The development, proposed by Varsity Developments and designed by Cooper Cromar, will see the demolition of the tenement at 70–72A Waterloo Street and partial demolition of the B-listed Distillers’ Building at number 64. The front of the Distillers’ Building, recognised for its high heritage value, will be retained as part of a “balanced approach to heritage conservation and urban regeneration”.

The Scottish Government’s planning reporter granted permission after Glasgow City Council failed to make a decision within the statutory four-month determination period. Varsity Developments, part of the Locate Developments Group, submitted the application in May 2023 but claimed no meaningful feedback or timeline for a decision was provided. As a result, they lodged an appeal citing the lack of engagement.

Council officials had opposed the appeal, arguing that the proposed replacement building would neither preserve nor enhance the surrounding conservation area and raised concerns over daylight, privacy, and the impact on neighbouring development potential.

Despite these objections, the Scottish Government-appointed reporter, Rosie Leven, concluded that the proposals were appropriate in both scale and form, and would “preserve and enhance listed buildings and their settings.” She noted that consents were already in place for a similar scheme, and the massing of the proposed tower would not be out of place in the wider cityscape.

The development will include 350 student bedrooms and a suite of modern amenities such as a cinema, gym, sports hall, greenhouse room, VR and e-games rooms, podcast and sensory spaces, karaoke, and several rooftop terraces. The project will be managed by Aparto and aims to respond to a clear and growing demand for student housing in the city.

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce supported the proposal, with chief executive Stuart Patrick highlighting its potential to revitalise a long-vacant city centre site and stimulate economic activity. He also emphasised the lack of realistic potential for the site’s continued office use.

Historic Environment Scotland did not object to the plans, acknowledging that the scheme was more sympathetic to the listed Distillers’ Building than previous proposals for an office development. Conditions attached to the consent require detailed demolition methods to ensure the protection of retained heritage elements.

The Admiral Bar, which operated on the site, closed in March 2023 due to the redevelopment and has since reopened nearby under the new name The Admiral Woods.

Construction can only commence once all conditions of the planning, listed building, and conservation area consents are fully satisfied.