July 17 2025

Moves to build a contentious student housing development which threatened to cast a pall over the renowned Mackintosh Building in Glasgow have been paused after the Scottish Government elected to call in the case for review

A reporter will now be appointed to look again at the decision to grant planning approval for the nine-storey block, with their recommendations put before ministers for a final decision on whether to overrule Glasgow City Council or rubberstamp the approval.

The move grants a reprieve for the A-listed landmark after the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society and others warned that the development by Vita Group and Haus Architects placed the Mackintosh Building at 'significant risk'.

Welcoming the decision to call in the development architect and GSA alumnus Alan Dunlop told Urban Realm: "A proper hearing and review is required which would give Glasgow School of Art and Historic Environment Scotland (HES) an opportunity to present their objections. It was clear from discussion at the planning committee that the impetus was to just have 'something built'. This was crass and inappropriate given the international importance of Mackintosh's school of art and the proposal’s deleterious impact upon it."

Objections from HES and others focused on the loss of key views and light arising from the replacement of the former O2 ABC venue on Sauchiehall Street with a much larger structure that would encroach upon the south facade of Mackintosh's masterpiece.  

7 Comments

#1 Posted by Zero accountability on 17 Jul 2025 at 12:29 PM

As promised, kudos to Roddy as the SG have called this in. However, we shall all wait and see. By the way, I did try and find the previous application on the archives of UR for comparison but without success. A month and a year would be very helpful if anyone knows when it featured

#2 Posted by town planner on 17 Jul 2025 at 13:46 PM

An elephant in the room here is what are the Scottish Government or anyone else going to do about the Mackintosh Building itself? It is continuously talked about in the present tense as if it is actually still there and not a burned out shell.

If the government are calling in adjacent planning proposals, could they not also take more of a lead with the restoration too? Sadly up to now things seem to have been moving at an indeterminate and glacial speed.

#3 Posted by Spike on 17 Jul 2025 at 14:51 PM

Entirely agree withe above comment, the GOA is one of the most important buildings in the UK and a concerted effort is required to commence rehab works asap

#4 Posted by The truth on 17 Jul 2025 at 16:56 PM

Both this site and the Mac will sit derelict for the next 20+ years due to the stupidity of this current Scottish Government

#5 Posted by Ben on 17 Jul 2025 at 17:22 PM

#1 the previous application for this site was only the Jumpin Jake portion, and can be found on HAUS' website:
https://www.haus-collective.com/design/g2-student-accommodation/
I am bitterly disappointed that this decision has been called in, the proposed design is a little tall, but otherwise is a high quality contemporary high density proposal for student housing, exactly the type of project that should be encouraged on Sauchiehall Street. Instead the street will now have a half demolished derelict eyesore for a considerable length of time (when the Ingram Street car park housing proposal was called in by the Scottish Gov, they took nearly 2 years to eventually agree with the council and grant permission). It is partially blocking the view of the grey roughcast facade of the Mackintosh Building, the principle (and more important) facades face Scott Street, Renfrew Street and Dalhousie Street. Given that the Scottish Gov are delaying and potentially blocking this project from going ahead, whilst simultaneously washing their hands of any financial contribution to the Mackintosh Building reconstruction, it almost gives the impression that they don't want Glasgow to succeed.

#6 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 17 Jul 2025 at 17:42 PM

No matter the quality -- or lack of it -- of the proposed development you still have to deal with the abomination that is the Reid Building that faces off with the Mac from the front.

In fact the new building engages with the rear of the Mac more sympathetically than the Reid Building does at the front.

And the rear of the Mac was phoned in apart from the western edge.

You have to ask how and why the Reid Building passed planning -- "munter" of the century / dead coyote ugly ...

Take your pick.

Dead coyote ugly -- even if the coyote was deceased you would rather gnaw your own arm off than engage with it at any level.

#7 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 17 Jul 2025 at 17:45 PM

Somebody is having a giraffe regarding the negative influence the new proposal has over the rear / southern face of the Mac.

Not CRM's finest hour.

https://shorturl.at/e8QGF

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