July 18 2025

Glasgow City Council has awarded planning consent for a high amenity student accommodation tower in Glasgow city centre, subject to conditions.

Approval clears the way for the demolition of an unlisted tenement and the partial demolition of the B-listed Distiller's Building at 64-72A Waterloo Street, for incorporation into a 19-storey student tower.

This follows a refinement of the proposals in consultation with Historic Environment Scotland, which will see lost ornament reinstated, notably a lead dome which now more closely reflects historic photographs with a 'bell roof' lantern and ball finial, resting on four columns.

The applicant has also agreed to reinstate tall, corniced chimney stacks to the western bay of the southern elevation, after engineers confirmed this could be done using red sandstone downtakings salvaged from the eastern elevation.

Dominated by 350 student rooms, the development will include an on-site cinema, virtual reality room, pool tables and an interior sports court.

5 Comments

#1 Posted by Roddy_ on 18 Jul 2025 at 11:17 AM

If we were to write a book about contemporary 'architecture' in the City , it might well be called 'The New Bleakness'
Mute, joyless, expressionless...


Reminds me of the now demolished Albany Hotel.

#2 Posted by Ben on 18 Jul 2025 at 12:02 PM

Whilst the introduction of student residences in this part of the city centre is great, the new proposal is so bland, it looks like any other development being thrown up in London, Manchester, Birmingham or Liverpool.

#3 Posted by Graeme McCormick on 18 Jul 2025 at 13:09 PM

Have they retained the buddleia in the illustration or is it being incorporated into. roof garden?

#4 Posted by Georwell84 on 18 Jul 2025 at 21:20 PM

Reinstating the ornament is most welcome. It would be great to have these turret type structures reinstated across the city centre where they have been removed like at top of Buchanan Street. They make the street scenes more appealing.

#5 Posted by James Hepburn on 19 Jul 2025 at 11:08 AM

Pity GCC don't put as much effort in to affoedable housing. Maybe they haven't been offered an incentive?

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