Plans to expand the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow to create “the best event campus in Europe” have been approved by Glasgow City Council.
Under indicative plans drawn up by Keppie Design and Arup, the Congress Road site in Finnieston will become home to new event and conference facilities, an enhanced walkway to Exhibition Centre station and a 200-bed hotel adjacent to the Crowne Plaza.
Initial plans were lodged with planning officials in November 2018 and a more detailed application has now been given the green light by the council’s planning committee.
Keppie wrote in a planning statement: “The company [Scottish Event Campus Ltd] has embraced an ambitious vision for the SEC to become the best event campus in Europe, adopting the following mission statement: Best Venues, Best People, Best Events. In order to achieve this vision, enhancing and expanding the existing facilities is fundamental.
“The aim is to put the SEC in the strongest competitive position to attract high yield national and international conference business to fulfil Glasgow’s and Scotland’s potential in the market, and enjoy the economic benefits of hosting such conferences. Investment in the SEC product is essential in order to compete with the increased competition from new and refurbished venues.
“Enhancing the meeting facilities at the SEC would not only improve the ability to compete in the UK and international associations meeting markets more effectively, carefully designed additional space could provide the potential to stage two, or possibly more conferences/events at any one time. Housing multiple conferences and events concurrently has the greatest potential to generate additional business from the sector.”
Source: Scottish Construction Now
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