Object the demolition of former Hillhead Baptist Church
- 12 minutes ago
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I have written urging a call in the recent planning decision by Glasgow City Council to grant consent for the demolition of the Category B-listed Hillhead Baptist Church, 30 Cranworth Street.
This objection concerns the Planning Application 24/01934/FUL and Listed Building Application 24/01935/LBA for demolition of building and erection of flatted residential development (32 units) with associated landscaping and infrastructure.
The full text of my objection letter is below. You are welcome to use any or all parts of it in drafting your own letter to which you can submit to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government at: Jenny.Gilruth.msp@parliament.scot.
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
12 Commercial Street
Markinch
KY7 6DE
OBJECTION TO PLANNING APPLICATION 24/01935/LBA FOR DEMOLITION OF BUILDING FORMERLY KNOWN AS HILLHEAD BAPTIST CHURCH.
Dear Ms Gilruth,
I am writing to urge you to call in the recent planning decision by Glasgow City Council on June 16th to grant consent for the demolition of the Category B-listed Hillhead Baptist Church, 30 Cranworth Street.
Hillhead Baptist Church is a building of considerable architectural and historic significance. Designed by the Glasgow architect Thomas Lennox Watson and completed in 1883, it forms part of an important group of historic work that reflects the city’s Victorian prosperity. Its Category B listing recognises this special interest, and there is no credible evidence that the building has lost the architectural or historic qualities that warranted its designation.
Under NPF4 Policy 7(b), demolition of a listed building should only occur under exceptional circumstances, requiring robust evidence across four criteria. In this case, those tests have not been met:
The building remains of special interest, both architecturally and historically.
Structural assessments indicate it is capable of repair, with masonry largely sound and key features salvageable or retainable.
Economic arguments are insufficient, relying primarily on reduced developer profit rather than genuine non‑viability, and without adequate marketing of the site to alternative purchasers.
No significant public benefit has been demonstrated that would outweigh the permanent loss of this heritage asset.
Crucially, viable alternatives, such as facade retention, have not been meaningfully explored. This is despite numerous comparable examples across Glasgow, such as in Atlantic Square or Tureen Street school where the façade was successfully retained. The demolition of this historic building - without meaningful or sustained attempts to consider alternative routes - would set a troubling precedent in the way in which we approach built-heritage protection in Glasgow.
The proposed demolition has also gained significant public concern and opposition, with 378 objections to the demolition submitted during the planning process. These objections demonstrate the strength of local feeling about the importance of retaining this landmark building and the resonance it has within the community.
The demolition of Hillhead Baptist Church would ultimately result in the irreversible loss of a building of recognised architectural merit, without sufficient justification under national policy and without proper exploration of viable alternatives.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Sweeney MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Region
(Scottish Labour and Co-operative Party)
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