Plans to transform a former hotel on Sauchiehall Street into student accommodation has been given the go-ahead despite concerns of there already being too many in the area.
Developers have drawn up plans to create 140 student flats at the site of the former Lorne Hotel that will include a gym, sauna and steam rooms as well as a cinema room and games area. A new courtyard and roof gardens are also included in the plans.
The building will be used as short-stay apartments outside term time.
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The Lorne Hotel, which also operated the Bukharah Restaurant and the Bilberry Cocktail Bar, ceased to trade as of May 2021, following the appointment of administrators. It was then sold back in December.
Seven objections were submitted against the proposal with locals stating that there is already 'too high a concentration of student accommodation in the area' and that it would put a strain on local facilities.
They also raised concerns about a possible increase in noise and the lack of parking spaces.
Cllr Angus Millar’s objection, submitted in June, said: “While I welcome the general approach of the applicants to the treatment of the building, including proposed recladding, I wish to object to the proposed use as student accommodation.
“There are a large number of student beds within a 400m radius of this site and I fear that permitting more student accommodation here would result in the proliferation of the issue of over-concentration.”
Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Community Council also welcomed the plan to reclad the building but opposed student accommodation due to over-provision.
In response, developers said that the area is out with the area of concentration of South Partick/ Yorkhill and and that "the local area has been analysed and found not to have too high a concentration of student accommodation".
They added that "given the existing use of the building as a hotel the impact of introducing short-stay accommodation would not be significant. The surrounding area is also characterised by a mix of uses that includes hotels"
According to the plans, early investigations highlighted the existing facade of the 1960s building “consists of a mixture of combustible insulation and rain screen cladding”. It will be replaced with an “industry standard non-combustible facade”.
“The Grade A-listed building will undergo some internal alterations to the rear of the building along with window upgrades and fabric repairs,” the application added.
“The 1960s building element will undergo a far more comprehensive refurbishment, with significant works proposed to the existing facade to provide an industry standard non-combustible facade. Additionally new replacement rear extensions are proposed as well as a set back roof top extension to Derby Street.”
Council planners have been given the green light for the development to go ahead.
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