Glasgow's fourth Gaelic primary moves closer with plan to revamp old school

The city council’s education department has requested permission to demolish part of the B-listed St James’ Primary, Calton, to make way for the new school.

Toilet extensions and a section to the rear of the school building would be knocked down to allow an extension, including a hall, kitchen and drama space, to be constructed. An all-weather sports pitch is also included in the overall plan for the site.

The plans state: “When the need for another Gaelic school was identified in the north-east of the city, St James’ Primary was recognised as fulfilling a number of the education requirements, whilst also contributing to the local area by saving a heritage asset in the Calton area.”

It has previously been reported by council officials that the project will cost around £16m.

Glasgow’s education services have now applied for listed building consent for internal and external works and partial demolition at the Calton site. Emergency works have previously been carried out to the roof to “avoid uncontrolled collapse and halt further distress to the building”, the application revealed.

The Green Street school, constructed in 1985 to the plans of architectural firm Thomson & Sandilands, was occupied until 2009, when remaining pupils were transferred to Alexandra Parade Primary.

Since the closure, the building has “rapidly deteriorated” and is “completely saturated” as it was “left exposed to the elements” when lead was stripped from the gutters.

The redeveloped building would be Glasgow’s fourth Gaelic medium primary school, joining Glendale Primary, Govan Gaelic Primary and Glasgow Gaelic School.

Extending the back of the school has been deemed “most appropriate”, the application states, with the new-build providing “required spaces for a modern school building that the original building can’t accommodate”.

“This would mean the function of the original classrooms would be retained and also reinstated where previously a kitchen and lunch hall were accommodated,” the plans added.

“Extending to the rear also retains the most architecturally significant elements of the building on the front facade but would require the demolition of the projecting canted bay and the later toilet blocks.”

The suggested justification for demolition added the “rear canted bay and the circulation wings were treated as subsidiary to the main building and as a result the architectural finishes to the stonework were less refined”.

All existing single glazed windows would be removed and replaced with triple glazing which follows “the principles” of the original design but meets current ventilation and energy requirements.

RSPB Scotland has asked the council to provide swift nest sites in the building as nests “are being lost when buildings are demolished or roofs refurbished”.

“Loss of nest sites is a key driver behind the dramatic decline of swifts,” the submission added.