Proposals for what could be the tallest residential building in Scotland are set to be scrutinised by the public when a consultation opens later today.
Portcullis House, a development planned for a site next to Charing Cross station in Glasgow, would reach up to 30 storeys high – a number comparable to the city’s now-demolished Red Road and Gallowgate flats, which were both around 90 metres in height.
That means it would tower above the twin 26-storey Croftbank Street flat blocks in Springburn, the current tallest residential buildings in both Glasgow and Scotland at 74m.
However, it would not quite reach the lofty heights of the Glasgow Tower, the country’s tallest freestanding structure at 127m.
The public consultation for the new development, which is proposed by the Watkin Jones Group, will go live at 3pm today.
The exhibition boards available on the website point out that Glasgow City Council’s regeneration framework for the area where the site is located, Blythswood, describes it as an ‘Encouraged Higher Buildings Zone’.
How does it compare?
Taking into account other 30-storey buildings that once dominated the Glasgow skyline, we can assume Portcullis House would reach around 90m tall.
This would fall far short of Scotland’s tallest freestanding structure Glasgow Tower – though whether that counts as a ‘building’ is up for debate, as it consists of a lift shaft leading up to a single observation deck and much of its height is taken up by its spire.
There is a chance it could top out Scotland’s second-tallest building, the 150-year-old St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Edinburgh, with its 90m main spire.
The tallest residential building outside Glasgow is Edinburgh’s Martello Court, which at a mere 64m would be fairly far down the list in the nation’s largest city.
Aberdeen’s tallest building is its most famous – Marischal College, which reaches almost 72m at its Mitchell Tower.
That is a full 10 metres taller than its tallest residential block, Denburn Court near the city centre.
Of course, Portcullis House would be dwarfed by structures outside Scotland.
The UK’s tallest building is The Shard in London, which at 310m would easily be three times taller than the Glasgow development.
Landmark Pinnacle, the highest residential block in the UK at 233m, is also located in London.
And the tallest residential building in the world is Central Park Tower in New York City, at an eye-watering 472m.
Let’s hope they have a lift.