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Demolition of Glasgow social housing towers paused after campaigners win judicial review
Scotland’s largest social landlord has paused its plans to demolish four towers in Glasgow after campaigners won a judicial review.
In July, Wheatley Group was told it could proceed with the demolition of the 1960s Wyndford Estate’s four tallest tower blocks, comprising 600 bedrooms, and replace them with a similar number of bedrooms spread across 300 new low-rise buildings – 255 of which will be for social rent.
But last month, after a judicial review pursued by campaigners and architects, Glasgow City Council admitted it did not provide “adequate reasons” over its decision not to have an environmental impact assessment before it approved the demolition.
A fresh screening opinion will now be formed by another officer in the council’s planning team to decide if an impact assessment is required.
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In a statement seen by Inside Housing, Wheatley’s solicitors confirmed that the landlord had paused demolition works until a new screening opinion is issued by the council.
At the judicial review, judge Lord Lake said the council was liable for the campaigners’ costs in the action, which have been estimated at around £10,000.
In January, a report commissioned by Wheatley from architect Dr Richard Atkins claimed “there is little or no basis on which to argue for the retention of the existing blocks on the grounds of either energy efficiency or CO2 emissions”.
However, Wyndford Residents Union challenged the landlord’s claim and commissioned its own carbon analysis from Aythan Lewes, a chartered surveyor at EALA Impacts.
Mr Lewes told Inside Housing in August that Dr Atkins “missed huge chunks of the things that contribute towards the whole-life carbon of a building.”
A spokesperson for Glasgow Council told the Architects Journal: “The council has agreed to a fresh decision – a fresh screening opinion by another officer in our planning team. We are in the process of doing that and do not want to prejudge the outcome of that assessment.”
Architect Kate Macintosh, who supported the campaigners against the demolition, added: “The courageous stand taken by the local residents in this David and Goliath struggle needs and deserves the backing of the Scottish government, which has committed itself to a policy of reducing emissions in conformity with the COP26 declaration.”
A Wheatley Homes Glasgow spokesperson said: “A new screening opinion is awaited.
“Internal stripping of the blocks – not subject to planning control – will continue in the meantime.”
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