A square deal for the Gorbals
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New homes for sale and rent at Queen Elizabeth Square by New Gorbals Housing Association and Ogilvie Homes. Architect: Elder and Cannon. Artwork by Kenny Hunter | |
The redevelopment of Queen Elizabeth Square – once dominated by notoriously damp tower blocks – is continuing the urban renaissance of this part of Glasgow. Quality Homes and Places looks at how the area has changed over the past decade. Walking around the Gorbals on a bright sunny day, there is a certain buzz to the place. People pass each other on the street with a cheery word and a smile. Perhaps the unusual sight of a strong sun in a bright blue Glasgow sky has something to do with the uplifting mood. But perhaps it is also due in part to the impressive and far-reaching housing regeneration, which has transformed the Gorbals over the past decade. The outstanding success of the award-winning Crown Street Regeneration project in the west of the Hutchesontown part of the Gorbals has gone a long way to improving the area. And now the Queen Elizabeth Square regeneration in the eastern part of Hutchesontown is following hotly on its heels. Hutchesontown is the central of three areas which make up the Gorbals, along with Laurieston in the west and Oatlands in the east. The Queen Elizabeth Square master plan document states that: “the Gorbals area of Glasgow was previously infamous throughout the world as one of the worst examples of city deprivation. Today the Gorbals is often cited as an exemplar of urban regeneration.” Taking even the briefest of walks around the area it’s easy to see why. Gone are the uniform tenements with their long dark corridors and poor living conditions. Gone too are the infamous grey and bleak imposing tower blocks, notorious for their dampness. They were tall buildings that cast a heavy outline against the city skyline. In their place are brightly coloured, fresh new housing blocks, some with front and back gardens, standing on tree-lined streets and interspersed with open spaces and strategically-placed pieces of artwork. A range of architects and a variety of buildings give the place an interesting diversity. There’s even a community orchard and wilderness wall. Energy efficiency and sustainability are of major importance in the design of the redevelopment, from efficient use of space to the orientation of blocks and the selection of the most appropriate building materials. There is a respect for the history of the area, with original street names incorporated into the development. Likewise, the Gorbals Police Station, the St Francis Centre, friary and church hall have all been integrated into the regeneration. The Queen Elizabeth Square redevelopment started in the late 1990s and has been delivered thanks to a partnership between Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, Glasgow City Council, Communities Scotland, New Gorbals Housing Association and the local community. In terms of the housing development, local people were involved from the master planning stage to the design of the projects. They took part in negotiations with potential developers regarding the proposals for the area and potential planning gain for local people, such as contributions from the developers in terms of a local park and wilderness garden. It is a multi-phased development, with three finished phases, two under construction and two due to start this autumn and complete in 2007. In total there are 607 houses, with around 170 for social rent and the rest for private ownership. New Gorbals Housing Association has had a large hand in the regeneration of Queen Elizabeth Square. Four of the phases offer houses for rent through the association, with a large number of these going to ex-Scottish Homes tenants who were rehoused from tower blocks scheduled for demolition as part of the stock transfer to New Gorbals Housing Association. One tenant is Mrs Mary McKenzie, who moved in to her new home in Queen Elizabeth Gardens in 2003. Mrs McKenzie has lived through the modern history of housing in the Gorbals. She said:“I was born in the tenements in the Gorbals in the 1940s. I have seen all the old buildings coming and going. From the old tenements, to the tower blocks, which were lovely inside but damp, then to the Oatlands development. This is the third time lucky. New Gorbals Housing Association has been very, very supportive and I am happy with my home.” The redevelopment of Queen Elizabeth Square has created a mixed community with homes for social rent and private ownership in the east of Hutchesontown, that will strengthen the success of the Crown Street regeneration in the west of the area. It would be safe to say that those behind the Queen Elizabeth Square master plan have succeeded in their aim of: “softening the hard ‘urban edge’ of the Gorbals, and making the area part of Glasgow’s dear green place”. | |
Mrs Mary McKenzie (below, with Lucky) is a tenant of New Gorbals Housing Association. Her home in Queen Elizabeth Square features artwork (below, right) by David Ralston. The development (centre) includes homes for rent and sale by New Gorbals Housing Association and Dawn Homes. Architect: Hypostyle. |
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Previous developments in the Gorbals include Crown Gardens (below right). Part of the Crown St Regeneration Project, it was designed by Hypostyle architects and developed by Redrow Homes with artwork by Heisenberg. No 100 McNeil St (below centre) was designed by Elder and Cannon for New Gorbals Housing Association. It is part of the Moffat Gardens development that won a Saltire Award in 1999. | |
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