Glasgow City Council to unveil plans to revamp centre's 'Golden Z'

A new vision to revamp Glasgow’s city centre is set to be released by the council.

The plan for the “Golden Z” – Argyle Street, Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street – will be unveiled on August 14 at an event in the Lighthouse.

Glasgow City Council has developed the proposals alongside key stakeholders in the area, which is known for its nightlife, shops and restaurants.

Landowners, businesses, institutions, agencies, residents and visitors were all part of the discussion on how the Golden Z could and should be improved in the future.

Officials are seeking a new strategy for the area amid a change in retail trends, a growing city centre population and the need to repurpose vacant buildings.

The local authority said the project will guide future development in the centre and give investors confidence in the city.

Glasgow Buchanan Street is among the areas the council is hoping to revamp. iStock

It comes after the announcement that the area’s two main shopping centres – Buchanan Galleries and St Enoch’s Centre – will be demolished over the next ten years.

Councillor Angus Millar, convener for city centre recovery at Glasgow City Council, said: “The vision and delivery plan for Glasgow’s Golden Z is a response to the challenges and opportunities that Glasgow city centre – like so many other city centres – faces during this period of great change.

“We have engaged with people and organisations with a stake in the area to arrive at a vision and plan for the Golden Z that we can all follow, and this will guide the development of this key part of Glasgow in the decades to come.”

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, added: “Glasgow’s Golden Z is the spine of the city’s retail offering, and we welcome the review being undertaken.

“The proposals rightly continue the focus on our city centre in addition to the commercial property repurposing study undertaken by the City Centre Task Force.

“It’s positive to see that recommendations also encourage a mix of uses on the Golden Z and the focus on key sites, which have been informed by extensive public engagement and feedback from stakeholders.

“I look forward to this being utilised by the City Council and its partners to bring forward tangible policies to support the recovery of the city centre.”

The project is funded by the Scottish Government’s City Centre Recovery Fund and will be overseen by Glasgow’s City Centre Task Force.