An historic Glasgow school building has become the focus of growing local anger after years of empty redevelopment promises.
Labour Holyrood candidate Paul Sweeney has criticised delays to the restoration of Golfhill Public School in Dennistoun - warning that the B-listed landmark is being abandoned while residents deal with repeated trespassing incidents.
The red sandstone school, designed by Alexander Nisbet Paterson, opened in 1902 as part of a major expansion of public education following the Education (Scotland) Act 1872, which made schooling compulsory for children aged five to 13. Like many of Glasgow’s early 20th-century board schools, it was built to an imposing civic standard, reflecting the city’s industrial-era commitment to education.
However, the building in Circus Drive closed in 2007 due to structural subsidence and has lay empty ever since. Over time it has fallen into a worsening state of disrepair and is now listed on the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland, which tracks vulnerable historic sites across the country.
Developers Spectrum Properties acquired the site from Glasgow City Council for £550,000 in 2016, raising hopes that the long-derelict structure could be brought back into use. The most recent plans, approved in 2024, proposed converting the building into 18 flats, including dismantling and rebuilding the principal sandstone façade as part of a “sensitive reconstruction.”
Despite that approval, no meaningful work appears to have begun. Locals say the site is poorly secured, with frequent reports of people entering the building, fuelling concerns about safety and further damage.
Mr Sweeney said the lack of progress was “deeply frustrating” for the community, particularly given the urgent need for housing and the cultural importance of the building. He warned that without action, the condition of the structure could worsen, potentially putting its future at risk.
He added: "Spectrum Properties acquired the property from Glasgow City Council in 2016, yet residents are rightly frustrated that, despite the latest planning permission being granted in 2024 for its sensitive reconstruction into 18 much-needed flats. Now residents are reporting regular trespassing incidents, so this needs to be addressed.
"This is particularly disappointing when we see positive momentum elsewhere, such as at the former Haghill Primary School, where construction of 48 new social homes by Milnbank Housing Association is now actively underway.”
The situation reflects a broader challenge across Glasgow, where historic buildings often face long delays between planning approval and redevelopment due to high restoration costs, complex engineering requirements and shifting market conditions.
For Dennistoun residents however, the issue at Golfhill is now critical.
One local told The Glasgow Times: “This is a prominent landmark and it remains empty, exposed and with an uncertain future, nearly two decades after it first closed its doors.”
Mr Sweeney has now urged the developer to make the project a priority.
He added: "Spectrum Properties has a proven track record of successfully redeveloping other listed former school buildings, including Hillhead Primary, Hyde Park School in Springburn and the Shakespeare Street project in Maryhill.
“They have also recently purchased the old Springburn Nursery School on Gourlay Street, which is currently subject to a planning application for residential conversion, which I am supporting.
“There is an urgent need however for them to start works at Golfhill without further delay and restore this iconic community landmark. They need to tackle the blight it is causing in the area and deliver much-needed housing for Dennistoun."
Spectrum Properties have been approached for comment.
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