New market and events space coming to the Clydeside as derelict areas of Briggait Halls

The refurbishment of rundown parts of Glasgow’s A-listed Briggait Clydeside Halls has been given the green light — with plans to create a new market and event space.

Home to artists and cultural organisations, the building, originally the city’s fish market, is managed by arts charity Wasps.

It has secured funding to restore sections of the building and intends to develop a “creative industries hub and market hall food and drink destination”.

Planning officials have now approved an application which detailed how the charity will provide “accessible and flexible event and market halls” from the Clyde Street site.

It is hoped the project will address “ongoing issues with the existing building fabric and give the Briggait back its iconic status as an important building for Glasgow and its people”.

The application revealed the scheme intends to repair and restore parts of the building, improve the carbon efficiency, create a “vibrant entrance” on Clyde Street and convert the corner block into a “stand-alone unit”.

As well as markets, it would be used for events, such as theatre.

“The project will create a vibrant and engaging frontage to the River Clyde and provide the basis for a flexible, sustainable creative hub to complement and grow the cultural community that has been resident in the developed parts of the Briggait complex since 2010,” the plans added.

They described the building, constructed between 1873 and 1914, as “one of Glasgow’s architectural icons”. Wasps took a long lease of the building in 2007 before completing the first phase of regeneration, which included artists’ studios and gallery spaces.

Development will now focus on a 1904 hall, 1889 hall and a 1904 corner block, as well as an external gap site.

The application added: “When viewed from Bridgegate, the Briggait is home to a vibrant creative community, with around 150 people based in the building, producing art, architecture, digital design and leading cultural organisations.

“However, to date, the Briggait is only partly rescued from dereliction and decline. When viewed from Clyde Street, the Briggait is viewed as an unloved building with a semi-derelict air, giving no sense to passers-by of the wonderful soaring roof, bright and airy spaces and important history the Briggait has woven in Scotland’s heritage.”