THE owner of one of Glasgow’s most famous buildings has been ordered to carry out urgent repairs or face enforcement action.
Dundee developer Derek Souter has until tomorrow to respond to concerns raised by Glasgow City Council about the state of the category A-listed Egyptian Halls on Union Street, designed by Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson.
Council bosses say if he doesn’t reply they will use any legislation available to make sure much-needed work is completed.
It is the latest saga in a long-running dispute over the almost 150-year-old building, which has fallen into disrepair after lying empty for decades.
Mr Souter claims Glasgow City Council was meant to carry out repairs between 1996 and 2010 but failed to do so, it has been reported.
However, a council spokesman said: “We set out a list of concerns about the deterioration of the building in August 2016.
“Since then there has been no meaningful maintenance of the building. In the intervening period we have been monitoring the building and we commissioned an independent structural survey to give us a clear picture of the condition of the building as a whole.
“We wrote again to Mr Souter in June giving him 28 days to propose how he will undertake essential maintenance.
“If he fails to produce any such proposals by July 10, we will consider how best to use available legislation to compel the work to be carried out.”
READ MORE: I don't know how long the Egyptian Halls can last, says Derek Souter
In 2015, Mr Souter warned he didn’t know how long the dilapidated building could last after a £5m lottery bid, which he had hoped would kick start renovation work, was rejected. Planning permission for a 114-bed hotel had been granted in 2012 but the project never got started.
Mr Souter has previously blamed the council for the scheme’s failure to get off the ground, with the authority refuting his claims.
Now, council chiefs want to see a maintenance plan for the building, considered one of Thomson’s greatest works.
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Mr Souter was contacted for comment and said an update on the issue would be provided soon.
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