Scottish Opera has won permission to build a new headquarters and student housing beside the Forth and Clyde Canal.

The plans for 40 Edington Street will see a new Scottish Opera building constructed alongside two blocks for students, rising to 20 storeys with 705 bedrooms.

The headquarters will boost a rooftop garden and public cafe with two bridges from the canal towpath. An existing production studio will remain and new landscaping and public areas are to be created across the scheme.

The proposal, which was approved by councillors yesterday at a planning applications committee, faced 97 objections and 22 supporting comments.

The development will see the consolidation of three Scottish Opera premises into one site.

Its new headquarters property will contain a rehearsal studio, practice rooms, an education studio, offices, meeting rooms and a music library among other features.

Councillor Paul Leinster, SNP, said: “This is a good use of what is not a very attractive site right now. I think it’s important that Scottish Opera have looked at an innovative approach to funding sustainability.”

(Image: Proposal) (Image: Proposal)

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Although praising the development as innovative, SNP councillor Eva Bolander asked for more accessibility for people with disabilities from the towpath requesting a condition to be added.

Welcoming Scottish Opera’s investment in the neighbourhood, committee chair Ken Andrew described the area as “bleak” and “ignored” and said the move was “very good”.

He also called for a condition to improve disability access.

SNP councillor Andrew also asked for a condition to spruce up the existing rehearsal space, which still looked “industrial” in the proposal.

Objectors had voiced concerns about overshadowing, the impact on local services and property values and views from Spiers Wharf among other worries. They also pointed out the new canal path plans are not wheelchair accessible.

Supporters of the bid pointed out the plan would regenerate a brownfield site and provide performance spaces and boost the cultural sector among other benefits.

A statement from Scottish Opera said: “The design, which has been developed by Page\Park Architects, is for a thriving, mixed-use development on a site adjacent to the Glasgow branch of the Forth and Clyde Canal, which has laid derelict since the 1980s.

"Known locally as New Rotterdam Wharf, Scottish Opera’s new headquarters will sit at the heart of the new proposal. “