Plans to build homes on a former car park are “critical in bridging the perceived gap” between the city centre and East End, developers have said.

Scotland’s largest social landlord, Wheatley Group, has asked Glasgow City Council for permission to transform a site bordered by the Gallowgate, Molendinar Street and Spoutmouth.

It wants to build a six-storey block of flats with 34 two-bed properties, which are set to be let on a “mid-market rental basis” by Glasgow Housing Association. Two shops would also be constructed.

Glasgow Times:

Previously a council car park, the land — which was earmarked for development in a wider Barras masterplan — is described in the plans as being of “huge significance to the Barras area”.

They added the site acts as “an entrance and a gateway from the city centre to the east end” and the land is currently an “unimpactful and uninspired entrance to the Barras area”.

Wheatley Group’s application stated demand for the flats is expected from “young people, predominantly with employment in the city”. It added the two commercial units, on the corners of the ground floor, would provide “new business opportunities to the area as well as draw more people to the Barras locale”.

“The site is of huge significance to the Barra’s area, acting as an entrance and a gateway from the city centre to the east end,” the plans stated.

“Our proposal is critical in bridging the perceived gap between the two areas and provides a huge opportunity to do something impactful.  “The addition of two retail units on the corners of the development will help combat the current lack of street level activity between the Barras and the city centre.”

Glasgow Times:

Glasgow Times:

They added the shops will “generate more interest in the area and encourage people to venture more from the city centre to the Barras area”.  A new public space would be created if the development goes ahead, which will “act as a break space along Gallowgate and encourage users to take time to appreciate the existing railway arches”.

Wheatley Groups’s development would have no parking spaces for cars but around 50 bike spaces would be included.

The social landlord’s website describes mid-market rent homes as “alternative affordable housing” for people who have no priority for social housing but cannot afford to buy their own home or pay full-market rents.  Previous plans, later withdrawn, were submitted in 2007 for 111 flats on the site. The new application stated these proposals were “incredibly overdeveloped” and would have created an “overly dense and uninviting entrance” to the Barras.

“A site of this significance should be striving to create a warm, inviting entrance to an area of such historical significance to Glasgow,” it added.