A transformation of the planning system and increased public-private partnerships have been singled out as key steps needed in order to restore vitality to Glasgow city centre. Reducing barriers to development, moving housing higher up the political agenda, and creating a framework that is inviting to large-scale rental investors were also amongst the conclusions arrived at during a debate organised by The Herald.
The Future of Glasgow: City Living Property event, which was a follow-up to The Herald’s recent influential investigation into the issues facing Scotland’s largest city, was attended by more than 70 professionals from across the development sector, including architects, leasing agents, house builders and City Council representatives and during the event delegates listened to informed debate from a panel of experts who shared their experiences of successful projects, failed initiatives and the consequences that lack of affordable accommodation within Glasgow’s core are having on the wider economy.
Also during the event, SafeDeposits Scotland made public the findings of their recent Voice of the Landlord Survey, covering letting in the Scottish private rented sector, which revealed that 90% of Scotland’s landlords are small-scale private investors and that more than half of them struggle to keep up with changes to the law that affect their rental properties.
Despite reporting high levels of positive relationships with tenants, more than 42% expressed dissatisfaction with the rental process, largely due to policy changes and tax reforms.
Presenting the findings on the behalf of SafeDeposits Scotland, Dr Rosemary Rich, Policy and Research Officer at the TDS Group, the leading tenancy deposit and resolution services provider, highlighted concerns around the fact that one third of private landlords are aged 65 or over, questioning: “What will happen when this cohort leaves the sector?”
The findings were a prelude to the debate in which Marc Cairns, managing director, New Practice, an organisation that builds community, creative and cultural capital; Donna Milton, managing director, Arneil Johnston, Scotland’s leading public sector housing consultancy, along with Carole Mackie, head of residential sales and Alastair Wood, head of planning, both with residential and commercial property sales and letting agents, Savills, discussed issues including student apartments, financial and physical constraints preventing the development of redundant upper floors above commercial premises from being converted into viable living spaces, and the need for housing to be classified as essential infrastructure.
Arguing for the latter, Donna Milton, said: “Housing can help to deliver on targets for equity, poverty reduction and climate change, but for that to happen it needs to be higher up the political agenda”, while Alistair Wood called for and end to what he described as: “a disconnect between planning and economic function within Glasgow.”
The debate was chaired by political commentator, writer and consultant Peter MacMahon who, when when pressing panellists to single out positive examples of good development, was cited the Barclays campus and Princes Quay development by CALA (West) on the site of the former Glasgow Garden Festival as projects which provided effective commercial and housing solutions within walking distance of the city centre.
Meanwhile Marc Cairns called for all of those involved in housing to embed Glasgow’s cultural capital, including its architecture, arts and music scenes, into their vision of what makes a successful development and this was echoed by Carol Mackie, who said: “We need for the city centre to become a ‘neighbourhood’ in the same was as has happened in Finnieston and Dennistoun.”
Afterwards, Alan Partridge, marketing manager, SafeDeposits Scotland, who along with s1homes, were sponsors of the event, said: “The fact that one in five landlords is struggling to keep up with changes to rental laws underscores the importance of ensuring that new policies in this sector are clearly communicated and this is particularly important in our big cities, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, which have the highest proportion of housing within the private rental sector.”
And he added: ”We are pleased that this newly-published research has been part of this important discussion on housing in Glasgow.”
Amongst those in attendance was Liana Canavan of Firefly Consultants, a company that provides marketing support to the housebuilding sector, and she said: “It was a very enlightening discussion and gave real insight into the challenges facing build-to-rent in both the private and social sectors. There is clearly a huge issue around planning within the city centre with many barriers including commercial viability of new developments.”
The event took place in Il Salotto, the newly-opened collaborative space for architects, designers and property professionals within the Merchant City.