7.20 In order to clarify the Council’s role in protecting the City’s built heritage, it is necessary to quantify the extent of that heritage. The Council’s ability to plan for, and monitor, the City’s heritage is dependent on the quality of its survey material. The collection and processing of information gathered can benefit greatly from the use of emerging technology. Rationalisation of the Council’s listed buildings database and the full use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) will allow new information to be combined with that already held by the Council to establish the foundation to maximise the Council’s role as an information provider for the City’s built heritage.

7.21 Conservation recognises that cities are subject to change and that conservation areas are subject to the effects of wear and tear. New developments adjacent to conservation areas can also have a significant positive or negative impact. NPPG 18 recommends that the historic environment should be surveyed and analysed through Townscape Audits and Conservation Area Appraisals.

City Centre Heritage

7.22 Conservation Area Appraisals will define the key elements that contribute to an area’s character and appearance, as well as providing a sound basis on which to establish policies and monitor their effectiveness. They can serve as a conservation area management tool, identifying opportunities for enhancement schemes, providing opportunities for public consultation on issues affecting conservation areas, assisting in securing partnership funding for projects and helping establish priorities for action. Conservation Area Appraisals can also take account of cultural elements and areas of archaeological significance and interpret their importance in terms of the physical environment. A further important element of Conservation Area Appraisals shall be the inclusion of tree and woodland audits. On this basis, Conservation Area Appraisals will be used as supplementary guidance in respect of determining development proposals.

7.23 Townscape Audits determine how social, economic and physical change within the historic environment can be accommodated within a planning and urban design framework. The Central and West End Conservation Areas are subject to the greatest pressure for change. In order to determine how best to manage pressures within these historic environments, Townscape Audits will be prepared. Townscape Audits for other parts of the City will be undertaken, as required.

7.24 It is acknowledged that there are problems common to many of the City’s conservation areas, such as poorly maintained back lanes, irregular pavement surfaces, inappropriate street lighting and poor boundary and communal open space treatment and maintenance. The condition of railings, particularly in front of terraced and tenement buildings, is also of concern. The incremental erosion of conservation area character is one of the most difficult matters to deal with effectively. While it is important to combat this through strong policy measures, the use of Conservation Area Appraisals will identify and quantify the extent of these problems and help determine priorities for action.

The City Council will complete Conservation Area Appraisals for all Conservation areas in the City, beginning with the Central Outstanding and West End Outstanding Conservation Areas. Conservation Area Appraisals will be used as supplementary guidance in respect of determining development proposals.

The City Council will undertake Townscape Audits of the Central Outstanding and West End Outstanding Conservation Areas.

7.25 Styles, attitudes and values change. Areas once seen as ordinary can, over time, be perceived in a different light, perhaps as well preserved examples of a particular style. Historical evidence may also change the way an area is perceived. Following a study of around 30 areas of high townscape value across the City, three were felt to have distinctive character worthy of conservation area status (Figure 7.2).

Figure 7.2: Proposed Conservation Areas

7.26 Parkhead Cross is the meeting of five main routes and one of the most important focal points in the East End of the City. The four listed buildings at the Cross provide the core of this small proposed conservation area. While the residential use of upper floors provides some stability to the area, the increasing level of vacancies in the ground floor premises gives cause for concern. Conservation area status would highlight the architectural and historical importance of the area and act as a focus for future investment.

7.27 Broomhill, an attractive residential area built between 1888 and 1910, includes a mixture of house types and styles interspersed with shops, churches, parks and open spaces. These factors, combined with interesting topography and landscape, create an area of great strength and character that merits conservation area status.

7.28 The Hazelwood area comprises a collection of small bungalows dating from around 1915. These unusual houses retain a range of interesting architectural details including a variety of porch styles and very attractive stained glass. Despite some alterations and infill developments, it is considered that this small area merits conservation area status.

7.29 Before any of these can be designated as conservation areas, Conservation Area Appraisals will be undertaken and positive public support will be sought.

The City Council will initiate procedures to designate new conservation areas at Broomhill, Parkhead Cross and Hazelwood.

7.30 Properly maintained, designed and constructed buildings will continue to be assets for Glasgow. Unfortunately, good maintenance has not always been a tradition in some parts of the City, or even in some parts of an otherwise well maintained street. The Council is continuing to refurbish listed buildings in its ownership and is encouraging other public bodies and private owners to carry out appropriate maintenance and improvement to property, through its control of development. Design Guidance and Development Policies will be continually reviewed in order to achieve the best possible standards of maintenance.

Walmer Crescent, Cessnock

7.31 Where maintenance has been ignored, or where buildings have been vacated and become the target for vandalism, their future is often at risk. Where possible, the Council identifies buildings it regards as being at risk through its Buildings at Risk Group. Measures that can be used by the Group include taking statutory action against owners to secure the repair or upgrading of buildings and returning them to a productive use that may be different to the building’s original purpose. Examples of buildings saved in this way include Northcote House in Dowanhill and 1-3 Walmer Crescent, Cessnock.

The City Council will investigate the establishment of a dedicated budget to deal with Buildings at Risk.

The City Council will encourage positive action to secure the following known buildings at risk:

7.32 In some parts of the City, deterioration in the building fabric is not restricted to individual buildings but extends to the street block. Of particular concern are those that fall within conservation areas and that are listed buildings. In other areas, poor quality boundary treatments and communal open spaces detract from the setting of groups of important buildings. In both cases, action is necessary to address these issues and reverse the process of decline.

7.33 Successful action has been undertaken in Millbrae Crescent, Langside for example, where all owners agreed to improvements to restore the frontages. Four areas in the west of the City, Crown Circus/Crown Terrace, Queens Crescent, Oakfield Avenue and St Vincent Crescent and Walmer Crescent in the south have been identified as meriting the highest priority for early attention.

The City Council will assess the following blocks to establish action required to prevent further deterioration of the built fabric:

7.34 As advocated in NPPG 18, the Council will seek the best viable use when considering the re-use and disposal of listed buildings, although this may not be the most profitable use. The best option for a building, however, should be economically viable over the long-term and involve only sensitive adaptation of the fabric that has a minimal impact on the building’s architectural and historic interest.

The City Council will adopt the best viable use approach to the re-use and disposal of listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas.

7.35 Recognising that there are many other buildings in the City that are currently surplus to their owners’ requirements, the Council maintains a Surplus Buildings Register. The Surplus Buildings Register highlights listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas within Glasgow that are vacant or are likely to become vacant and whose future is not secure. Vacancy presents a risk to the future existence of even the more important buildings in the City. The Council, therefore, encourages restoration, conversion and re-use through circulation of the Surplus Buildings Register to architects, developers and others interested in reusing buildings of architectural or historic interest.

7.36 Positive action is required to secure the future of certain important architectural and historic buildings in the City. In order to achieve this, the Council employs a mixture of legislative powers and encouragement, as appropriate to each case. The Council’s Conservation Budget plays an essential part in supporting and enabling the improvement of Glasgow’s built heritage. Council grants awarded to built heritage projects in the City are particularly successful in enabling and attracting additional funding from a variety of sources. On average, every £1 allocated by the Council secures £15 worth of investment in building refurbishment. The Conservation Budget also supports the work of the Conservation Trusts in the City.

The City Council will continue to provide a dedicated Conservation Budget.