Glasgow's Historical Gems Slip Away: Paul Stallan's Impassioned Plea to Protect the City's Heritage
City of Glasgow Faces Challenges: Persistent Downturn and Restoration Efforts Struggle to Gain Momentum
Hear me out, Glasgow: We're losing a precious nugget of history every week. It's bloody frustrating, isn't it?
A recent inferno tore the roof off one of Glasgow's most stunning 18th-century Georgian tenements on Carlton Place. This architectural marvel stands as an emblem of our Merchant era, a symbol of our connection to the world-renowned Clyde. The city's collective sorrow at this latest townscape disaster was palpable, and it's high time we asked ourselves: what can we do about it?
I call it a societal issue, not just about prosecuting rogue landlords.
Our historic buildings going up in flames and crumbling away is a physical manifestation of a profound cultural stagnation and lack of imagination. We need immediate incentives and initiatives to stop the rot, as the rips in our urban tapestry grow ever wider.
I'm a long-timer in the 'Dear Green Place' that is Glasgow, and I know that city renewal ebbs and flows, swayed by economic and political currents, many beyond our control. But knocking down buddleia and setting fire to our architectural treasures is simply unacceptable, no matter where the buck stops.
The Scottish Government's not doing much better, to be honest. Their policies are inconsistent and stifle opportunities for both big players and SMEs engaged in renewal initiatives. Take their disastrous rent cap housing policy, for example, which has shifted billions in build-to-rent (BTR) development away from Scotland. It's a goddamn shame. To neglect the rental market, which serves key workers like nurses, is a recipe for disaster.
What's that got to do with run-down buildings in Glasgow? Everything, mate.
As for local development policies, they're focused on compact living models, yet financing for city centre restoration remains anemic. Encouraging major social landlords to increase the rate of affordable housing delivery, pushing developers to tackle city centre sites, or leveraging global finance into the sector seems to be beyond their scope.
The lack of new residential development in the city centre directly impacts our historical fabric. If we don't add new to the old, the old rots away in an abandoned context. Masses of Glasgow are left derelict as developers make a beeline for the suburbs.
In a cruel irony, our housing policy, or lack thereof, is exacerbating the crisis and undermining the economy. Residential construction in Dundee, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow has come to a near-standstill. In Shelter's damning statement on this matter, they argue that every tenure type is essential.
With homelessness in Scotland at an all-time high, it's clear that our government has failed to understand and manage our societal relationship with housing provision.
Too many elected officials have missed the link between housing renewal, employment, and the sustainability of our cities. Scotland declared a national housing emergency in May of this year, acknowledging the crisis. But blaming the UK Government for this mess isn't enough. No more excuses, Scotland—sort your housing problem, pronto.
Glasgow's legacy is in peril, condemned by political, economic, and cultural lethargy. Only through new forms of slow, sustainable financing and holistic policy integration can we rescue deteriorating buildings and create new ones.
Team Scotland can do better, but more importantly, we need to.
Connecting the Dots
To curb the decay of historic buildings in Glasgow, the Scottish Government can employ a variety of strategies:
Financial Incentives: Offer grants for restoration and preservation projects, implement tax incentives for property owners who restore and maintain historic buildings, or offer tax rebates or reductions.
Regulatory Measures: Utilize Building Preservation Notices to temporarily protect buildings of special interest while they're being assessed for listing, or designate specific areas as conservation areas.
Community Engagement and Economic Benefits: Involve the community in preservation projects, aiming for job creation, tourism growth, and enhancing local identity. Encourage economic development by reusing historic buildings for modern purposes.
Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborate with private developers and investors, offering incentives in exchange for preservation and restoration commitments.
Education and Awareness: Increase public involvement in preservation efforts through educational programs and tourism initiatives, highlighting the cultural and economic value of historical buildings.
By adopting these strategies, the Scottish Government can effectively stimulate investment and encourage the conservation of historic buildings in Glasgow.
- The destruction of Glasgow's historical gems is a reflection of a deeper cultural stagnation and lack of imagination, necessitating immediate incentives and initiatives to prevent further deterioration.
- The Scottish Government's disastrous rent cap housing policy has shifted billions in build-to-rent (BTR) development away from Scotland, potentially affecting the preservation of Glasgow's historical buildings.
- To preserve Glasgow's historical fabric, the Scottish Government could employ strategies such as offering financial incentives, utilising regulatory measures, engaging the community, forming public-private partnerships, and increasing public awareness about the value of historical buildings.
