Design contest to redevelop Glasgow sites destroyed by fire

Design teams in Glasgow will develop ideas for the Albert Drive Town Centre in Pollokshields

Architects could be invited to pitch proposals in a design contest aimed at redeveloping two historic Glasgow sites wrecked by fire.

Under proposals being considered by councillors, an open call would be issued to architectural design teams in Glasgow, seeking ideas for the Albert Drive Town Centre in Pollokshields.

Two B-listed tenement buildings were destroyed there in November 2019 and April 2020. Both buildings were later demolished but have lain derelict ever since.

Glasgow City Council said it hoped the contest would deliver ideas "sympathetic to the heritage surroundings" while taking innovative approaches. Councillors will decide on the idea at a meeting on Thursday.

Each tenement block housed several flats and businesses. One of the derelict buildings crashed down earlier this year, forcing nearby homes to be evacuated.

Glasgow City Council said issues around complexities of ownership and the high costs of redevelopment meant it was unlikely either site could progress without direct intervention by the local authority.

A partner organisation would administer the contest, which will be informed by a brief being developed by planning experts from the city council.

A judging panel of design and heritage experts, planning and development officers, city councillors and local community representatives would then select a winner.

Two B-listed tenement buildings in the area were destroyed in November 2019 and April 2020

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, the convener for Housing, Development and Built Heritage at Glasgow City Council, instigated the idea.

He said: "My intention is that the design and architectural excellence we have in Glasgow, and the prominence of the location, will mean we get some really innovative and exciting proposals.

"Albert Drive has been at the heart of the commercial and residential life of Pollokshields for over a century and these fires have been a tragedy for the area. So this is about restoring and enhancing the vibrancy and quality of this part of Pollokshields.

"Of course, as well as high quality designs, we want proposals which are sympathetic to the built heritage of the area - and to each other."

He added that if the contest was a success it could provide a blueprint for elsewhere in the city.

Niall Murphy, director of Glasgow City Heritage Trust, said the initiative could offer renewal for the area.

"This is a chance to reinvigorate the area through thoughtful place-mending that should celebrate East Pollokshields' rich Victorian architecture while reinstating Albert Cross as a vibrant, welcoming heart for the community once more," he said.

David Cook, chief executive of Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, said the new proposals could offer the chance to bring new housing into the area.

Short-listed teams will be given funding to help develop proposals to a more detailed stage before a winner is chosen.

The winning architects would then be funded to fully work up their design.