Bruntwood SciTech has been given the green light by Glasgow City Council to transform Glasgow’s iconic Met Tower into a new tech and digital hub within the city’s innovation district.
In addition to refurbishing the Grade B-listed former City of Glasgow College, which has been vacant for 10 years, Bruntwood SciTech intends to build a new 10-storey tower which will interconnect with the Met Tower via a new wellbeing plaza. The two towers will offer more than 200,000 sq ft of office space.
Enabling works on the site are underway and construction work is expected to commence on Met Tower from spring next year.
Both buildings have been designed in line with the UKGBC and LETI net zero carbon targets for operational and embodied carbon. The new tower will be net zero carbon in construction and both buildings will be net zero operationally in their shared spaces. Development activity at Met Tower will retain as much of the building’s existing structure as possible, significantly reducing the embodied carbon impact of the re-development.
Daron Williams, building consultancy director at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Glasgow is already on its way to becoming a world-leading tech hub and one of the UK’s fastest growing clusters, and with approval of our plans now confirmed we’re very much looking forward to Met Tower becoming the beacon for the tech community in the city.
“We’re proud to be playing our part in galvanising the tech momentum in this city and couldn’t be better placed to do so in the heart of the city centre and innovation district – surrounded by two brilliant universities, an exceptional college, and several established alternative training providers who will ensure that the businesses who locate to Met Tower can tap into a strong, highly skilled talent pool.
“We said when we acquired the site last year that we would be working with momentum to bring this iconic building back into use after so many years being left vacant, and we’ve already been readying the site throughout the first half of this year for construction. This approval enables us to continue progressing forwards and whilst the site preparations continue the rest of this year we’ll be firming up our final design details and getting ready to start the refurbishment of Met Tower next year.”
Cllr Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, added: “Bruntwood SciTech’s £60m investment in the Met Tower is a huge vote of confidence in Glasgow’s growing reputation as an international centre of innovation, creativity and opportunity. It also recognises our vision for a changing city centre, one with new industries and new purposes and where innovation and technology are brought into the heart of city life.
“These plans show the transformational potential of the building in a part of the city already experiencing incredible change and I’m delighted the plans have reached this major milestone. Met Tower has been a Glasgow icon for 60 years and Bruntwood SciTech’s investment in this landmark will ensure it remains a symbol of the city for generations to come.”
