The redesign of George Square has moved forward with a £2.4 million design contract to be awarded.

Councillors are expected next week to approve awarding a contract to develop a design to change the layout of the city centre square.

It will include a proposal to redevelop surrounding streets as part of the city’s £115 million Avenues Project.

George Square is expected to be car free and traffic free on the east and west sides, the City Chambers and Merchants House with vehicle access limited to public transport on the north and south sides of the square.

Access to the redeveloped Queen Street Station will be maintained and

As well the remit to redesign George square as a principal civic and cultural space the contract will include a new design for George Street and St Vincent Street / Place Avenues, as well as John Street, Dundas Street, Dundas Lane, and a new high-quality pedestrian link from Queen Street Station to Argyle Street, passing through George Square, Hanover Street and Miller Street.

The council carried out a public engagement exercise to find out the public’s views of George Square.

The exercise asked how people use the Square today; What they think about the Square today;

What George Square means to Glasgow; What ambitions they had for the

future of George Square.

Elaine Galletly, the councils Director of Legal and Administration, said, in a report to councillors: “George Square is the city’s civic centre and principal urban space – a place of

city-wide, national and international interest.

“The 2019 Public Conversation has confirmed that the citizens of Glasgow feel that change is required. However, a balance needs to be struck between the history of George Square (as a place and the items within it), respecting the aspects that people admire, and turning around some of the negative phrases typically used to describe it today (e.g. “undervalued”, “unattractive”, “nothing special”).”

The redesign of George Square will factor in Glasgow’s hosting of major events in the coming years, including COP26 and the UCI Cycling World Championships, with construction work beginning shortly after the latter in the summer of 2023.

The contract will be awarded to John McAslan and Partners funded through the Glasgow City Region City Deal.

Glasgow City Council received 91 expressions of interest in, and 17 submissions for, the design contract.

A shortlist of seven teams were taken to a final consideration on the criteria of quality and price before John McAslan and Partners were selected with a score of 92.39%.

The £2.293million contract award sees the appointment of a consultant and a multi-disciplinary team who will provide full staged design services