A TEAM of local and international consultants has been formed to come up with the blueprints to "renew the beating heart" of Glasgow.

Four city centre districts – Cowcaddens, Townhead, the ‘Learning Quarter’ and the Merchant City – will be the focus of the regeneration project, with the city council appointing Glasgow-based Austin-Smith:Lord to lead the work.

They will look at issues such as health, social and economic inequalities, climate change and the city's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

The team will produce the latest – and final – round of district regeneration frameworks for city centre locations, with work already under way for the Broomielaw, St. Enoch, Central and Blythswood.

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Council leader Susan Aitken said: "It's vital that our city centre is equipped for both the structural changes facing our high streets and the need for carbon neutrality within the next decade.

"These shifts are already creating both challenges and opportunity and the district regeneration frameworks will give us the blueprints to renew the beating heart of Glasgow."

The team includes Rotterdam-based urbanists Studio for New Realties, led by Jeroen Zuidgeest, and Urban Movement and Civic Engineers.

Artist-led organisation WAVEparticle, which is based in Glasgow and recently represented Scotland at the Venice Biennale, has also been appointed.

It has undertaken community projects on High Street and Saltmarket and in Laurieston.

Ms Aitken added: "A team of leading experts with international and local experience will assist us in shaping that future, whilst retaining the strengths and character we cherish about each district.

"We need our communities to come with us so I would urge all those whose neighbourhoods are within the frameworks to get involved in our consultation in the months ahead."

The frameworks will establish a planning strategy for each area to respond to both opportunities and challenges. The council hopes the work will enhance the quality of life, health and wellbeing of the local communities, economy and the environment.

It is expected the frameworks will be published in late 2021 or early 2022.

Graham Ross, architect and urban planner at Austin-Smith:Lord, said: "It’s a great privilege and big responsibility to be taking on the preparation of these regeneration frameworks with local communities in these pivotal city centre districts.

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"Developing distinctive solutions drawing upon the creativity and wisdom of local people, in combination with international best practice, will ensure our city can thrive in the future.

"We will explore ways in which Glasgow can recover from the impact of Covid-19. We hope to develop imaginative and practical ways to adapt to economic and climate change that deliver enduring and positive regeneration."

More details on how residents and stakeholders can take part in the process will be revealed in the coming weeks, with updates posted at www.yourcitycentre.com