Union Street fire: Rebuild of fire ravaged Union Street corner could be 'five or six years' away

Complexities around multiple ownership means development proposals could be delayed. The building is managed by property company Stelmain on behalf of Dunaskin Properties. However, the unit where the fire originated from is owned by a separate company - Afton Estates.

In the wake of the devastating fire in March, council leader Susan Aitken said that Glasgow City Council would “bend over backwards” to bring Union Corner, and sites like it around the city, back into action. At the time, she also acknowledged “fragmented ownership” made timelines difficult to quantify.

At an event organised by newsletter The Glasgow Bell, the Leader of the Council cautioned the audience about expectations on redevelopment, while saying officials were exploring a short, medium and long term while working towards reopening Union Street “as quickly as possible”.

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: "We are continuing to work on making the site safe – at this point, focusing on works on the western gable wall – with a view to reopening Union Street as quickly as possible.

"Beyond that, we are working with the owners on how the site will look and feel and how it could be used in the short, medium and long-term."

In March, First Minister John Swinney visited the site. He pledged support for businesses and said that the Scottish Government was “absolutely committed to working closely with Glasgow City Council” to ensure financial support was available, confirming a £10 million package for businesses in the area.

Mr Swinney said: “I am pleased to confirm the Scottish Government will deliver a package of financial support, including up to £10 million to help businesses in this important part of Glasgow. The Scottish Government remains committed to working urgently with partners to ensure there is the fullest possible recovery in what is the heart of the city centre.”

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A “strategic recovery group”, including expertise from business, transport, heritage, architecture and design sectors, was also convened by Cllr Aitken in the days following the fire. She called on the plans for the site “to be more ambitious.”

She said: "It's natural that people's attention has been focused on the building that we have lost - and also the impact of that on neighbouring buildings and businesses, including Central Station.

"However, there was a really clear consensus around the table that, if we are going to achieve something that future generations will thank us for, we need to be more ambitious.

"We want to look at what that wider Central Station Quarter could be as a whole place, not just one building.

"We ned to have that conversation as a city before we rush into decisions about what the fire site itself is used for, let alone what it looks like."