The council has to take control on action to repurpose large vacant shops and sites in the city centre to help kick start a regeneration.

A new vision and plan for Glasgow’s main city centre streets, known as the ‘Golden Z’ has been produced, focusing on a future that is not dependent on retail.

The impact of the pandemic with more online shopping and fewer people working in the city centre has exacerbated the decline in high street retail businesses.

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The collapse of shopping giant Arcadia and the closure of BHS, Watt Brothers and Debenhams has led to large empty units in the city, with the closure of Marks and Spencer in Sauchiehall Street the most recent in a long line of blows to the retail dependent city centre model.

Glasgow Times:

The gap site left by the Victoria’s nightclub fire and the derelict 02 ABC venue on Sauchiehall Street are both ongoing problems.

It is recognised the city can’t rely on the big national or international retail chains to fill the vacant units.

The vision is for more people living in the city, fewer cars and more leisure to complement a new normal for shopping.

The report by the council said the closures above continue to “blight large sections of the Golden Z” adding “direct intervention by Glasgow City Council is required”.

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It states: “The resolution of these large prominent sites is not only critical to the future of the Golden Z but will be the highly visible ‘ripples’ that demonstrate Glasgow means business and is open for business.”

Previous action on the Merchant City is highlighted to illustrate the knock-on effect on encouraging investment.

The report states: “This required council leadership, collaboration with development partners and fiscal stimulus.”

Examples of which, it notes, could be a reduction or waiving of contributions or exemption from VAT.

Six areas of action are highlighted in the report: Enhance economic competitiveness; Re-population with liveable and sustainable neighbourhoods;  Connection to the river and surrounding communities;  Reduction of traffic dominance and car dependency; Greening the centre and making it climate resilient; Repairing and enhancing the urban fabric reinforcing distinctive heritage and character.

The report concludes the council can provide an enabling role to co-ordinate and unlock the future potential of the Golden Z.

It said: “Stalled sites and long-term vacancies blight stretches of the Golden Z, and the proposition is that the council intervene, using statutory powers backed by fiscal stimulus, if necessary, to allow these to move forward in partnership.”

George Gillespie, executive director of Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability, said: “The covid pandemic rapidly accelerated pre-existing trends that were already altering the physical fabric of city centres across the UK.

“Changing investor and occupier demands, and digital/technological advances have resulted in a significant vacancy issue for Glasgow city centre.

“This, combined with the impacts of the pandemic and the need to overhaul urban environments to respond to the climate and ecological emergency, means that it is critical for city centres to refocus.”