Glasgow's Red Road flats to be demolished in double 'blowdown'

Two blocks of flats at Red Road in Glasgow now look likely to be demolished next year in a double ‘blowdown’.

Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) plans to bring down the two blocks on the site at the same time to minimise disruption to the local community.

Proposals had been in place for 153-213 Petershill Drive to come down this summer, with 10-30 Petershill Court scheduled to be demolished in 2011.

However contractor Safedem Ltd, which had the demolition contract for the first block, recently won the contract to carry out demolition work on the second block – resulting in plans to bring down the two simultaneously.

Local residents would have faced two sets of road and rail closures, as well as evacuations from their homes, if the demolitions had taken part separately.

Jim Sneddon, GHA’s Executive Director of Regeneration, said: “We are always very mindful about the disruption a demolition causes to the wider community.

"When we appointed Safedem as the contractor for the second block at Red Road we felt it made sense to now consider doing the two blocks at once.

“The demolition of the Red Road blocks is an important part of plans to create new, popular and sustainable communities which have already seen more than 250 new homes built nearby.”

Safedem's Managing Director William Sinclair said: “We have been working with GHA and the local community for just over a year now and have carried out continual reviews to minimise the impact of our operations upon local residents and businesses.

“Now that we are involved with the demolition of this next building, it didn't make sense to go ahead and demolish the first building then, a few months later, demolish the next building.

“It does, however, make sense to have one blowdown demolition operation bringing both buildings down at the same time to minimise the impact on the community.

“It means there will be less upheaval having only one evacuation for local residents and businesses instead of two.”

Safedem's Community Liaison Team is opening a new Demolition Information Centre next month for residents to get up-to-date information and discuss the plans.

Preparation work for the demolition is now under way with ongoing consultation between all parties including GHA, Safedem and Red Road Balornock Local Housing Organisation (LHO) which manages homes in the area on behalf of GHA.

A boundary fence was already in place for the demolition of 153-213 Petershill Drive, but this will now be extended to take in the site at 10-30 Petershill Court.

The footpath and stair access that currently run along the south and east sides of Petershill Court will be closed. Parking restrictions will also be in place at the shops to the west of Petershill Court.

The flats at Red Road in the north of the city have been one of the best known landmarks in the city for nearly half a century. The eight blocks were built between 1964 and 1969 and stretch up to 30 storeys high.

Designed by architect Sam Bunton and built on a former cabbage patch, they were hailed as the tallest residential buildings in Europe.
 
A decision to demolish the flats at Red Road was taken by GHA in 2005 following a decline in demand and popularity of the blocks as well as high investment and running costs. The entire demolition and site clearance should be completed by 2016.