Weren't they trying to get rid of Glasgow's high rises?

[deebers]

I don't often start topics here, but I do feel this forum is the one place where Glasgow people talk sense…

I've always been interested in urban development in Glasgow, and frequently check out http://www.futureglasgow.co.uk to see what new builds are coming to our great city.

It really worries me that the majority of approved future builds are large unimaginative blocks well over eight stories high… some of them slotted uncomfortably between our classic buildings from Victorian times and before…

Ten years down the line, these monstrosities will all be dirty and weathered and will be Glasgow's new eye-sores. I really can't see much difference between them and the old tower blocks from the 60s. Oh sorry - yes I do - the new ones today have an extremely unrealistic price-tag and are labelled with the word "luxury"!

Who are the idiots who are approving all this? What the hell's wrong with Glasgow City Council? Has somebody sedated them?

And today's architects? What are they thinking?

[Josef]

Walking down Tollcross Road today from Tollcross towards the city centre, I was actually surprised by how many of the new builds had been blended in quite sympathetically with the existing buildings.

What would worry me about many of the new four - eight story white box builds is the isolationism inherent in the design. Built-in basement/ground floor car parks, coupled with the general lack of local shops.

I may be alone in rather liking many of the sixties tower blocks in Glasgow. They are being demolished (in my opinion) largely because they are associated with deprivation and social problems. Well, they would be, wouldn't they?

[crusty_bint]

I would argue that last point Josef, the main factor in the decision to demolish any high rise is the economics of retrofit/replacement. It's no secret a lot of the tower blocks were poorly constructed and badly maintained. The social factor is secondary to the decision.

Deebers, are you against new high rises in principle or is it simply an aesthetic concern you have?

[deebers]

I would say I'm against modern high-rises because I do think aesthetically most of them are ugly and lack beauty and class. I suppose I am a traditionalist at heart and I'm always happy to see a few buildings being built in Glasgow which are sympathetic to the Glasgow "look".

Modern tenaments like the one for Saltoun Street is a prime example that new designs can work and mix well with the old:



But I do cringe when I see designs like this one planned for Kelbourne Street:



It's designs like Anderston Quay that I really don't like.

Don't get me wrong - there is a place for modern builds - Glasgow can't live in the dark ages and has to modernise.

Glasgow Harbour was a great idea but it was executed badly by cramming all these high buildings so closely together. Phase 3 just looks like more tower blocks. In fact there are high-rise flats, very similar in height, looking over the Clyde a little bit further up in the Scotstoun area.

I think interiors of these new buildings are beautiful, but I do think most of them are souless outside.

Glasgow councillors made a huge mistake throwing a motorway through the oldest part of Glasgow (Glasgow Cathedral area), and I think they are continuing to make wrong decisions. What's that horrible building they've thrown up opposite our historic Tolbooth Steeple - The Merchant Building?

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I don't think there is much thought about how Glasgow is reshaping with its high new-builds mixing with the old.

I know the old catchphrase in Glasgow is you only appreciate the beauty of Glasgow when you look up, but we're all going to have sore necks very soon!

[Dexter St. Clair]

Weren't they trying to get rid of Glasgow's high rises?

No, where did you get that idea from?

Code: Select all

Who are the idiots who are approving all this? What the hell's wrong with Glasgow City Council? Has somebody sedated them?


Some of the idiots are now wandering the street, chapping doors attending meetings and are more available in this month than they will ever be in their four years of office. And what are you doing? Writing to a board where most people will agree with you.

Whos' the idiot again?

[deebers]

Well, sorry - nobody's been chapping my door!

My mother (who personally factors her tenement building in Hyndland) is involved quite heavily in the Hyndland and Partick committees and I've attended a few with her. True, there have always one or two council members to listen to points raised, and I do believe they genuinely care but few of them have been able to make any difference to matters - especially when complaints against planning permission have been raised.

And yes, I am writing to this board hoping a few people agree with me. Why not? I didn't come here for an argument. As ever I am always interested in people's opinions here as I do believe they are well researched and as interested in Glasgow's redevelopment as much as I am. There are plenty of places you can read about what's happening in Glasgow, but few where you can add your own comment, so please don't put me off for voicing my opinion.

OK - maybe idiots was a harsh word - would "numpties" make you smile?

[HollowHorn]

Dinnae fash yirsel, DB, ol' Dexter just ran out of ice is all.

[Bingo Bango]

Well, sorry - nobody's been chapping my door!

