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Visuals of new soaring buildings within the footprint of Scotland’s busiest bus station, walkways, public spaces, access points and transport hub facilities are currently the subject of a public consultation. Introducing the major project for the city, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport say: “SPT is developing a masterplan for Buchanan Bus Station and the urban block around it. The long-term vision is for the area to become a vibrant new gateway to Glasgow, fully integrated in the local area, with a modern bus station and transport hub at its core. “The masterplan and vision will look at ways to maximise use of the site and enhance the experience of all users. This will include changes to the existing bus station, its surrounding public realm and how it interacts with neighbouring locations, as well as responding to the needs of a modern bus station. “SPT is working closely with Glasgow City Council and has appointed AtkinsRéalis and New Practice to deliver the masterplan on our behalf. The project is taking a place-based approach to developing and evaluating future land use options for the site which are complementary to an enhanced transport hub. SPT want to hear the public and key stakeholders’ views on the early proposals which have been developed.” One of the priorities for the masterplan is the introduction of other types of buildings into the area. The images presented here are proposals without detailed design or planning applications in place at this stage. The public are being asked to register their opinions by completing an online survey here. Consultation will be closed on 23 November and a more detailed masterplan will be presented in December, according to a report by the Head of Policy and Planning on 5 September. The aim is to present “a distinct design with sufficient capacity to enhance the operational environment and the passenger experience while also allowing for flexibility and resilience, as well as the development of high-quality public spaces and other development opportunities” before the end of the year. While Buchanan Street Bus Station has been modernised - most recently with improvement works on the internal spaces in late 2010 - the station has been largely unchanged since it first opened in 1977. SPT say: “the size of buses and coaches has increased making operations more challenging and there are opportunities for the bus station itself to connect more easily with the city.” Factors informing the decision to redevelop the bus station as a priority include: • The Glasgow City Council (GCC) Avenues Programme developing proposals for active travel corridors on North Hanover Street, Renfrew Street/Killermont Street, Cowcaddens Road and West Nile Street; • Land Securities developing proposals for the Buchanan Quarter, including Buchanan Galleries; • The GCC City Centre Living Strategy, aiming to double the population of the area to 40,000 over the next fifteen years by encouraging greater emphasis on residential development across the city centre • The continued development of the Caledonian University campus with increasing student numbers. The redevelopment raises question marks over the future of the Concert Hall Square multi-storey car park, with the consultation document stating: “To meet the projects vision there is a need for the whole city block to be considered. We recognise the importance of parking to the city’s nighttime economy and while the Concert Square Multi -Storey Car Park would need to be removed to delivery the vision in the proposed masterplan, there is the option to provide alternative parking with one of the development plots.” A project team has been established to take the project forward, consisting of officers from SPT, Glasgow City Council and AtkinsRéalis. Chris Crombie, technical director for architecture at AtkinsRéalis said: “The Buchanan Bus Station has long been a central transport hub for the city of Glasgow. But it needs to be fit for purpose for the future which requires a new vision for its role both as a bus station to enable transport links, and as a destination in itself. “The updated Buchanan Bus Station will play an important role in helping SPT to deliver its goals of improving service levels, sustainability, and safety of the transport system.” Richard Robinson, SPT’s director of transport operations, said: “Buchanan Bus Station is a key strategic transport hub within the west of Scotland’s transport network, and while aspects of the bus station have been modernised in recent years, principally to improve the passenger experience and safety and efficiency of operations, BBS has remained largely unchanged over the last 45 years. “The area around the bus station is undergoing change and now is the perfect opportunity for SPT to consider how Buchanan Bus Station fits in with the regeneration of that part of the city. We look forward to working with AtkinsRéalis on the masterplan and changing the bus station so it remains a vital part of a sustainable transport network in our region.”
