Calton-Barras action plan delivers 32 flats for mid-market rent
March 3 2022
CCG has completed work on a new affordable housing development at the junction of Little Dovehill and Bell Street in Glasgow city centre.
32 flats for mid-market rent have been handed over to Lowther Homes, part of the Wheatley Group, following a 48-week build with the first tenants already moving in.
Curving with the street line the brick-clad properties step down in height with the local topography on a complex urban site.
Designed by John Gilbert Architects to meet the 'Glasgow Standard' for space and energy efficiency the development wraps around a private backcourt with 5 electric charging enabled parking spaces, three reserved for wheelchair users and two for use by the Glasgow City Car Club.
Formerly the site of Dovehill Public School the site had languished as a 1,860sq/m car park since 1989 until a £2.4m council grant enabled development as part of the Calton-Barras action plan.
A curved frontage responds to an adjacent tenement
Dedicated parking is provided for three ground floor wheelchair accessible properties
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7 Comments
#1 Posted by Peter on 3 Mar 2022 at 19:54 PM
Nothing say 'affordable housing' like brand new £30k+ SUV parked in front of it.
#2 Posted by Roddy_ on 3 Mar 2022 at 20:09 PM
God - what a horrible, dull and plodding resi scheme to add to the one across the road that bears an uncanny resemblance to a young offenders institution.
The vertical format metal panels screams value engineering... 'can we lose a bit of brick off the top and at the gable where no one will ever notice?'.
But not to be defeated by this, the architects have been kind enough to offset that disappointment with the joyous splash of Pantone 448 C in the window panelling system. Looks great.
A rare cornucopia of architectural delights for Calton.
The vertical format metal panels screams value engineering... 'can we lose a bit of brick off the top and at the gable where no one will ever notice?'.
But not to be defeated by this, the architects have been kind enough to offset that disappointment with the joyous splash of Pantone 448 C in the window panelling system. Looks great.
A rare cornucopia of architectural delights for Calton.
#3 Posted by Spike on 4 Mar 2022 at 10:39 AM
I like this and think it positively contributes to the regeneration of this area.
#4 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 4 Mar 2022 at 11:04 AM
Filler -- just not very good filler at that.
Questions need to be asked regarding the economics of the project and the efficiency of the build.
Just what is mid market rent in Glasgow -- is it £500 / £600 / £700 per month -- and why does it need a £75K per unit subsidy from public funds to make ends meet?
What is the Glasgow standard and how does it compare with the commercial builds over the road?
Overall very poor.
Very poor design -- mid market rent means no cars -- doesn't quite stack up.
Very poor build -- from memory messy in the extreme.
Overall -- probably have been better to leave it as a car park and see how the commercial sector developed in the area.
Opportunity cost -- the £2.4mill could surely have been better spent elsewhere.
Economic development for example.
Questions need to be asked regarding the economics of the project and the efficiency of the build.
Just what is mid market rent in Glasgow -- is it £500 / £600 / £700 per month -- and why does it need a £75K per unit subsidy from public funds to make ends meet?
What is the Glasgow standard and how does it compare with the commercial builds over the road?
Overall very poor.
Very poor design -- mid market rent means no cars -- doesn't quite stack up.
Very poor build -- from memory messy in the extreme.
Overall -- probably have been better to leave it as a car park and see how the commercial sector developed in the area.
Opportunity cost -- the £2.4mill could surely have been better spent elsewhere.
Economic development for example.
#5 Posted by Defence of the Dark Art on 7 Mar 2022 at 12:04 PM
#4 - what type of city do you want to live in? One where we have surface car parks instead of housing for people?
#2 There are some good points that you are completely ignoring, nice curved corners, good quality brickwork, nice window reveal detail. I think it's good on the whole, and it's great to have some dense urban housing close to the city centre without masses of parking.
#2 There are some good points that you are completely ignoring, nice curved corners, good quality brickwork, nice window reveal detail. I think it's good on the whole, and it's great to have some dense urban housing close to the city centre without masses of parking.
#6 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 7 Mar 2022 at 22:52 PM
32 flats for mid market rent requires a £2.4mill subsidy / grant from the local authority to make the numbers work -- some mistake surely?
What is the cost of a mid market rent apartment -- £600 / £700 / £800 pcm?
What are the economics of the build -- will the full story ever be published?
What is the opportunity cost of this local padding?
Who decides who will live in these flats and so benefit from the council subsidy mentioned above?
How much did the developer pay for the site?
Who did the developer buy the site from?
Has all the hallmarks of a money-go-round to transfer money from central government to a pet local authority without upsetting other councils.
What is the cost of a mid market rent apartment -- £600 / £700 / £800 pcm?
What are the economics of the build -- will the full story ever be published?
What is the opportunity cost of this local padding?
Who decides who will live in these flats and so benefit from the council subsidy mentioned above?
How much did the developer pay for the site?
Who did the developer buy the site from?
Has all the hallmarks of a money-go-round to transfer money from central government to a pet local authority without upsetting other councils.
#7 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 7 Mar 2022 at 23:16 PM
Google to the rescue ...
Glasgow:
1 bed flat = £420pcm.
2 bed flat = £530 pcm.
Criteria -- locally employed and earning less than £40K.
No wonder there are waiting lists for these properties.
Usual management issues comes into play -- pay rise to £41K ... ?!?
Does that mean that you get evicted?
Or do you keep the flat even though you work your way up the greasy pole and the salary question is never asked again -- not good.
Is there a bedroom inspector to make sure you don't get yourself a bidie in earning the big bucks?
Surely the tenancies should be time limited to allow more people to benefit from this scarce resource?
Or the rent would increase over time as careers developed and incomes improved?
No matter -- these are small potatoes compared to the £75K bung clouding the build economics.
Glasgow:
1 bed flat = £420pcm.
2 bed flat = £530 pcm.
Criteria -- locally employed and earning less than £40K.
No wonder there are waiting lists for these properties.
Usual management issues comes into play -- pay rise to £41K ... ?!?
Does that mean that you get evicted?
Or do you keep the flat even though you work your way up the greasy pole and the salary question is never asked again -- not good.
Is there a bedroom inspector to make sure you don't get yourself a bidie in earning the big bucks?
Surely the tenancies should be time limited to allow more people to benefit from this scarce resource?
Or the rent would increase over time as careers developed and incomes improved?
No matter -- these are small potatoes compared to the £75K bung clouding the build economics.
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