West End lanes to be Demolished

[Mori]

ET

Shopping area set to be demolished



TRADERS and shoppers today reacted angrily to plans which could see one of Glasgow's most famous boutique shopping areas flattened.
Ruthven Property Partnership wants to demolish the existing shops and lock-ups in Dowanside and Ruthven Lanes all the way up to Di Maggio's restaurant.
Developers would then replace them with a two-storey mixed-use scheme that would include shops and restaurants at ground level and offices on the second floor.
The cobbled lanes are home to boutiques, vintage stores and independent shops and the area has long been a favourite with students.
Among the traders affected by the plans are Circa Vintage - which pop star Duffy said was her favourite clothes shop, and record store Play it Again.
The Bothy and Stravaigin' 2 restaurants are unaffected by the scheme.

[Roxburgh]

Seems like quite a good idea to me. As kids, we played in those lanes until traders and shoppers overran them. What goes around comes around.

[scottwramsay]

I vote against.

[Mori]

Mixed Use Development,Ruthven Lane, Glasgow

Having secured full title of the land bounded by Ruthven Lane and Dowanside Lane, our clients were in the unique position of being able to consider a holistic approach to rejuvenating one of the key sites in Glasgow’s West End.

Located to the west of Byres Road, the site is currently home to a collection of lock ups and boutique retail units set within an inner block island, bounded by lanes which service the tenements of Ruthven Street and Dowanside Road.

Through partial demolition, our proposals offer a mix of retail, leisure and office accommodation set around an internalised retail arcade and refocused central route.

The proposed new build elements are no taller than the buildings to the west (to be retained) and, recognising the sensitivity of their surrounding neighbours, the new buildings seek to provide a robust outer crust of solid wall mass with carefully considered openings which signal moments of activity and interest.







Item 1G 14 Pages

APPLICATION 08/02614/DC DATE VALID 24.10.2008
SITE ADDRESS
17 - 63 Ruthven Lane/ 20 Dowanside Lane Glasgow

PROPOSAL
Erection of mixed use development including retail, office and Class 3restaurant

APPLICANT
Ruthven Property Partnership
11 Royal Exchange Square
Glasgow
G1 3AJ

AGENT
Riach Partnership Ltd
60 Elliott Street
GLASGOW
G3 8DZ.

SITE AND DESCRIPTION
The application site is an area of land of approximately 2150 square metres, bounded on the north by
Ruthven Lane and on the south by Dowanside Lane. The site is currently made up of a mixture of single and
two-storey commercial units from Di Maggio’s restaurant at the west, office and retail units in the middle, and
garages in various stages of dereliction towards the east. The eastern end of the application site runs past the
existing restaurants of Stravaigin 2 and The Bothy. Ruthven Lane is accessed from Byres Road by means of a
narrow alley leading into Ruthven Lane and Dowanside Lane, and also from Saltoun Street. The rear lanes are
surrounded by traditional four-storey sandstone tenements. The site lies within the Glasgow West Conservation
Area and none of the buildings are listed.
The applicant proposes to demolish all but the existing Di Maggio’s restaurant and a small adjacent office
building, and erect a two storey building which is approximately linear in form, parallel to Ruthven Lane. On the
ground floor at the eastern end there will be a restaurant which is linked up to the first floor. Retail shops make
up the rest of the ground floor. On the first floor as well as the new restaurant there would be small office units
opening onto a central courtyard. The office units would contain a mezzanine floor. The proposed restaurant
would also open onto the internal first floor courtyard which would provide an element of outdoor seating.
The proposed floorspace breakdown amounts to the following:
Retail: 1235 square metres
Office: 706 square metres
Restaurant: 600 square metres
For comparison purposes the restaurant would be approximately 75 tables/220 covers. The existing Di Maggios
is approximately 200 square metres with 40 tables/120 covers.
Access to the new development would be taken by a pedestrian road from Byres Road through the
development via a lockable entrance. The access to the restaurant would be on the outside of this lockable
barrier. The other access to the development would be from Saltoun Street through a lockable door; this would
be used mainly as the access point for the office units.
The proposed materials are pitched slate roofs, mainly rendered walls, and elements of other materials such as
facing brick, timber and aluminium.
No off-street parking is proposed as part of the development. In terms of refuse collection management, a
system has been discussed in co-operation with LES Cleansing whereby a communal bin store would be
provided at the Saltoun Street entrance, accessible from the lane, for the use of the retail and office units.
Another bin store would be provided for the use of the restaurant, accessible from the lane and also from the
restaurant. Refuse collection vehicles would access the stores from Saltoun Street and Byres Road
respectively. Deliveries would be made by way of Saltoun Street or Ruthven Lane as existing, and also from
Dowanside Lane, to the retail and office units.
The proposed opening hours for the restaurant are 10:00 to 24:00 daily, with standard hours of operation for the
commercial units.
A separate application has been made for conservation area consent (08/02615/DC).

[scottwramsay]

Euch. I haven't read all the text, but the graphic with sticky-out windows à la Holyrood Parliamentary Buildings or the riverside flats just aren't meant for a place like Ruthven Lane.

[Dexter St. Clair]

The island block they refer to was built in the late seventies and eventually failed because GCC refused licenses on the basis if you wanted to drink in a lane head for Ashton.

[Roxburgh]

Euch. I haven't read all the text, but the graphic with sticky-out windows à la Holyrood Parliamentary Buildings or the riverside flats just aren't meant for a place like Ruthven Lane.

More important is the lack of provision of off-street parking. In fact, by removing lock-ups, they are reducing the amount of parking. There isn't enough parking as it is without making matters worse.

