Develop Glasgow
Welcome to the developers front door - connecting you to opportunities across central Glasgow and guiding you directly to the right expertise within Glasgow City Council’s development team to support every stage of your development journey.
Transport
Glasgow has the densest railway network outside of London and the Avenues Programme has created 19.4km of cycle lanes with another 10.6km in construction or design.
Talent
Glasgow city region boasts six universities and six colleges, with a 51% graduate retention rate. There is a working age population of one million within a 45 minute commute.
Access to nature
Glasgow is one of Europe’s greenest cities, with around 80% of children living within 400m of accessible green space. The Avenues Programme is greening Glasgow’s streets with new trees and rain gardens.
Why Central Glasgow?
Central Glasgow’s ability to attract and deliver investment lies in the strength of its foundations. Few UK cities combine a compact, connected urban core with the scale of opportunity created by around 2.6-2.7 million sq ft of available office floorspace - most of it secondary stock ready for retrofit or conversion.
Supported by clear policy direction, world-class universities, and resilient local supply chains, Central Glasgow offers more than immediate development sites — it provides a platform for innovation, sustainable growth and long-term value creation. With a co-ordinated public sector front door through Develop Glasgow, this is a market where ambition can be realised with confidence.
Connected city
A compact, walkable city brings business, culture, retail, education and transport together, so developments benefit from immediate visibility and rapid commercial activation. Glasgow International Airport is accessible in 15-20 minutes.
Innovation
Glasgow City Innovation District, anchored by University of Strathclyde, offers a compelling investment opportunity within one of Europe’s most dynamic innovation clusters, combining strong commercial potential with a globally recognised ecosystem.
A More Affordable Major City Centre
Glasgow offers highly competitive development and occupational costs. While prime rents continue to rise, the city centre remains undersupplied with best in class space and competitively priced relative to demand.
Four Universities Within 1.5 Miles
Few UK cities match Glasgow’s concentration of higher education excellence at the heart of its commercial core. Glasgow produces thousands of highly skilled graduates each year in high growth and innovation driven disciplines.
Scotland’s Largest Employment Centre
Glasgow is Scotland’s economic powerhouse. The city centre hosts the country’s largest concentration of employment across multiple sectors, supported by a highly educated workforce — over 50% of the working age population is educated to degree level.
Joined Up Public Sector Leadership
Through Develop Glasgow, developers access a coordinated front door into Glasgow City Council — connecting directly with planning, regeneration, heritage, transport, city centre strategy and economic development expertise.
Showcase
Station House
Station House is one of the most compelling examples of how Glasgow is repurposing historic commercial buildings to support a more vibrant and sustainable city centre.
Gordon Street
A private sector heritage conversion project transforming a historic Glasgow building into 6 new residential flats, revitalising an underused upper floor asset.
Campbell House
A 1990s office to residential conversion that transforms an underused six storey commercial block into eight new urban homes, with a new rooftop extension and ground floor commercial space.