Hamilton Hotel, Glasgow Building, Queen Margaret Drive Project, Images, Design

Hamilton Hotel, Glasgow : 30 Queen Margaret Drive

Planning Approval Granted for Former BBC Site – design by 3DReid, Scotland

28 May 2012

The Hamilton Glasgow

30 Queen Margaret Drive Building

Photo by Isabelle Lomholt

photo © Isabelle Lomholt

7 May 2009

The Hamilton Hotel Glasgow

Planning Approval Granted

Architects: 3DReid

The Hamilton Hotel, Glasgow

Planning permission and listed building consent was granted by Glasgow City Council’s Planning Applications Committee to build a hotel at 30 Queen Margaret Drive, Glasgow.

The Hamilton, Glasgow, will be a 120 room luxury 5 star hotel and spa designed by architects 3DReid. It will be built on the site of the former BBC Scotland Headquarters in Glasgow’s West End.

The Hamilton will be a combination of restoration and new-build, encompassing three listed buildings – The James Miller Building, the Anatomy Building of Queen Margaret College and North Park House – alongside a sympathetically designed, newly-constructed bedroom wing.

The Anatomy Building was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and John Keppie, hidden from view for much of BBC Scotland’s 72 years on this site, and its restoration will add significantly to Glasgow’s aspiration to become a Charles Rennie Mackintosh World Heritage site.

The site is owned by QMD Hotels Limited which is a joint venture between Blackrock International Land (UK) Limited and Esk Properties Limited. Heads of terms have been agreed with The Hamilton (Glasgow) Limited (“THG”) to purchase the site and to develop and operate the hotel.

Planned for opening in 2011, The Hamilton represents an investment of £26m and will ultimately create approximately 150 jobs in the city.

THG has been in discussions with investors and, with planning consent achieved, now plans to conclude these arrangements. THG plans to enter into a franchise agreement with an international hotel group under which The Hamilton would benefit from the infrastructure and support systems of a major luxury hotel group while retaining its own, unique branding and atmosphere.

Glasgow City Council aims to grow the value of tourism to the city by as much as 80% (2016 over 2006) with tourism generating revenues for the city of more than £1bn by 2016.

The Hamilton will also benefit from Glasgow’s hosting of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, both during the Games themselves and in the preparations for the Games.

Heather MacLeod, Managing Director of THG, said:
“This is a major milestone in our commitment to creating The Hamilton as an iconic hotel that Glasgow can be proud of – a hotel that is both luxurious and informal but, importantly, welcoming to all. We want The Hamilton to be inclusive, not exclusive, and we are determined to revive this historical site to create a destination in its own right, where our guests and patrons feel like they’re coming home.”

Scott Taylor, Chief Executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said:
“The developers of the Hamilton Hotel in Glasgow’s West End have identified the potential for growth of tourism to Glasgow over the next eight years. Public and private sector partners in the city are working towards a 60% increase in tourism to Glasgow by 2016 with all the resulting benefits to the economy, and we welcome the support of entrepreneurs such as Heather Macleod in achieving this. The hotel will provide a much needed boost to our luxury hotel provision, which is of particular importance to securing major conventions.”