Glasgow City Council will make available grant funding of up to £600,000 to help progress development proposals for the A-listed Egyptian Halls on Union Street.

The support will enable Ediston, the preferred developer, to further shape plans to repurpose the landmark designed by Alexander 'Greek' Thomson. The building has suffered prolonged neglect, with its upper floors lying vacant and derelict for more than three decades, and has been on the national Buildings at Risk Register since 1990.

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, Convener for Housing, Development and Built Heritage at Glasgow City Council, said: "This award is another key stage in the work to bring back to life an outstanding example of Glasgow's built heritage. The funding will help to support the development of an exciting proposal to return what is a long-term vacant and deteriorating heritage building back to full and productive use. The redevelopment and repurposing of fantastic historic buildings such as this is a key part of our strategy to create even more attractive and remarkable places in our city centre."

-- Advertisement --

In February 2025, the council agreed to investigate the potential use of Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers for the Union Street site. An open call in August 2025 sought credible proposals capable of underpinning any future CPO process; of three submissions, Ediston's scored highest and was selected as the preferred option.

Ediston's outline indicated a requirement for public funding alongside private investment to make the project viable. In February 2026, a council committee authorised officers to negotiate a back-to-back CPO agreement with Ediston and to continue examining the potential use of CPO powers. To take this forward, Ediston must complete further technical and professional work, including property and engineering surveys, to develop its initial scheme and support any future CPO considerations.

The grant will finance this agreed programme of technical work, informing negotiations on the back-to-back CPO agreement and any subsequent assessment of CPO use.

Approved at committee, the funding will come from the council's £10 million 'Bringing Property and Land Back Into Productive Use' budget, a strategic capital and investment programme that backs interventions across council-owned assets, privately owned properties and wider regeneration opportunities where there is clear public interest and alignment with council priorities.