First statues removed from Glasgow's George Square
The statues have been removed from Glasgow's George Square ahead of redevelopment work in the area.
The statues will undergo restoration before being returned to the finished square from July 2027, while work on George Square itself is expected to be completed by August 2026.
Plans include a water feature, a raised lawn, sheltered seating, feature lighting, and play areas for children.
George Square will close as hoardings will go up from April 14, with the panels showing information about the past and future plans for the square. STV News A statue of Robert Burns is the first to be removed from Glasgow's George Square.
After the hoardings have been erected, the bronze statues are being removed for restoration and storage.
The square will be handed over to the public realm contractors, due to be appointed this month, who will begin carrying out the main restoration works from the start of June.
Pedestrian access will be maintained around its outer pavements while viewing spaces on the east and west sides of the hoarding will give the opportunity to watch the development of the works.
During construction, Glasgow City Council says it is committed to ensuring businesses and residents are kept informed of any significant disruption, with progress reports to be made publicly available.
Councillor Angus Millar, convener for City Centre Recovery, said Glaswegians will be excited to see the George Square transformation get under way.
'George Square's restoration is a huge and historic project and so much work has already gone into its planning and design,' he said.
'Once complete next year, Glasgow will have a modern square with more greenery, improved lighting and drainage infrastructure and a high-quality stone finish to replace the current tarmac.
'This will be a momentous month for the city, with the erection of the hoardings in less than a fortnight's time firing the starting pistol on a real acceleration of the works.
'George Square is built into the DNA of this city, and Glaswegians have wanted to see its restoration for decades. In just a couple of weeks, they'll see that start to happen.
'Of course, that means the square will be closed to the public once the hoardings start going up and that will be an inconvenience.
'But by next autumn, Glaswegians will have a new square on a par with many of our international peers, one they can be proud of and one which is fitting of a city of our standing.'
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
STV News
an hour ago
- STV News
Rennie Mackintosh building to be sold and turned into museum
A Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed former school in Townhead is set to be sold by Glasgow City Council and turned into a Scottish Catholic museum. The Bishops' Conference of Scotland are expected to take over the old Martyrs' School on Parson Street if a £250,000 deal is backed by councillors this week. It is planning to invest £1.75m in the A-listed property to create a 'public museum of Scottish Catholic archives to house artefacts and artworks', a council report reveals. While not the highest bid received, council officials have recommended it for approval 'given the overall merits'. They add the unconditional offer of £250,000 has the 'benefit of certainty, being a cash offer and not being subject to any suspensive conditions'. Two other bids met the same criteria but were for commercial letting of workshop space, with some public exhibition space, and their occupation was 'not guaranteed'. Cllr Ruairi Kelly, SNP, the council's convener for housing and development, said the plan was 'great news for an important piece of Glasgow's built heritage'. 'Without marketing this building, we would not have found such a positive outcome that not only secures investment but opens it to the public,' he said on social media. The three-storey school building was designed for the School Board of Glasgow by Charles Rennie Mackintosh while he was an assistant at architectural firm Honeyman and Keppie and completed in 1898. It is of 'considerable architectural and cultural significance, being one of the earlier buildings attributed to Mackintosh', the council report adds. Used as a school and college until the early 1970s, the building has since been an arts centre and then council offices. The Bishops' Conference of Scotland's plan for the property also includes some office space, and 'proposes to link the subject to their existing ownership on the opposite side of the street'. Marketing of the building began in October last year after it had sat empty for 'a considerable time'. Five compliant bids were received by the closing date in March this year. The council report adds: 'It is proposed the subject will undergo a sensitive restoration and will have the prospect of a meaningful future as part of its local community.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Glasgow's skyscraper vision sparks split over city's skyline future
