Latest news with #ConservationArea
Scottish Sun
13-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Plans to transform iconic Glasgow nightclub take major step forward
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PLANS to transform an iconic Glasgow venue have taken a major step forward after being submitted to councillors. The O2 ABC on Sauchiehall Street has lain empty for seven years after it was damaged by the fire at the Glasgow School of Art. 5 The O2 ABC suffered extensive damage after the blaze at the Glasgow School of Art in June 2018 Credit: PA:Press Association 5 Bulldozers demolished the building in October 2024 Credit: Alan MacGregor Ewing 5 New plans will see the site turned into a new development with student accommodation Credit: VITA GROUP The legendary music venue was unable to open its doors after it was ruined by the devastating blaze in June 2018. Flames from the art school spread to the ABC and tore through the building, as well as Jumping Jaks, the pub next door. And the O2 ABC has been derelict and lying abandoned ever since, with locals frequently branding the site an "eyesore". But in January year, plans were revealed to revive the site by developer Vita Group to transform it into modern student accommodation. The plans involve tearing down the C-listed building and replacing it with the new development, which would house 356 students. This first part was carried out in the following October with bulldozers demolishing the huge building. Around 306 of the spaces will be in four, five and six-bedroom flats, and there will also be 50 studio apartments in the new complex. The ground-floor food hall would provide space for five emerging food brands, with over 400 covers and a large bar. There would also be space for bars, a gym and a courtyard. The firm previously said it believes adding the private student halls to the site will help revitalise one of Scotland's busiest streets, which has been left to fall into a "sad and sorry" state. Huge fire erupts at Glasgow School of Art before spreading to O2 music venue as Sauchiehall Street is evacuated And now, councillors have been urged to approve the new plans after an application was submitted this week. However, the document submitted to Glasgow City Council admits that the proposed plans have a "significant issue of the negative impact on the Conservation Area", according to the Glasgow Times. It adds that "the scale of the proposed development would overall not be considered to preserve or enhance the character or appearance of Listed Buildings and the Conservation Area". However, despite this, councillors are still being recommended to approve the new development. The official recommendation states that "this negative impact is considered to be outweighed by the significantly positive impact of developing this site". This is because the new site could bring a huge £70million investment to Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street if it is successful. James Rooke, Planning Director for Vita Group, who has successfully created other new sites in Glasgow, told the Glasgow Times: 'We believe our proposals offer a unique approach to student living and the benefits the development will bring extend far beyond the student community. "It will generate significant economic benefits, will help to reenergise Sauchiehall Street and contribute to the city's Golden Z ambitions. DJ playing Glasgow's O2 ABC at time of School of Art fire tells of 'blind panic' THE O2 ABC DJ who was playing at the time of the massive blaze which tore the building apart has described the moment the club was evacuated during his set. Grant Robertson, 24, was playing the club with his friend Lewis Wake at the time of the fire which started in the Glasgow School of Art. The flames spread to the adjacent O2 ABC and Campus nightclub and the roof of the Sauchiehall Street club was engulfed in a raging inferno. Grant and Lewis were interrupted by security guards who urged them to turn the music off and get out of the building. He said: "It was crazy and bizarre. It was a blind panic. It was about 11pm when we were ushered out. "Security did a great job - they came up and told us to turn the music off and said 'the Art School is on fire everybody needs to get out.' "Everyone was ushered to the exits and even on the street the did a good job of shepherding folk out. "I was just in shock. I was on auto pilot. It still hasn't sunk in." Read the story here 'This is an incredibly challenging site to redevelop, and we've worked hard to create proposals that are deliverable and appropriate.' Stuart Patrick, Chief Executive of the Chamber, added: 'It is critical that this key site is brought forward for development as soon as possible. "There's no doubt it's been a blight on Sauchiehall Street, and we need to secure this much-needed investment, which would be transformational.' The ABC building was first built in 1875 and was later rebuilt in the 1920s, and has had several renovations over the years. Before it had been tragically burnt down in the fire, it was regarded as one of the city's busiest and most distinguished live-music venues. It currently sits between Sauchiehall Street and Glasgow School of Art's Mackintosh Building. 5 Councillors have been urged to approve the new plans Credit: VITA GROUP
BBC News
11-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Winchester residents 'angry' as a large tree gets protection
