Revamp plans at Whitevale Baths remain “high priority” despite funding being withdrawn from the project.

Work to bring the B-listed baths back into use had been boosted by £250,000 from the UK Government, but match funding couldn’t be found within “incredibly tight” timescales.

The money has now been reallocated among three other schemes: the transformation of the Briggait Market Halls; new community spaces at Water Row; and the revamp of former changing rooms at Queen’s Park recreation ground.

(Image: Image of Newsquest)

Future funding for Whitevale Baths has yet to be identified, but council officials have said it is still a “really important” project and work with partners will continue.

In a report to councillors, officials added the Whitevale Baths scheme was “unable to progress” due to a “funding gap”.

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The council has been working with Glasgow Building Preservation Trust and charity PEEK (Possibilities for Each and Every Kid) on plans to bring the building back into use. Funding had been allocated from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF).

The report added the allocation was “unable to be drawn down and spent within the timeframe required and therefore the SPF funding offer has had to be withdrawn”. Money from the fund has to be spent by the end of March next year.

Council leader Susan Aitken said timescales set by the previous UK Government didn’t give partners “the time to go out and bring in the match funding that would have been required to actually make the project deliverable”.

She said the funding had “incredibly tight timescales” which made “delivery in some cases just impossible”.

“It was a point that was made repeatedly to the previous government that their timescales were standing in the way of actually getting things done,” she added. “Sometimes they were just not realistic.”

She said the project team would now have “more time to get to the deliverability stage” but it isn’t currently known where future funding may come from.

Councillor Aitken added the council was “still in a bit of limbo” over the new UK Government’s plans for the future of funds like the SPF.

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A council official said the need to withdraw funding was “really disappointing” and “based purely on the fact that they couldn’t meet the criteria to spend that money in the timescale”.

He said work is continuing with PEEK and the GBPT to “make that project a reality at some point in the future”.

Councillor Aitken added officials still “place a very high priority on the Whitevale Baths”. “It is a strategically important site in the context of the regeneration of that part of the East End.”

The money and some “unallocated contingency” funds, which together total £454,577, will be shared between three schemes. 

Work at Water Row to fit-out ground floor space of a new housing development for community and business uses will receive an extra £150,000, taking its grant to almost £794,000.

The redevelopment of the Briggait Market Halls into space for events and creative industries will get £267,000 to increase its allocation to £800,000.

Environmental group South Seeds’ work to revamp the former changing rooms at Queen’s Park recreation ground will be boosted by an extra £37,577.