I like the idea of the development but it should be required to add to parking not reduce it.

[Mori]

Paragraphs relating to parking from the minutes

No off-street parking is proposed as part of the development. In terms of refuse collection management, a
system has been discussed in co-operation with LES Cleansing whereby a communal bin store would be
provided at the Saltoun Street entrance, accessible from the lane, for the use of the retail and office units.
Another bin store would be provided for the use of the restaurant, accessible from the lane and also from the
restaurant. Refuse collection vehicles would access the stores from Saltoun Street and Byres Road
respectively. Deliveries would be made by way of Saltoun Street or Ruthven Lane as existing, and also from
Dowanside Lane, to the retail and office units.
The proposed opening hours for the restaurant are 10:00 to 24:00 daily, with standard hours of operation for the
commercial units.

Parking:
No off-street parking is proposed for the development. The site is in a town centre location with no offstreet
parking at present. Ad-hoc parking in the lanes currently causes congestion for access and for
residents’ cars. The existing commercial units have servicing requirements at present. As the proposed
building line on Dowanside Lane is pulling back from the existing building line, it will leave a little more
space for deliveries; however, some control or barriers may be required to ensure that the area will not
become a general parking area. A Traffic Regulation Order for waiting and loading restrictions on
Dowanside Lane and Ruthven Lane would help to ease the existing congestion and this should be
explored with LES Roads by the developer (see attached condition).

Details of the control of parking, surfacing and any street furniture proposed for the delivery area in
Dowanside Lane south of the proposed retail units shall be submitted for written approval by the
planning authority before this element of works commence.
Reason: In order to safeguard the property itself and the amenity of the surrounding area.

One letter of objection from Dowanside Residents Association and 7 letters of objection from neighbouring
residents. Grounds of objection: noise and pollution from delivery vans; increased pedestrian flow from
Byres Road; adverse impact of commercial unit/restaurant on residential amenity including noise, fumes and
privacy; potential congestion of lanes due to refuse collection, parking and deliveries; development would be
contrary to City Plan policy; impact on traditional surfacing of lanes; maintenance of access to resident’s
property during construction.

[onyirtodd]

Euch. I haven't read all the text, but the graphic with sticky-out windows à la Holyrood Parliamentary Buildings or the riverside flats just aren't meant for a place like Ruthven Lane.

More important is the lack of provision of off-street parking. In fact, by removing lock-ups, they are reducing the amount of parking. There isn't enough parking as it is without making matters worse.

I like the idea of the development but it should be required to add to parking not reduce it.

They could sort that by introducing controlled parking they way it is on the opposite side of Byres Rd.

[Roxburgh]

Euch. I haven't read all the text, but the graphic with sticky-out windows à la Holyrood Parliamentary Buildings or the riverside flats just aren't meant for a place like Ruthven Lane.

More important is the lack of provision of off-street parking. In fact, by removing lock-ups, they are reducing the amount of parking. There isn't enough parking as it is without making matters worse.

I like the idea of the development but it should be required to add to parking not reduce it.

They could sort that by introducing controlled parking they way it is on the opposite side of Byres Rd.

Yes, I agree.

However, if the Byres Rd. area is to be further developed as a destination for shoppers then there needs to be provision of parking facilities both for residents and for visitors to the area.

[Mori]

ET

City boutique shopping area to be demolished

PLANS to demolish one of Glasgow's most famous boutique shopping areas have been given the go-ahead.
Ruthven Property Partnership has been given permission to flatten rundown buildings between Ruthven Lane and Dowanside Lane in the West End.
The cobbled lanes are home to boutiques, vintage clothes stores and independent shops.


The Bothy restaurant, above will remain, but the antique clothes shop
Circa Vintage, below, will be affected by the development

[onyirtodd]

Euch. I haven't read all the text, but the graphic with sticky-out windows à la Holyrood Parliamentary Buildings or the riverside flats just aren't meant for a place like Ruthven Lane.

More important is the lack of provision of off-street parking. In fact, by removing lock-ups, they are reducing the amount of parking. There isn't enough parking as it is without making matters worse.

I like the idea of the development but it should be required to add to parking not reduce it.

They could sort that by introducing controlled parking they way it is on the opposite side of Byres Rd.

Yes, I agree.

However, if the Byres Rd. area is to be further developed as a destination for shoppers then there needs to be provision of parking facilities both for residents and for visitors to the area.

Sorry, I missed your reply. I agree wholeheartedly about parking for residents but I'm not convinced about visitors. Byres Rd, Dumbarton Rd and Great Western Rd are very well served by buses and Byres Rd has excellent access to two subway stations. The car park at WIG is well used by shoppers to the detriment of patients, visitors and hospital staff.

[southsidehappenings]

The developers are removing all the places in the Westend - that make it an interesting place to wander around . Relics, starry starry night are all interesting quirky little shops and buildings. The proposed scheme pays no attention to the scale of these existing buidings, materials look cheap and uninteresting.

It's a shame that they can't take inspiration from the existing structures and try and replicate the atmosphere and interest that these create...though I suppose that that would be to expensive...

[Mori]

Image from future glasgow.

[scottwramsay]

The Bothy restaurant, above will remain, but the antique clothes shop
Circa Vintage, below, will be affected by the development

Which antique clothes shop will actually be affected? The text says Circa Vintage, but the photo is of Starry Starry Night. Circa Vintage is on the other side of the neighbouring block, which would make more sense since that appears to be in the path of the bulldozers as far as I can tell, but then I thought why would someone go to the effort of photographing Starry Starry Night if it hadn't been pointed out as part of the story?