Dates confimred for start of Glasgow's George Square redevelopment

Glasgow City Council has confirmed dates for the redevelopment of George Square

Plans include a water feature, a raised lawn, sheltered seating, feature lighting, and play areas for children.

The statues will undergo restoration before being returned to the finished square from July 2027 while work on George Square itself is expected to be completed by August 2026.

George Square will close as hoardings will go up from 14 April, with the panels showing information about the past and future plans for the square.

Once the hoardings have been erected, the bronze statues will be removed for restoration and storage in May.

The square will then be handed over to the public realm contractors, due to be appointed early next month, who will begin carrying out the main restoration works from the start of June.

Pedestrian access will be maintained around its outer pavements while viewing spaces on the east and west sides of the hoarding will give the opportunity to watch the development of the works.

During construction, Glasgow City Council says it is committed to ensuring businesses and residents are kept informed of any significant disruption, with progress reports to be made publicly available.

Councillor Angus Millar, convener for City Centre Recovery, said Glaswegians will be excited to see the George Square transformation get under way.

“George Square’s restoration is a huge and historic project and so much work has already gone into its planning and design,” he said.

“Once complete next year, Glasgow will have a modern square with more greenery, improved lighting and drainage infrastructure and a high-quality stone finish to replace the current tarmac.

“This will be a momentous month for the city, with the erection of the hoardings in less than a fortnight’s time firing the starting pistol on a real acceleration of the works.

“George Square is built into the DNA of this city, and Glaswegians have wanted to see its restoration for decades. In just a couple of weeks, they’ll see that start to happen.

“Of course, that means the square will be closed to the public once the hoardings start going up and that will be an inconvenience.

“But by next autumn Glaswegians will have a new square on a par with many of our international peers, one they can be proud of and one which is fitting of a city of our standing.”