The iconic Marks & Spencer signage has been removed from the former flagship store on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street, marking the beginning of a major redevelopment.
The site is set to be transformed into student accommodation, with building works now underway.
In May 2024, The Glasgow Times reported that revised redevelopment plans had been approved by Glasgow City Council, paving the way for the £76 million project to proceed.
READ MORE: Sauchiehall Street M&S plans gets go ahead from council
The proposal includes 619 student rooms, nearly 10,000 sq ft of ground-floor commercial space, and an arcade providing a new link to Renfrew Street.
The council initially rejected the original proposal, but after revisions—including reducing the building's overall height by one storey and lowering part of the Renfrew Street elevation by four floors—the updated plans received a "minded to grant" status.
Importantly, the redevelopment will retain the building’s distinctive 1930s Art Deco façade, preserving a visual connection to its historic past.
A Marks & Spencer spokesperson said: “Delivering long-term activity on the site, the proposals align with our estates renewal strategy and will enable us to make further investment in Glasgow city centre over the coming years.”
READ MORE: Fresh plans unveiled for Marks & Spencer store on Sauchiehall Street
Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, welcomed the project, saying: “An investment bringing hundreds of new residents, commercial opportunities and public realm enhancements to Sauchiehall Street can be a major catalyst in the regeneration of this famous thoroughfare.
“Our city centre is changing. Its long-term, sustainable future needs more mixed-use developments and more people living there, and I’m particularly pleased to see the inclusion of affordable accommodation within the plans.
“The collaboration between Fusion and the council to address the planning committee’s initial issues has ensured the revised plans not only improve on the original application but they can be genuinely transformational for the city centre.”
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