Glasgow’s ABC building faces final closure
Glasgow City Council has granted listed building consent for a full demolition of the iconic O2 ABC building on Sauchiehall Street.
The C-listed building was badly damaged by the massive blaze which broke out in Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh building in June 2018.
Plans to transform the site into student accommodation and a ground floor food hall were submitted for planning last month.
Under the proposals submitted by Haus Collective on behalf of urban regeneration specialist Vita Group, the fire-damaged building will be demolished to make way for 356 student bed spaces all clustered around communal kitchens — 306 beds provided by way of four, five and six-bed student clusters, plus 50 studios.
Earlier this month, the former nightclub, music venue and cinema was served with a dangerous building notice due to concerns over public safety. Glasgow City Council said it served the notice “to protect public safety” and to “address the ongoing concerns” surrounding the continuing deterioration of the building.
The notice requires developer OBARCS to “demolish and remove the front and side façades along with their immediately attached floor and roof structures along with any other unstable, collapsed or affected and adjoining construction, fixtures and fittings”.
According to the notice, demolition work “must be commenced by September 30 and the work completed by December 9”.
Now the city’s planning committee has approved an application for consent to completely demolish the C-listed building.
In their report to the committee, officials stated: “The proposal to demolish the building is a result of a significant fire which has severely damaged the structural integrity of the listed building.
“Due to the extent of the damage, and the relationship of the building with the remaining street block, planning officers have been convinced by the case made by the applicant that full or partial retention of the building is, unfortunately, not viable in this case and that the unsafe building should be carefully demolished.
“Historic Environment Scotland have also accepted the case put forward by the applicant and do not object to the demolition proposal.
“The demolition of the building has been considered against relevant policies of the Development Plan and other national policy guidance and has been found to comply.
“Other material considerations including letters of objection have been considered and addressed though are not considered to outweigh the justification for demolition of the structurally damaged listed building.
“The service of a Dangerous Buildings Notice by the Council, in light of the continued and significant deterioration of the condition of the building, has formally required action to ensure the threat to public safety is removed without further delay.”
The planning application for student flats and a food hall will be considered separately.