George Square update: "This is the year when Glaswegians are going to see major changes to the city centre"
Glasgow City Council call 2026 a year of transformation as the next phase in the restoration of George Square gets underway.
The next stage of work on the £20 million project to redesign George Square gets underway on Monday (12 January) with contractors commencing the installation of new granite surfaces. The section of road between Queen Street and North Frederick Street to the north of the square in front of City Chambers will be shut for three months to allow work to be carried out.
To mark the milestone, Glasgow City Council said: “With work on extending the world-class look and feel of the new George Square to surrounding roads beginning next week, Glaswegians can look forward to significant changes in the heart of town emerging in the months ahead.
The first six months of the year will see the majority of the £123 million Avenues Programme completed, including the section of Argyle Street from the Kingston Bridge to Central Station.
An update states: “The biggest city centre upgrade since the pedestrianisation of Buchanan Street in the 1970s, the Avenues are already complementing new commercial and residential developments either recently completed or under construction. With the redevelopment of George Square now halfway towards its August completion, work starts on Monday on the installation of the new granite surfaces on the road along the north side of the Square.
“Essential for the wall-to-wall transformation of the Square, this phase means the road between Queen Street and North Frederick Street will be closed to traffic for three months. Work is then scheduled to begin on the road on the south of the Square in April.
“Meanwhile, with the footways outside the City Chambers and then along to Queen Street Station having been completed over the Festive period, the work to transform the pavement area on the western side of George Square is expected to conclude by February.”
Preparing the square for further redevelopment has including the reconstruction of the statue plinths in their new positions. Specialist restoration of the statues, including the Sir Walter Scott monument, continues. The Council say that preparatory works undertaken to date allows granite paving, landscaping, and tree planting to “commence at pace” inside the fenced off area in the spring.
Cllr Angus Millar, city centre convener, said: “This is the year when Glaswegians are going to see major changes to the city centre and the emergence of the international-quality public spaces they deserve.
“By summer, 10 of the 16 Avenues making up the programme will have been completed, including several key routes into town and the western section of Argyle Street. Take a walk to the most recently completed Avenues around Pitt Street and Holland Street and you’ll already see how they’re creating a more European-style environment. That’s more attractive to residents and visitors but also creates much better conditions for the investment which is coming into the city.
“And crucially, we’re now only eight months from the completion of the new George Square, with a visible escalation of works getting underway on Monday. Glaswegians can already get a taster of the look and quality of what’s to come with the new granite footways along the north, east and west of the square which are already open to the public.”
The update also states that the remaining sections of the Argyle Street West Avenue were to be finished in March. When that project began it was expected to be complete in late Autumn 2025.
Duke Street and John Knox Street Avenues, alongside the Cowcaddens Road and Dobbies Loan projects, are expected to be completed in April. The South Portland Street Avenue is scheduled to be completed in the following month.
The North Hanover and Kyle Street Avenues are due for completion this November, while work on the Avenues covering the eastern section of Argyle Street, as well as High Street, Stockwell Street and George Street is scheduled to get underway by the spring.
Councillor Millar added: “Creating the city centre for the next century will inevitably involve a level of disruption and contractors and council staff will continue to engage with businesses and residents where they may be affected.
“But as this year progresses and that transformation becomes clear I’m sure our citizens will agree it’ll have been worth it.”
The George Square project is part of the wider £123million Avenues programme, which is funded through the Glasgow City Region City Deal, with the funding provided by the Scottish and UK Governments.