BPF Futures x BCO NextGen: Glasgow - A City in the Making
Written by Sheila Mackintosh, Associate, Addleshaw Goddard
Glasgow - A City in the Making
Last month BPF Futures in collaboration with BCO NextGen, hosted an engaging panel session at the newly refurbished Aurora Building in the heart of Glasgow City Centre and kindly sponsored by HFD Group.
The event welcomed over 50 junior professionals from across the Property industry, representing both networks and provided a valuable opportunity for new connections and collaborative discussions. The panel consisted of a fantastic spread of industry experts across the public and private sectors: Elliot Cumming (HFD), Sarah Hagen (CBRE), Anthony Newman (Michael Laird Architects) and Alison Laurence (Glasgow City Council).
The focus of the evening was ‘Glasgow - a City in the Making’, exploring the future of Glasgow’s built environment, current challenges developers are facing and actions needed to shape a more forward-thinking and innovative city. Key topics discussed included the abundance of older, listed buildings in the city and the difficulties in unlocking their potential; city living and how to make it more appealing; and the requirement for partnerships between public and private stakeholders.
It is clear Glasgow is bursting with potential; however, developers continue to face challenges and obstacles in fully unlocking it. Whilst we shouldn’t compare Glasgow to other UK cities, there is much opportunity to learn from their successes. For example, Manchester, has seen a surge in city living driven by its robust infrastructure and diverse amenities available. Similarly, Belfast, has undergone significant transformation in recent years, revitalising its city centre through creating public spaces and fostering a more liveable urban environment.
One of the key challenges facing Glasgow's property sector is the oversupply of older, often listed, buildings within the city centre. Whilst their historical significance and value is widely recognised, their preservation poses a significant dilemma for developers. Many of these buildings were not originally designed for modern commercial or residential use and require substantial investment to repurpose. For instance, numerous older properties were never intended to serve as office spaces, with their layouts, structural constraints, and outdated infrastructure rendering them incompatible for contemporary workplace requirements without major refurbishment and investment.
At the same time, converting these buildings for modern residential use, while seemingly a more natural fit, also poses significant financial and practical challenges. The cost of redevelopment to meet modern building standards, combined with the restrictions imposed on listed buildings, frequently renders such projects financially unviable. In addition, demand for city-centre living in Glasgow remains limited, with the residential market not as strong or active when compared to other UK cities like Edinburgh or Manchester. As a result, these buildings often remain underutilised or vacant. To unlock the potential of Glasgow’s existing built environment a collaborative approach is essential – aligning planning policy, financial incentives and market demand to create solutions that maximise the value of these historic assets without compromising their heritage.
Glasgow benefits from strong foundations and boasts vibrant neighbourhoods such as the West End, Shawlands and Dennistoun. However, the city centre has yet to fully establish itself as a truly desirable location for urban living. To attract residents to the city centre over nearby suburbs, there needs to be compelling reasons to choose city centre living. Currently, the necessary social infrastructure to support this is lacking. Whilst there has been a notable increase in PBSA in recent years, the city requires a more diverse population beyond students to thrive and become a hub of activity. Delivering residential developments alone is not enough; priority must also be given to essential services such as healthcare facilities, improved amenities like supermarkets, enhanced public spaces and improved transport links. These elements are critical to making the city centre a viable and attractive place to live.
Looking forward, a key takeaway from the discussion was the need for fostering a more collaborative, partnership driven approach between developers and Glasgow City Council, alongside engagement with the city’s Local Development Plan (LDP). The current LDP was adopted in 2017, and whilst it established good principles, the Council are now in the process of updating this with City Development Plan 2. This updated planning policy framework, will build on those principles and provide a refreshed planning strategy to guide development across the city in the coming years, with adoption expected by Q3 2027.
There is a clear appetite for new development in Glasgow, with recent years delivering several standout projects which demonstrate the city’s potential. A prime example is the Barclays Campus, which benefited from a strong partnership with Glasgow City Council. This development has transformed a previously abandoned and underutilised stretch along the River Clyde into a vibrant hub of activity, now supporting thousands of employees. Similarly, The Social Hub in the Candleriggs area of the city showcases how bold, boundary-pushing concepts can breathe new life into quieter corners of the city. By creating a hybrid space that combines accommodation, co-working, and social uses, the project has successfully revitalised the area.
The panel discussion highlighted that whilst Glasgow has significant potential, realising it requires strategic action, open dialogue, and a willingness to adapt. It was acknowledged that developers need a balance between certainty and flexibility. Building a more collaborative relationship between the public and private sectors will be crucial; underpinned by shared ambition, embracing innovation and drawing lessons from other cities will be essential in shaping a city that works for everyone.
