Spring 2020
‘People Make Glasgow’ tower to be transformed under offices and hotel blueprint.
Property developer Osborne & Co has applied for planning permission for its long-heralded £100 million transformation of the former City of Glasgow College campus into offices and a hotel.
The plans would spell the end for what has become a city landmark – a giant pink People Make Glasgow sign installed for the 2014 Commonwealth Games that could be seen from miles away.
Osborne & Co bought the site in 2019 and unveiled its designs for the project in January. They have formally submitted proposals to Glasgow City Council, including the conversion of Met Tower – formerly the College of Building and Printing – and its massive poster.
Plans also include demolishing a building on Cathedral Street and constructing a 260-bed hotel, with a landscaped public plaza leading to the category-B listed Met Tower. A market hall or leisure space would be built underneath the plaza.
Will Hean, development director at Osborne+Co, said: “We recognise Met Tower’s significance to both the city’s character and people, so collaborating with Glasgow City Council to arrive at our final proposal has been crucial to ensuring we deliver a development that addresses a requirement for the city and the people who make it.
“Undoubtedly, the city’s economy will face challenges over the coming weeks and months, but we are determined to underline our commitment to the city by progressing with the application and using the time we have now to ensure we are in a position to move forward when circumstances allow.
“It’s important that we continue our positive relationship with Glasgow City Council, and we are grateful for their flexibility in providing online and virtual processes to ensure communication throughout the consideration phase can continue despite the Covid-19 outbreak.”
Osborne+Co is behind the £140 million Central One development on the city’s Argyle Street – which will become investment bank JP Morgan’s European technology hub – and is drawing up proposals for Lancefield quay on the south bank of the River Clyde. It is also working on projects in Belfast, Bootle and Milton Keynes.
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