Plans to demolish Portcullis House and build 33-storey residential and shopping complex submitted

The plans have been submitted by the Watkin Jones Group and would see a major redevelopment of the India Street site.

The build-to-rent and co-living development would consist of 685 residential units - made up of 279 build-to-rent (BTR) apartments and 406 co-living studios.

The BTR aspect would form the northern part of the site, with the tallest element rising up to 33-storeys. The co-living development would be on the southern part of the site, rising to 18-storeys at its tallest point.

Co-living complex developments have become common in the UK. The idea is that residents sleep in their rooms but live in the buildings, with a range of shared spaces and facilities.

The application states: “It is our view that the proposed development will act as a catalyst for wider change in this part of the city centre.

“The way we live in cities is changing, with both co-living and BTR developments responding to this, filling in a gap in diversifying housing stock and meeting the aspirations of the Council’s objectives of repopulating the city centre.

“The Glasgow City Centre Living Strategy (CCLS) sets out the council’s aim to double the size of the population living in the city centre, from around 20,000 to 40,000 by 2035. It is noted that Glasgow has fallen behind other major UK cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool in this regard, and that increasing density is essential to its long term success and sustainability.”