A leading heritage watchdog has backed calls to save part of a historic Sauchiehall Street building facing demolition which was designed by Robert Lutyens.
Plans have been drawn up to knock down the former M&S store on Sauchiehall Street to create a mixed-use development with student flats and a rooftop terrace and garden.
However, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has now concluded that if the demolition goes ahead, efforts should be made to preserve the facade.
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Paul Sweeney MSP has been leading calls to save the front of the building and has described its loss as a 'travesty' for the cultural fabric of the city. He has been in talks with HES and the developer over the proposals.
Their response to Glasgow City Council states: "We consider that the 1935/6 building and its 1938 extension at 172-84 Sauchiehall Street contributes positively to the conservation area and advise that this building should be retained and sensitively incorporated into any redevelopment of this site. Façade retention of this building would be acceptable to us.
“172-84 Sauchiehall Street contains no interior features of interest and its roof is concealed behind the parapet. The building is not seen in the round and only its façade contributes to the character of the conservation area.
“We, therefore, consider that its façade could be incorporated into a new building without diminishing its contribution to the conservation area.
“It would, however, be important to ensure that any replacement building was designed carefully to allow the historic frontage to retain its historic proportions and its character as an individual building.”
The Sauchiehall Street store was a popular fixture on the shopping street for nearly nine decades having first opened in 1935 and was regarded as one of the city's oldest M&S stores. The art deco building was designed by famous architect Robert Lutyens.
M&S bosses decided to close the branch in March 2022 blaming “changing shopping habits” which required them to focus their investment "on the right stores in the right places".
Paul Sweeney MSP said: “It’s incredibly welcome that Historic Environment Scotland have agreed with my assertion that the M&S façade on Sauchiehall Street is significant and have therefore issued clarification that there should be a presumption against demolition. It is quite clear that it contributes positively to Sauchiehall Street and is one of the few examples of art deco architecture in the city so I am in no doubt that it should be retained, a position supported by the local community.
“Sauchiehall Street itself is in dire condition, and to even countenance the demolition of this building in its entirety would be a grave error. There is no logical reason whatsoever for demolishing the façade, which has the potential to act as a catalyst for the wider renewal and regeneration of the street, and I am hopeful that the developer will work toward that eventual outcome.
“I will continue to work constructively with the developer and the wider community to ensure that the façade is retained, and any future development of the site has a positive impact on the street as a whole.”
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