Council seeks ideas for 'architectural treasure'

The renowned Egyptian Halls has been covered by scaffolding for 15 years

Glasgow City Council is seeking development ideas for a crumbling "architectural treasure" in the city centre which has sat vacant for more than 30 years.

The category A-listed Egyptian Halls, designed by visionary Scottish architect Alexander "Greek" Thomson 150 years ago, has been on the buildings at risk register since 1990.

After a number of planning applications fell through, the council began in February to investigate the possibility of using a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO), which would allow it to acquire the property without the owner's consent.

The building's upper floors are privately owned by Dundee businessman Derek Souter through two companies who have appealed against the CPO.

Pictured before the scaffolding, the building is considered a "masterpiece of Victorian Architecture"

The building on the city's Union Street, close to Glasgow Central Station, was listed for sale by agent Ryden.

It described it as a "hallmark" of Thomson's style.

It was built in 1872 as a commercial premises for an iron manufacturer.

However it has long been derelict in the upper floors, with the ground floor partly occupied by storefronts.

Scaffolding has been in place for over 15 years, which the council previously said "is not being used to facilitate repairs, conversion or maintenance or serving any structural need, and is causing environmental, social and economic blight".

Mr Souter said the scaffolding is in place to protect the public and has cost more than £700,000 since 2008.

Glasgow City Council seeks a 'sustainable' future for the building

In March, Glasgow City Council issued a defective building notice which requires the owner of a building to bring it back into a reasonable state of repair.

A CPO would legally allow the council to acquire the property for its own use or to facilitate development by another party.

A council committee has approved an investigation period for its use.

During this time, interested parties, including the private owners, can put forward proposals for the "repair, repurposing and future active reuse of the property", according to the listing.

If a proposal meets the development brief, a successful CPO would transfer ownership.

A closing date for proposals has been set for 17 October. The current owners would also have the option to sell until then.

Due to the private ownership, viewings of the 51,529 sq ft space are not possible.

The photo shows detail pre-2009, but the condition of the property has been declining

The council and Mr Souter - who owns the building through his companies Union Street Properties Ltd and Union Street Investments Ltd - have been in long-running discussions over the building, including a previous attempt to use a CPO in 1996.

Mr Souter said the new CPO would "wipe out 27 years of private sector investment."

He added that he seeks to find a "mutually reconcilable position" and is working on a pre-application for development.

The council said: "No applications for planning permission for reuse have been submitted by the current owners since 2012, and two recent engineering reports state that the continued decline in the overall building fabric has arisen through a prolonged lack of occupation and ongoing maintenance."

Ruairi Kelly, the council's housing and development convenor, described the property as "an architectural treasure of national significance".

The building faces the side entrance of Glasgow Central Station

"In gauging the market interest we'll know what the opportunities for the future of this architectural gem can be," Cllr Kelly said.

He added: "Right now, the transformation of our city centre is gathering real pace.

"Giving the city's built heritage new purposes and new futures is part of that and I've no doubt the Egyptian Halls can be a centrepiece in the Glasgow of the 21st century."