Drumchapel town hall and library plans move forward

Glasgow City Council has submitted plans to redevelop part of Garscadden House on Dalsetter Crescent.

The project forms part of a wider scheme to improve Drumchapel town centre, supported by a £15m UK Government grant announced in late 2023. Glasgow City Council has since agreed to provide a further £1.6m.

Drumchapel’s new town hall and library plans are set to move forward as part of a £16.6 million regeneration programme. (Image: Glasgow City Council)

Work would focus on the west wing of Garscadden House, with an extension creating a "new principal entrance".

Drumchapel’s new town hall and library plans are set to move forward as part of a £16.6 million regeneration programme. (Image: Glasgow City Council)

The planning application said: "The project will consolidate a range of civic, community and support services within a single, accessible building."

Library services would move from Hecla Avenue to the ground floor of the west wing. This would allow housing to be developed at Hecla Square, where significant demolition has taken place in recent years.

Flexible and bookable spaces for exhibitions and community events are planned on the upper floors. Areas for children, young people and adults would also be included, alongside 12 computers and a quiet study space.

Council and third sector services are expected to operate from the east wing. A central area would "operate as a community hub".

The plans said: "The relocation of library and community services to Garscadden House will release development opportunities around Hecla Square, an area that has experienced significant demolition in recent years."

They added: "The delivery of new housing and the subsequent increase in population will support the long-term regeneration of the town centre and reinforce the role of Drumchapel town hall as a civic anchor within the area."

Proposed town hall facilities include an open-plan social area, a private room for prayer, baby feeding and smaller groups, plus a bookable hall and community rooms. Toilets and baby-changing facilities are also planned.

Garscadden House is described in the application as an "under-occupied business centre". It has been operated by Jobs and Business Glasgow, an arms-length organisation of the council.

Other projects in the wider programme include refurbishment of the former bowling pavilion in Drumchapel Park. It is intended to provide a cycling workshop, community space and café.

The application said Garscadden House could become a "renewed and enduring civic asset at the heart of Drumchapel, contributing positively to the ongoing regeneration and long-term vitality of the town centre".

A separate planning application is due to be submitted for civic space, including public realm improvements and active travel connections.