Stable block to become new des res
A HISTORIC former stables in the Merchant City is to be transformed into dozens of new flats for rent.
GHA is behind multi-million pound plans for the stables, a category B-listed building on Historic Environment Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register.
The stables were originally used by the city’s cleansing department to accommodate horses and carts in the 19th century.
The plan is to create 52 ‘mid-market’ rented flats.
A HISTORIC former stables in the Merchant City area of Glasgow is to be transformed into dozens of new flats for rent to help plug gaps in affordable housing.
GHA, part of Wheatley Group, is behind multi-million pound plans for the Bell Street Stables, a category B-listed building on Historic Environment Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register.
The stables were originally used by the city’s cleansing department to accommodate the horses and carts used by workers to clean the streets in the 19th century.
The plan to create 52 “mid market” rented flats will involve restoring the existing façade with the original stable dividers from the upper floors transformed into cycle-storage areas.
Staircases to the upper floors will replace the original ramps which were climbed by the horses after a days’ work, and the internal cobblestone flooring will be lifted, with much of it used to re-surface the outdoor courtyard area.
CCG (Scotland) Limited will be the contractor on the project, which has received more than £2 million of funding from the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council.
Planning approval has been granted and work is expected to start onsite in the Spring.
GHA’s Director of Regeneration David Fletcher said: “This project will bring great quality, much-needed affordable homes to the city centre, while bringing new life to an historic Glasgow building.
“We’re looking forward to embarking on our exciting plans to cre- ate modern, energy-efficient homes that fully respect and pay tribute to the building’s history.”
GHA said the flats would be available for mid-market rent and managed by Lowther Homes, also part of Wheatley Group.
The building was designed by A W Wheatley in the late 1890s.
The City Cleansing Department was established in May1868.
However from the early 19th century ,the police took on the responsibility of cleaning the public streets.
In 1895 the police authority merged with the council, becoming the Corporation of the City of Glasgow.
Horse-drawn vehicles were the main method for refuse collection and street cleaning until after the Second World War.
The building continued to provide stabling for police horses until the early 1970s and is currently used as a depot for Glasgow City Council’s Land and Environmental Services.
The stables have previously been opened to the public as part of the city’s Doors Open Day programme.