Over 100 new homes are set to be constructed next to Glasgow’s Ibrox Stadium

Despite it’s unusual design shape, Graeme Nicholls Architects have won approval for a 160-home residential project to commence next to the city’s stadium.

This week, the architectural studio based in Glasgow were granted permission for their 160 flat project at the junction of Edmiston Drive and Broomloan Road to go ahead. The flats are set to be shaped like a broken ‘O’.

The project features a pair of matching, semi-circular, four-storey tenement blocks which will be finished with red facing brick with colour-match mortar, each block providing 80 two-bedroom flats varying in size.

Originally proposed back in 2020, Merchant Homes, an award-winning house builder, has claimed the scheme will sit on a 900-space car park close to Rangers Football Club’s Ibrox home.

During the application process, the football club carried out a review of all parking arrangements in and around the stadium, which according to the Glasgow City Council’s planning report, ‘enabled Rangers FC to rationalise the spaces by making better use of other spaces available around the stadium’.

The report also displayed various football fans did not use parking spaces on match days.

The scheme was unanimously approved by councillor’s on Tuesday, with a number commenting on the unusual design, following Merchant Homes launching a public consultation in May 2021.

According to architects, the proposal’s shape is both ‘sympathetic to and celebratory of the history of the area’ and the former uses of the plot, which was formerly a greyhound stadium and training ground.

An early consultation of the project from Graeme Nicholls Architects, said: ‘Historic maps show that the site contained a greyhound track with a ‘bowl’ footprint, which we think would be interesting to express in any new development.

‘Our proposal consists of two horseshoe-plan blocks built up of uniform brick bays, featuring stacked windows with arched tops. This form alludes to both the formal consistency of historic tenement blocks found in Ibrox and also some architectural features typically associated with sports buildings and stadia.’

The exact timescale for when the homes will be completed currently remains unknown, but is under review.

Photo by Ben Wicks