Last week, Glasgow City Council revealed its Tall Buildings Design Guide, which outlined areas in the city like Charing Cross, Anderston Quay, Trongate, and Cowcaddens as potential sites for taller buildings. The guide, which marked a departure from decades of previous rules where building heights were restricted, also provided expectations for building quality, design, and aesthetics. Norry Wilson, who is behind the popular social media account Lost Glasgow, which aims to document, discuss, and appreciate the city's architecture and its community from the last few centuries, is skeptical of the new guidelines. READ MORE: Former SNP MP's critique of UK defence review was a missed opportunity He claimed that there is 'no clamor from developers to build skyscrapers in Glasgow' and that he doubts any plans to build any will ever come to fruition. However, Labour MSP for the Glasgow region, Paul Sweeney, who has a keen interest in the city's architecture, welcomed the guidelines as he hopes the change in policy will help address the growing need for housing. 'Glasgow has not built as many tall buildings as comparable British cities in recent years, and there is a pressing need to repopulate its urban core – which is the least populated of all major British cities,' he said. 'At present, Glasgow has no buildings taller than 100 metres, while Manchester has 26 with eight more under construction.' Sweeney added that whilst the principles outlined in the tall buildings design guide are of a 'high level,' he would like to see more of a 'house style' developed for Glasgow. (Image: Newsquest) He said that the guideline does try to address some 'fundamental deficiencies' that have 'plagued previous generations of tall buildings' in the city, such as slab form, lack of ground floor activation, isolated locations, and a lack of elegance on the skyline. Sweeney added: 'I hope these principles will now be robustly implemented and provide greater certainty for architects, developers, and local communities on what Glasgow expects in the design of such buildings. 'We certainly must never repeat that atrocious design of the Clayton Hotel and Virgin Hotels on Clyde Street, which saw their designs diluted to cut costs, resulting in cheap, clunky-looking cladding, a removal of a feature crown structure from the roof design, a blank facade facing Union Street and poor-quality landscaping at the base. 'Perhaps the design guide could also benefit from a rogues gallery of what hasn't worked well in Glasgow as well as examples that we are rightly proud of.' However, Wilson has said that he has 'absolutely no idea' where the demand for skyscrapers is coming from, as most people would rather live in family homes instead of massive buildings. The freelance journalist pointed out that back in March, three tower blocks dating back to the 60s at Wyndford Road were destroyed using controlled explosions to make way for nearly 400 new homes. (Image: Robert Perry) The four 26-storey blocks and several smaller high-rise buildings at one point provided homes for around 6000 people but were deemed by the owners, Wheatley Homes housing association, as not fit for purpose. 'It's a very strange one because, as far as I'm aware, there is no clamor from developers to build skyscrapers in Glasgow,' Wilson said. 'I mean, even in just the last few weeks, Glasgow's just demolished pretty much the last of our own skyscrapers at Winford and Maryhill because there's no demand for skyscrapers in Glasgow.' He added: 'I've got a sneaking suspicion this is really just a sort of paper exercise.' Wilson, whose father and grandfather were architects who contributed to Glasgow and the greater area's skyline, explained that the city's historic height restrictions were implemented by the fire department. He said that because the water pressure from their hoses could only reach about six or seven stories, they implemented a building height restriction so that fire crews could reach any possible blazes. Wilson said that he hasn't noticed many people discussing the need or want for skyscrapers in the city on any of his Lost Glasgow pages. He said: 'Most folks that looked at it think it's the council talking shop again, and unless it gets rubber stamped, it's not going to change anything.' He added: 'Everyone piles into Lost Glasgow and says, 'why don't they build more social housing' and you've got to point out, well, Glasgow doesn't build social housing anymore. 'That's the job of housing associations and all the rest of it. 'Where the demand is for skyscrapers, where that demand's coming from, I have absolutely no idea.'
STV News
4 hours ago
- STV News
Seed potato farmers left in limbo after EU trade deal reached
Seed potato farmers in Scotland say they need to know 'sooner rather than later' when they can resume exporting their products to the EU. In March, a political agreement between Europe and the UK was reached after crops were banned post-Brexit, which farmers say cost the industry tens of millions of pounds. Scotland's seed potatoes are exported worldwide, but until recently, farmers haven't been able to sell them into the EU. The multi-million pound industry says a clear timeline is needed quickly if they're to make the most of the agreement. Farmer Robert Doig told STV News: 'We lost all our European market in Brexit, it went to zero…for those doing business with the EU it was sort of a catastrophe. 'But the EU seed still came in so we lost our market and had another one coming in. 'The seed potato industry has contracted a little bit.' He says the details of the deal need to come sooner rather than later. Farmers now predominantly export seed potatoes into North Africa, with Egypt and Morocco the largest export markets. Scott Walker, chief executive of GB Potatoes, said: 'This has been extremely welcome. 'The timing of those details is important to allow farmers to meet the EU's demand.' NFU Scotland president Andrew Connon said last month: 'This agreement marks a welcome shift towards reducing the red tape and costs that have frustrated Scottish farmers and food exporters for years. 'While details are still emerging, anything that helps restore smoother trade with our largest export market is a positive step.' He added: 'The devil will be in the detail. We need to ensure this works across all sectors – from livestock to seed potatoes and delivers real benefits on the ground. 'The principle of the deal is dynamic alignment with EU policy, but we need to understand what the exceptions might be and how this might work in practice.' The UK Government say the specifics of the deal will be decided on in the coming months. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
