HISTORIC buildings in a neglected part of Glasgow can be saved as a part of a masterplan for housing and regeneration.

That’s the view of the councillor in charge of taking forward regeneration plans.

The area south of the River Clyde, sandwiched between Gorbals and Tradeston, has a high concentration of historic buildings which have been left to decay.

Ruairi Kelly, council convenor for neighbourhood services and assets, said getting ownership of several properties or meaningful engagement with the owners is crucial for the plan for the area around Bridge Street and Carlton Place.

In the masterplan, it is known as North Laurieston, the area south of the River Clyde towards Bridge Street Subway station, between the Sheriff Court and the railway line into Central Station.

(Image: Robert Perry)

Already, the historic India Buildings have been demolished after it was deemed dangerous and Kelly wants to ensure others do not suffer the same fate.

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The former Prince and Princess of Wales hospice building is in a perilous state following a fire, with the roof destroyed and currently open to the elements.

The Glasgow Times walked around the area with councillor Kelly and councillor Alexander Belic, of the Southside Central ward.

On the former hospice building, Councillor Kelly, said: "It needs a temporary roof on it, then a plan to develop it to come forward. If not the council will need to look towards action."

On the wider area, Kelly said: “There are several buildings in need of repair.

"Either the council gets ownership of them or the owners get on board with the masterplan.

“If the work was to be done now, these buildings can be saved. If they are just left with owners who can’t or won't do the work, then another fire or roof collapse means it becomes unviable.

“None are in immediate danger."

The council wants to ensure it has control of what is in place in the area.

(Image: Robert Perry)

Kelly added: “My preference is we say what we want delivered then get a developer as a partner with housing associations and others, and we decide what is suitable for social housing, commercial or build to rent.

“Ownership is a big part of this. If we own it, we don’t need agreement with 10 others.”

(Image: Robert Perry)

Kelly said the buildings did not become in this state overnight.

He added: "This has been generations in the making. A lack of investment from owners over decades has led to this."

He said people in the city however care about their architectural heritage and want it protected.

Earlier this year the Glasgow Times investigated the scale of buildings left to rot in our abandoned Glasgow series.

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Buildings in the area needing work include the old Kinning Park Cooperative building on Coburg Street.

(Image: HES)

An old six-storey Art Deco former drapery warehouse on Oxford Street has been damaged and work is going on to secure it.

(Image: HES)

The building is exposed after the demolition of adjacent buildings and the India Buildings.

(Image: Gordon Terris)

The gap site created by the India Buildings is also wanted by the council for the regeneration plans.

Another, on Bridge Street, has already been acquired through Compulsory Purchase Order, and more could follow.

New Gorbals Housing Association is developing the masterplan which is expected to be published this year.

The council hopes to take ownership of properties and transfer them to the association and a private developer for housing to create a vibrant new neighbourhood.

However, issues that have long been a problem in Glasgow, which are more acute in this area, are presenting a serious challenge to the plans becoming reality.

Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said at the SNP annual conference last weekend that land and property ownership, particularly that which is derelict, was a barrier to regeneration in Glasgow.

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She said “Ownership is fragmented” and included hedge funds which she said: “Don’t care about the blight (it causes).

She added: “It is sitting there as a tax write-off.

“If we were able to get that land the benefits would be phenomenal.”

Councillors in Glasgow will be debating the masterplan for North Laurieston next week.

In a motion to be considered by councillors, Kelly said: “The North Laurieston area comprises many of the elements which have hindered neighbourhood regeneration including: fragmented and absentee ownership; poor upkeep of listed and heritage buildings; general lack of care towards built heritage; failure to recognise, active travel, public transport and the primacy of people in planning; and a lack of ambition in returning the River Clyde to the centre of Glasgow life.”

“North Laurieston can become a vibrant and modern waterfront community protective of its world-class built heritage and with additional housing capacity adjacent to the city centre and internationally recognised regeneration across Gorbals and Laurieston.”