the building into 516 student apartments, but 15 per cent would be earmarked as affordable housing. The developers claim that the units can all be redeveloped into rental apartments or hotels with “relatively painless redevelopment” if needed in the future.
The ground floor also includes five commercial units.
The highest point of the stepped building will still reach the 16th floor. However, Mattbrook Architects reduced the size of the block backing onto Renfrew Street by one storey and the block on the north side of Renfrew Street by four storeys, introducing an open-frame section with a roof terrace .
The remaining floors from floors 8 to 16 have been extended, with one additional room on each floor on the south side.
If the plans are approved, a historic arcade will be reintroduced linking Sauchiehall Street to Renfrew Street.
In its latest planning application, the practice said the proposals address an urgent gap in student accommodation provision in Glasgow, with students currently facing significant difficulties finding rooms.
Founding director Matt Brooks said: “This application represents a revised plan that incorporates, where possible, input received to ensure the development is consistent with the aspirations and priorities of the local community in Glasgow.
“Notably, this includes lowering the overall height of the development by one storey and making significant adjustments to Renfrew Street, lowering it by four storeys to address some of the issues raised.
“In addition, the revised plan also includes increasing the supply of affordable housing [of] Up to 15% – a first for a proposed PBSA development in Glasgow.
The building has been vacant since the Marks & Spencer store closed in April 2022.
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