Bruntwood SciTech has revealed plans to double its investment into Glasgow, totalling £60m.
The announcement comes three months after acquiring and announcing the redevelopment of its first hub in Scotland, at the Met Tower. This will include a new workspace of more than 100,000 sq ft adjacent to the Grade B listed building, adding a further £30m of investment to the new city centre tech and digital cluster.
The joint venture between investor and developer Bruntwood and Legal & General is aimed at driving the UK's growth of the science and technology sector.
The new building is intended to be net zero carbon in operation in its shared spaces offer up to 10,000 sq ft floorplates, surrounded by the tech startups and talent coming out of the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian University and the City of Glasgow College.
Facilities in the new build will include a shared roof terrace, secure lockers, showers and internal secure bicycle storage. Businesses will also have access to all of the facilities in the adjoining Met Tower, including meeting rooms, event and conference spaces.
Bruntwood SciTech also plans to create a new publicly-accessible plaza between the two buildings, which should improve connectivity to nearby Queen Street Station. Beneath this plaza will be a food and drink retail space, totalling 10,000 sq ft, which will be available to members of the public, as well as having direct access into both Met Tower and the new building.
Pete Crowther, property director at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “There is a real opportunity here to not only create a new tech cluster at Met Tower and in our new building, but also support local businesses and communities across the West of Scotland.
“We’re looking forward to sharing the plans for the new development in more detail and continuing to strengthen our network across Scotland.”
Bruntwood SciTech has a stated aim of creating more than 40,000 jobs during the next 10 years. Glasgow joins its network of innovation districts that includes 11 locations in Birmingham, Cambridge, Greater Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool.
As the Met Tower project develops, Bruntwood SciTech will be looking to recruit a locally-based team in Glasgow.
Shareholder Legal & General has also identified the city as a key opportunity to invest, having already forward funded 324 build-to-rent apartments within Glasgow’s new Buchanan Wharf regeneration area and a new 187,000 sq ft hub for the UK civil service at Atlantic Square on Argyll St.
A public consultation event for both Met Tower and the new development will take place on 31 August from 2.30pm till 6.30pm at The Merchants House of Glasgow on George Street.
Subject to planning, the new development would be open by early 2026, with enabling works starting this autumn.
A local team has been appointed to work on the redevelopment of Met Tower, consisting of Cooper Cromar, Woolgar Hunter, Atelier Ten, Savills, Ryden and Thomas & Adamson.
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