The extensive £20 million project to regenerate Glasgow's George Square is poised to enter a significant new stage with the installation of premium stone surfaces on its peripheral streets.

As the renovation nears its halfway completion mark, and with much of the surrounding pavement work almost finished, contractors are scheduled to begin laying high-quality stone to upgrade the roadway along the north side of the square starting next month. This phase is designed to ensure that the world-class aesthetic of the new George Square is consistently extended across the adjacent roads and pedestrian areas.

The programme to install the new granite surfaces is set to commence from 12 January. To facilitate this work, the section of road situated between Queen Street and North Frederick Street will be closed for a period of three months. Local businesses, bus and taxi firms, and the emergency services have been consulted, and appropriate diversion routes will be operational throughout the closure.

Councillor Angus Millar, Convener for City Centre Recovery at Glasgow City Council, emphasised the importance of this phase, stating that the works were core to the "wall-to-wall transformation of George Square" and the establishment of an international-quality civic space.

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In parallel, new pavements are currently being laid between Queen Street Station and North Frederick Street, and outside the City Chambers. These will be finished over the Christmas period and are designed to complement the style and colour of the new roadways. Furthermore, the new pedestrian area outside the bars and restaurants on the western side, which will flow seamlessly into the Square, is expected to be completed in February.

Councillor Millar added: "This new phase is all about the wall-to-wall transformation of George Square, from the City Chambers to Queen Street Station and the surrounding streets. The new George Square will be on a par with the civic spaces in many major European cities, and that means the redesign of the surrounding area, as well as the Square itself.

"Anyone visiting the city centre should come and have a look at the new stone being laid outside the City Chambers and along from Queen Street Station and they'll get a sense of what's coming down the line in the months ahead. And from early New Year they'll see more and more of the plans progressed and taking shape.

"Of course, we can't do this scale of transformation and not have some level of disruption - and the council and contractors will continue engaging with businesses and transport operators as works progress. But we're nearing the halfway point in the redevelopment of the Square and giving Glaswegians the civic space that they, and our city, deserve."

The finished George Square, due for completion in August, will feature stone resurfacing, enhanced greenery with raised lawns, informal play zones for children, sheltered seating, and feature lighting, alongside a large paved area suitable for events. The Square's 11 bronze statues are currently undergoing restoration and are scheduled to be reinstated in 2026. Restoration work on the Sir Walter Scott monument has also begun, with scaffolding already in place, and the main work starting early in the New Year.

The George Square initiative is a core component of the wider £123m Avenues programme, which represents the most significant transformation of Glasgow's city centre since the 1970s. The Avenues programme is funded through the Glasgow City Region City Deal, with contributions from both the Scottish and UK Governments.