Plans put forward to demolish historic listed Trongate building for student flats in Glasgow

Plans have been submitted to Glasgow City Council’s planning authority to demolish several abandoned buildings on Trongate and replace them with student flats.

The plans would see a substantial demolition of a B-listed building - though the façade would be retained, and the complete demolition of an adjoining unlisted building within the Glasgow Conservation Area.

The 137-151 Trongate site has been vacant / under-used for the last 20 years. The site has been subject to several planning approvals with the most recent in 2015. This revised proposal seeks permission to open as student accomodation, rather than serviced apartments as originally envisioned.

Owners of the site Deeley Freed, would see 101 student residential units built on the Trongate site.

The first building that see substantial demolition works is 137-143 Trongate: Constructed in 1885, the building is a polished red ashlar warehouse executed in the Free Renaissance style. It is also on the buildings at risk register.

The second building, 145-149 Trongate: constructed around 1935. It is built in an Art Deco style. The building is on the Buildings at Risk Register, but it is not designated by the Glasgow Central Conservation Area Character Appraisal as an “unlisted building of townscape quality”.

The third building, 151 Trongate: A B-listed building, it was built in 1860, and only the facade remains, after the fabric behind the building was torn down in the 1990s.

The plans do not encorporate the vacant TJ Huges building. A design and access statement submitted to Glasgow City Council’s planning authority on behalf of Deeley Freed reads: “The proposals would be a catalyst for change to the south side of the historic Trongate, reflecting the positive development on the north side led by the Candleriggs Quarter.

“The site has been subject to several planning approvals with the most recent in 2015. This revised proposal seeks to retain the same form, massing, and architectural language of the previous scheme but replaces serviced apartments with student residential units with a specific focus on energy use, sustainability, and social wellbeing.”

Plans were validated on August 6 2024, and are currently under consideration by the planning department.