My mother (who personally factors her tenement building in Hyndland) is involved quite heavily in the Hyndland and Partick committees and I've attended a few with her. True, there have always one or two council members to listen to points raised, and I do believe they genuinely care but few of them have been able to make any difference to matters - especially when complaints against planning permission have been raised.

And yes, I am writing to this board hoping a few people agree with me. Why not? I didn't come here for an argument. As ever I am always interested in people's opinions here as I do believe they are well researched and as interested in Glasgow's redevelopment as much as I am. There are plenty of places you can read about what's happening in Glasgow, but few where you can add your own comment, so please don't put me off for voicing my opinion.

OK - maybe idiots was a harsh word - would "numpties" make you smile?

What have you attended in particular deebers? there are a few developments in the hyndland area that seem to raise alot of controversy and hysteria.....

[deebers]

Tell me about it… I attended one or two Hyndland Residents meetings when they were trying to build high flats down the wee sliver of railway land behind Hayburn Crescent and Turnberry Road. As this would have partially blocked my mother's beautiful view and would have seriously congested the car-parking and volume of traffic in an already cramped area for cars, I was extremely interested to see what excuses they had to justify squeezing hundreds of flats down a skinny wee lane. Thankfully, after several re-designs were submitted, rules and regulations prevented the build from being approved (the guy who bought the land must have been raging). I've been to a handful more and some of those have been more interesting than others, but when forthcoming celidhs were discussed, it didn't interest me! I'm not really into the formalities of these meetings, so I like to see what's happening through sites like this one. Plus my mum is still a regular at these meetings and keeps me informed. Although I no longer live in Hyndland, I am still interested in its development.

Incidentally, while driving through Glasgow during the weekend, I noticed that there is a whole load of wasteland which has been lying dormant for almost as long as I can remember - mostly in the south side and east end. It's sad to see these areas being neglected when others are being over-developed.

It's a huge task furnishing Glasgow!

[Bingo Bango]

Tell me about it… I attended one or two Hyndland Residents meetings when they were trying to build high flats down the wee sliver of railway land behind Hayburn Crescent and Turnberry Road. As this would have partially blocked my mother's beautiful view and would have seriously congested the car-parking and volume of traffic in an already cramped area for cars, I was extremely interested to see what excuses they had to justify squeezing hundreds of flats down a skinny wee lane. Thankfully, after several re-designs were submitted, rules and regulations prevented the build from being approved (the guy who bought the land must have been raging).

Are you sure Deebers? it seems like this development has begun to move on site - some demolition was taking place when i passed through the station the other day, and the car park at the garage is all empty......

[deebers]

Nope - you're thinking about Dudley Drive - a wee bit further down the railway line.

I'll miss the Queensborough garage as it's been there for decades, and I know the tenants aren't happy about the flats going up.

I'm talking about the bottom of Turnberry Road and the back of Hayburn Crescent. They planned to create a small roundabout at the bottom and convert Hayburn Lane into a road, with hunners of flats on the land where garages currently stand. They would have been teetering over the railway line and blocking a majority of the sun from the tenements currently standing. It's a beautiful green area and would have been spoiled. I'm also not sure sure how it would have affected the value of the older houses either.

Thank god it didn't go ahead. It was a few years back this happened…

[AlanM]

There really wouldn't have been much room to build anything there, I used to live in the last close on Turnberry Rd and it was really close to the railway line.

[Vladimir]

Haha! Slag the high rises to your hearts content, nobody will disagree... Its the fashion at the moment you see! I think about 90% of the popular dislike lies with social perceptions and 10% in structure...

[Josef]

Haha! Slag the high rises to your hearts content, nobody will disagree... Its the fashion at the moment you see! I think about 90% of the popular dislike lies with social perceptions and 10% in structure...

I think you'll find that I said that first. But Crusty put me straight on the relative percentages. Still think it is a shame, though.

As for social perception, I fall back on P.J. O'Rourke's quote (about the Divis flats in Belfast, originally) '.... built in the days before they discovered you can't stack poor folk who drink'

[deebers]

There really wouldn't have been much room to build anything there, I used to live in the last close on Turnberry Rd and it was really close to the railway line.

Yep - that what I thought - hence why the residents kicked up such a fuss. We couldn't believe it! They'd build flats on a fallen leaf in the West End if they could. They seem determined to fill up every green space they can find.

Bottom of Turnberry Road - wow - small world! You probably know my mum. There ain't many people in that area who don't!

Haha! Slag the high rises to your hearts content, nobody will disagree... Its the fashion at the moment you see! I think about 90% of the popular dislike lies with social perceptions and 10% in structure...

Well, everybody's wrong, except me!