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Over 1,700 flats and student rooms to be built at former goods yard site
Major plans to redevelop a former goods yard near Glasgow's High Street have been given the go ahead, with over 700 flats and nearly 1,000 student rooms set to be built.
The old College Street Goods Yard site beside Parsonage Square can be transformed after the city's planning committee approved Apsley Ltd's application on Tuesday.
Expected to be known as 'College Gardens', the project will see a mix of build-to-rent flats and student accommodation provided across six blocks on a car park and empty land.
Permission was granted in 2023 for around 1,500 homes — both build-to-rent and student accommodation — on the site, but it has since been sold to the Galliard Apsley Partnership.
It submitted a fresh plan to Glasgow City Council, increasing the number of homes. The new permission allows 713 build-to-rent apartments, with a mix of studio, one, two and three bedroom properties, and 999 student beds in both studios and cluster flats.
There will also be new publicly-accessible green space and public realm, with pedestrian and cycle routes through the site, and ground floor commercial space.
Bailie Elaine Gallagher, Greens, who was chairing the planning meeting, said: 'I think this is a reasonable development, I'm happy there is 'build to let' as well as the purpose-built student accommodation.
'I am happy that they've got a plan that, if the student accommodation should be failing, they can change to private letting or commercial letting at least.'
Cllr John Daly, Conservative, said there are 'concerns amongst businesses and residents about the amount of student accommodation within the city'.
He said: 'While it's encouraging to see brownfield sites being used to bring life and jobs, I was also very pleased to hear that this site would be future proofed in terms of using it for perhaps single, double or family occupancy in the future, which can only benefit the city centre.'
Almost 40 objections to the scheme were submitted, including from Calton Community Council, while 17 letters of support were received by the council.
Concerns focused on the scale and height of the development, its appearance, the impact on light at Parsonage Square and road safety, traffic and parking issues.
Supporters said it would bring a derelict site back into active use, address a growing demand for housing, benefit local businesses and create jobs.
Council planners recommended the scheme was approved. They said the development will be 'largely car free', with just 45 spaces for residents and visitors. Cycle storage will be provided at each block.
The Galliard Apsley Partnership is a collaboration between two real estate development firms: Galliard Homes and Apsley House Capital.
The developers previously said the new plan was 'very much a revision' of the approved scheme, but would be a 'far improved design, amenity, living offer than that previously consented'.
Plans added: 'With the new ownership, there is a compelling case to revisit the scheme and diversify the offer, building on learning from the pandemic and the applicant's unique experience to create a more focused mixed-use development that will be sustainable and resilient for residents and the local community and economy alike.
'It is felt that the proposed changes will deliver an enhanced place making vision and create a high quality mixed residential neighbourhood at the heart of the city.'
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