Keeping Glasgow’s past alive through its historic buildings

IF money were no object it might have opened up as a visitor attraction, adding to the rich array of museums and historical buildings to which the public has free access in Glasgow.

Laurieston House is described as, “arguably the most ornate Georgian townhouse in the UK” by the Buildings at Risk register. Who wouldn’t want a peek inside?

It was built in 1802 as the centrepiece of Calton Place, an upmarket residential development south of the River Clyde that was created by John Laurie and which he named Laurieston.

A quick internet search does not reveal much about Mr Laurie, who lived with his brother David at the address but I’m sure there is a very interesting story to be told.

The charitable efforts of a building preservation trust 20 years or so ago ensured that this stunning A-listed building remains largely intact.

As it stands, only the workers currently renovating it for a private developer and those who can afford to stay in the “executive apartments” when the project is complete will be entitled to revel in the sky-lit eliptical staircases and intricate plasterwork.

I was fortunate to be given access to the rich photographic archive of Historic Environment Scotland for an article on the new development that will create 11 apartments for let by September.

The intricate plasterwork is said to have been the work of Francisco Bernasconi, who was brought to Britain by George III to decorate Windsor Castle, and appears in the photographs as if had been newly created.

There is a comfort in looking at old buildings despite their reminding us of the relentless, inevitable march of time.

I never tire of walking among the grand mansions and tenement houses of

Dowanhill in Glasgow’s west end and admiring the stained glass doors of Kingsborough Gardens – surely one of the city’s loveliest streets.

News of the luxury apartment plan for Laurieston House was greeted with the usual concerns that buildings of such historical significance should “belong to the people of Glasgow”.

One Herald reader asked: “What is rather a mystery is who and by what mechanism was this property purchased from the Scottish people who owned it by way of a trust?”

Laurieston House has been in private ownership since around 2001and, according to Historic Environment Scotland, the majority of listed buildings are privately owned.

Strathclyde Building Preservation

Trust (SBPT), which was wound up in 2016, originally planned to develop the property for their use but in the end – probably due to the cost involved – decided to market the property.

Essential repairs were carried out which allowed the building to remain weather-tight during its period of vacancy.

Had those repairs not been undertaken by that charitable organisation, it is unlikely that the current project would have been viable for a property developer.

In this case, SBPT could not find an end use or user to occupy the property and decided to sell the building. According to the council, building preservation trusts act as a “developer of last resort” where a property has suffered from market failure and/or there is a substantial conservation deficit. This is the amount by which the cost of repair of a heritage asset exceeds its market value on completion of repair or conversion.

Such trusts must find end users for the projects that they take on, sharing costs for repairs and conversion works before ownership or lease is transferred.

There was perhaps justifiable anger from conservationists earlier this year when house builder Sanctuary demolished an additional ward of the old Victoria Infirmary to make way for a car park for its flat development.

Attempts had been made to have the building listed in order to save it, as only the administration block section has protected status.

In the case of Laurieston House, however, the developer is investing millions to ensure both the exterior and interiors are preserved.

It is hard to be critical of any plan to invest in a building of cultural significance which might otherwise be left to rot.

Gordon Gibb, a leading architect in Glasgow, agrees.

He said the redevelopment of historic buildings in such public locations by private entities can attract criticism due to the perceived loss of a potentially public asset but says public agencies rarely have the finances to take on such costly projects.

“While one might love to see the building converted into Glasgow’s version of the Hermitage or Soane Museum, the wait for such public or private funds to become available will be long, and in that time the building will remain at risk of being struck by any of the disasters that tend to befall unoccupied buildings in Glasgow over time.”

He said the regenerative effect on the building’s surrounding area can be impactful, “even by private developments”, and are likely to be considerable in this case.

He added: “Everything from attraction of investment into other sites and amenities to an enhancement of local morale and identity are likely to occur.

“And, of course, in this instance Glasgow’s urban fabric will get a new contribution of glowing windows and signs of life illuminating its handsome restored Georgian facade.”

Efforts to encourage more people to live in Glasgow city centre would surely be bolstered by similar projects aimed at reviving listed buildings currently lying empty.

A friend lives in the top floor of one such building with spectacular views that will never be seen at ground level and says she would love to see more rooftop terraces created for this reason.

Her home is spacious, traffic-defyingly quiet and comes with its own turret.

My own draughty tenement is uncomfortably cold in winter and not much warmer in summer but the period details that fire the imagination about the lives that have gone before yours make up for the chill. Well, almost.

Appreciation for its fine interiors may be confined to Laurieston House’s wealthy residents after development, but it’s better than dereliction, writes Caroline Wilson