April 18 2024

Urban regeneration specialist Vita Group has filed a planning application for 20 India Street, a key regeneration area in Glasgow.

The £29M build is primarily geared toward addressing growing demand for student accommodation, through provision of 591 studio apartments including social and study space, a gym and regular events.

Ground floor commercial units with potential for retail and leisure use are also provided for as well as public realm improvements as part of the Sheppard Robson design.

Max Bielby, Vita Group chief operating officer said: “The development emphasises our commitment to Glasgow aims to help to alleviate some of the pressures felt across the city as a result of Glasgow’s growing population and lack of available housing types.”

The plans also provide for 20 mid market rent apartments for the brownfield site, delivered in partnership with West of Scotland Housing Association. 

11 Comments

#1 Posted by Peter on 18 Apr 2024 at 15:56 PM

That. Blank. Wall.

#2 Posted by Graeme McCormick on 18 Apr 2024 at 16:15 PM

hardly respects existing surroundings

#3 Posted by Spike on 18 Apr 2024 at 17:12 PM

Hope this materialises

#4 Posted by Roddy_ on 18 Apr 2024 at 19:44 PM

This looks like over-development, but you can't really blame the developers for trying it on. There is no tall buildings guidance and no masterplan to underpin the DRF, therefore a laissez-faire paradigm ensues.Random towers hither and thither. Without any formal guidance, we get this; a street that only gets sunshine for about an hour a day in the summer and will be dreich and dreary for most of the rest of the year.Not ideal for slurping that latte outdoors or catching some rays.
There is, of course, the additional issue- which may or may not be addressed in future; that of the rat run at rush hour caused by the basement car park of ScotPow and Charing X City Parking. Both India St and Elmbank Cres desperately need to be calmed.

#5 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 19 Apr 2024 at 12:51 PM

Filler at best -- stack-a-pleb for middle class students.
If that is where the money is then Glesga PLC has to follow it.

Interesting build economics if the £29mill figure is correct -- £50K per unit including common areas / social space / public realm.

Seems low -- to me as an industry outsider -- current HA build economics are twice that and then some.

#6 Posted by town planner on 19 Apr 2024 at 23:37 PM

I'm happy with size/density here for this site in the context of adjacent proposed plans at Portcullis House and Elmbank Gardens.

#4 - surely an improvement as a latte location from what is there currently!

#7 Posted by Roddy_ on 20 Apr 2024 at 20:37 PM

@ #6
Yeah, the point I was trying to address is the proportion of the street. The visualisations are trying desperately to find the widest field of view possible because the street will be a narrow, overshadowed canyon. And as I said, who can blame the developers for trying it on.
Like the development across the street which was over-cooked and bloated, this too might lose some floors to appease the gods of planning (and ultimately the planning committee), but as for sun in the afternoon/evening figgetit.

#8 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 22 Apr 2024 at 09:59 AM

India Street has always been a bit of a canyon -- uniform large scale blocks flanking it with 8/9 floors on one side and 7/8 floors on the other up until 2014.

At least the new developments are trying to mix it up a bit and will have less of an impact on the street that the already built SP office.

All in all -- better to build it as is and manage the increased population that wait for a perfection that will never come even if it exists.

Colour / texture / finish rather than scale might be the issue that needs addressed.

#9 Posted by James Hepburn on 22 Apr 2024 at 12:13 PM

The area round what was Charing Cross has suffered tragedy after tragedy. The splendid Victorian buildings were obliterated by the M8 nightmare and the brutalist surrounding monstrosities. Now its being turned into a dystopian nightmare.

#10 Posted by Parkguy61 on 22 Apr 2024 at 16:06 PM

MORE Student flats when the city centre needs affordable homes for real people to live in and breath life back into the city centre. I'd love to live i the city centre/

#11 Posted by Hairy Hipster on 23 Apr 2024 at 13:15 PM

@10 - unfortunately student flats seems to be the only thing that stacks up in Glasgow at the moment. The new housing bill introduced by ScotGov has resulted in a plummetting of all builds for rental and ScotGov slashing the housing budget has put paid to social housing.

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