UK: Watkin Jones has been granted planning consent by Glasgow City Council for The Àrd, a 784-bed PBSA-led mixed-use development.
The scheme will see the regeneration of Portcullis House, a brownfield site at Charing Cross. Watkin Jones has extensive experience of working in Glasgow, completing nine managed student accommodation developments since 2011, approaching 4,000 student homes.
Set to be the tallest residential building in Scotland at 36 storeys, construction will involve partial retention of the old HMRC building on India Street. Upon completion, the scheme will create en-suite rooms and studios.
Located within walking distance of public transport hubs, Glasgow’s five universities, and various city centre attractions and amenities, The Àrd will include third-party spaces, and a rent-free facility for the Glasgow Social Enterprise Network, which supports future entrepreneurs and collaborates closely with Glasgow’s university students.
The residential design features games rooms, laundry rooms, lounges, coworking spaces,
external terraces and terrace gardens, a gym, a yoga and spin studio, an art studio, shared kitchens, a master-chef kitchen, and private dining areas in addition to a library and study areas.
A sky lounge will offer residents a viewing platform with citywide views and will be available for institutional use and businesses to host events. Additionally, a ground-floor café will be open for both residents and the public. Incorporating sustainability features, the development will retain part of the existing reinforced concrete frame, saving 900 tonnes of embodied carbon. Throughout the design process, the entire lifecycle carbon impact has been evaluated to minimise its carbon footprint.
The project is set to achieve a BREEAM rating of Excellent, supporting the sustainability of the development. Biodiversity enhancements will see Watkin Jones planting 22 trees and replacing two, as well as a roof terrace and biophilic amenity space, incorporating flower-rich planting into the communal spaces. Enhances to the public realm will also be made, including upgrades to Charing Cross Station’s footway.
Iain Smith, planning director at Watkin Jones, said: “Building on our strong record of delivery in Glasgow, I am pleased to announce that we have secured planning permission for The Àrd in Glasgow. Amidst the chronic undersupply of student housing in Glasgow, this development marks a significant step forward in addressing the demand for additional student accommodation, and also represents our commitment to creating sustainable homes in key regeneration areas. We look forward to working further with the Glasgow City Council on future projects. The Àrd will not only revitalise the current brownfield site at Charing Cross, bringing much-needed redevelopment to Glasgow, but will also enhance the public realm and support the thriving student community. We are excited to welcome the Glasgow Social Enterprise Network to The Àrd as well, and to support them in their vital collaborative work with students and entrepreneurs.”
