It was disappointing to read of Glasgow's councillors' approval of the planned luxury Argyle International Hotel on Argyle Street in the Broomielaw area.

I've long admired the policy of not permitting high rise developments, but inevitably this is and will be eroded with the lure of £££.

We're now to be blessed with a £135 million development offering 160 rooms, 68 serviced apartments, two presidential suites, a sky-bar on the rooftop, gourmet restaurant, an infinity swimming pool, and the usual conference facilities; all wrapped up in 26 storey glass tower, seen by the cooncillors as a cutting edge landmark development.

Interesting how it will land in the middle of the city's financial services area, and probably never to be visited by the 'little ordinary people' that keep the place running.

The hotel is intended to offer more that any other in the city, with hints that it would be Six Star, if there was such a classification.

One wonders where the helipad on the roof went? Disallowed by the planners, forgotten by the designers, or not needed as they reckon the locals would have nicked any that landed there?

I admit my comments regarding this retreat for the privileged few fall a bit short in geographic terms in respect to what is in my mind, and it would be fair to say that I don't have quite the blanket disapproval I think can be read into what I said. Provided such developments are kept away from the riverside, and congregate in existing built-up or developing areas, then I'm not too hostile, although we then move into the territory of destroying Victorian architectural heritage, as the Captain warns (no problem for Glasgow council who have Kelvin Hall in their cross-hairs), and the lack of imagination that the attrractive, but apparently short-lived glass box displays. The opposite seems to be grossly ugly, asymmetric creations which have no form to betray their function.

This has been discussed in forums better populated and qualified to discuss architectural concepts, but the problem I detect is that the forthcoming proposals are going to create a 'Glass Corridor' along the Clyde. Luxury developers, luxury hotels, prestige figurehead business office suites - all forming a nice barrier that only the swipe-card carrying and privileged will be able to enter and pass through, while the rest just press our noses against the glass and wonder about the nice waterside that has been developed on the other side.

And...

Not even a waterbus to hop on and have a look at how the rich live. Makes you wonder who perhaps pushed it so they could have their privacy (think)

Please tell me you're not serious, the Council isn't thinking in demolishing the Kelvin Hall is it?

Ok, I'm not serious, BUT...

You're not really asking...

Quoted Text

the Council isn't thinking in demolishing the Kelvin Hall is it?

are you?

We are talking about Glasgow Council here you know, the same team that has organised overseen the demolition of most of the Alexander Thomson, and most of the 'unknown' CR Mackintosh buildings abandoned over the years.

This site is off-line now, but you'll surely be able to dig something more recent up on the web...

From the web site of Sandra White MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow , earlier this year...

Quoted Text

I also condemn the recently announced proposal to demolish the Kelvin Hall, which is important locally and nationally. I hope that all members will join me in condemning the council's plans.

I forget where I was last reading about the issue, but apparently they reckon it's too old and oblsolete, with looming problems of maintenance due to its age.

I'm not sure of the plans they have for the site, but I'm sure it probably involves the words Luxury, Flats and Development.

Oh I'm sure it would involve that, luxury flats, what a strikingly original piece of thinking that would be.  What about some actual council housing instead, or is that too much of a radical plan?

I propose we demolish Glasgow City Council as being obsolete, old fashioned and out of touch....