18 June – Glasgow City Council has approved the Glasgow City Centre Living Strategy (CCLS). Duncan MacLaren, chair of MCTCC commented:
“The Merchant City and Trongate Community Council (MCTCC) is in favour of increasing the population of the city centre, not with transient students but with permanent residents. That is how we create community and then have access to a GP surgery, a primary school, and local shops.
The six proposed strategic objectives of CCLS find favour with us since they include building in a way which addresses the climate change emergency and will foster quality in design with the aim of having ‘resilient neighbourhoods’.
We also welcome from the survey the stress on more green, public spaces which may aid our campaign to turn the Ingram Street car park into a park for the community and visitors alike while retaining the heritage of the mural and the trees which blossom in spring. Our members responded to the survey and our words are clear in reference to no more student accommodation, and a stress on building mixed social and private residences for people who will be proud to call the Merchant City and Trongate area their home.
We take an active interest in any development which is suggested and we have regular presentations at our meetings (currently maintained through Zoom) from Council officials and developers.
We will take an active interest in the City Centre Living Strategy to ensure that the City Centre becomes greener and cleaner, cherishes our heritage and becomes more resident-oriented and that any buildings which are now constructed in this unique part of Glasgow will be commensurate in size to our historic buildings. We think that the CCLS is a good start to achieve our vision.”