Residents have said they feel "extremely angry" after a council voted unanimously to protect a controversial oak City Council received an intention to fell the more than 40-year-old tree from neighbours who raised concerns that it could damage their at a council planning meeting, the local authority's tree officer John Bartlett said there was "no evidence of actual damage being caused".The council approved a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), which legally protects it from damage or destruction. Mr Bartlett said it contributed meaningfully to local biodiversity and visual amenity, adding that its ecological and landscape value outweighed the reported nuisance oak, which is situated in a conservation area, is located in the garden of a home on Canon Street, close to Winchester Cathedral. Dr Sandra Steel lives in a home on the adjacent St Swithun Street and spoke for residents at the planning meeting."The spreading roots cause structural damage," she that "our historic houses are particularly vulnerable".Some of the properties on the road date back to the 17th Century and Ms Steel said there was evidence of "cracks in garden walls".She added that it was increasing the insurance of the local these claims the council approved the protection order and said further evidence would need to be provided to consider the felling of the hearing that verdict, Ms Steel said: "You are waiting for our houses to fall down I guess."Speaking after the meeting she said they all "feel extremely angry" and called it "quite ridiculous"."An oak tree belongs an open area or a forest, not in gardens of historic houses," Ms Steel added. At least nine residents raised concerns about the tree's proximity and size after they said it had grown by 6ft (1.8m) in the last said that the height and mass of the tree combined with unpredictable weather patterns could lead to serious damage to properties or injury of argued that any sustainable management plan would require pruning on a five-year cycle, which is seen as an unfair and impractical burden on objectors added that the tree, which they claim blocks light and sheds a substantial amount of leaves and said it is willing to accept further reductions to previous cut points on a 5–10 year cycle to improve light penetration to surrounding properties. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
£10m Derry regeneration funding gets minister's approval
A multi-million pound fund to help regenerate Londonderry's historic city centre has been approved by Stormont's communities minister. The North West Regeneration Fund – worth up to £10m over the next five years – will provide government loans for the regeneration of buildings within the city's walls. The fund will be delivered by Derry's Inner City Trust, and has a specific focus on projects that the private sector does not see as commercially viable. Minister Gordon Lyons said the fund "will make a "significant contribution" to the city's regeneration. Lyons said it will be used to revitalise "strategic properties within the Historic City Conservation Area". He said it is "an exciting time for the city" with a number of key projects under way, including the expansion of the university, public realm works, the City Deal and redevelopment of the Fort George site. "All of these interventions are serving to enhance the city," Lyons said. The Inner City Trust works to inject commercial and social life into Derry's city centre. Archdeacon Robert Miller chair of the trust, said the funding's approval is "a transformative moment for our city". "This investment will breathe new life into the heart of Derry, strengthening our heritage, supporting our economy, and ensuring our built environment serves the needs of future generations," he said. Foyle SDLP MP Column Eastwood said the fund "actually has the potential to transform public spaces and do real, visible good for Derry". Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson also welcomed the funding, adding it "will make the city a more attractive and vibrant place to live, work and socialise". DUP assembly member Gary Middleton said the funding is "a testament to our commitment to preserving our heritage while injecting new life and economic opportunity into our city centre". Earlier this year, the Department of Communities provided a grant of more than £1m to allow the Inner City Trust to complete the purchase of the former Austins department store in Derry. What next for store that once dominated city?
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Plans to turn Leicester offices into flats given green light
Plans to convert three former office buildings in Leicester into 62 flats have been given the green City Council's planning department approved the application, which seeks to change 1-7 Grey Friars from offices to a block of self-contained the 62 flats, six would be studio apartments, 48 would be one-bed and eight would be officer report on the proposal said the existing buildings on the site "cannot provide offices capable of meeting occupier requirements for flexible and energy-efficient working environments". "Therefore, bringing these large empty buildings back into use, means that the redevelopment for residential purposes is acceptable in principle", the report report continued, stating that some of the site's buildings are Grade II listed and the site is within the Grey Friars Conservation Area, meaning the buildings cannot be in the plans are a commercial unit on the ground floor of 7 Grey Friars, and two cycle storage shelters at the rear of the property, with capacity for 20 bikes.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Housing plan approved in Peterborough's Glinton village
Plans for nine new homes within the grounds of a Grade II listed manor house have been City Council granted the planning application for two two-bedroom homes and seven four-bedroom homes within the former farmyard area of Manor House on High Street, Parish Council and some residents objected to the plans over the design of the homes and access for vehicles. The council's case officer said the proposed homes adopted an "appropriate, traditionally referenced barn-style design theme". The applicant, Alston Country Homes, had also sought listed building consent for works to a dovecote structure on the site, which will be incorporated into one of the homes."The resulting scheme respects important views and retains the visual prominence of the dovecote within the streetscape," the case officer said. While the case officer noted the proposed development was in a part of Glinton that has a "strong local identity and historic character", they decided the development would make "effective use of brownfield land" and the layout "responds positively to the key characteristics of the site and its surroundings".The case officer's report stated: "While the site lies within the Glinton Conservation Area and within the setting of the Grade II listed dovecote, the proposed development has been informed by a detailed understanding of the site's heritage value."Construction on the site must begin within three years. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
