A £300million plan to redevelop Tradeston is being put at risk by a dilapidated warehouse.
A £300million plan to redevelop Tradeston is being put at risk by a dilapidated warehouse.
Historic Scotland sparked a furious reaction from the developers and the city council after refusing permission to knock down the B-listed Beco building in Glasgow's Kingston Street.
John Smyth, the man behind the plan to breathe new life into the largely derelict area, is "baffled".
And council leader Steven Purcell is believed to be furious that Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson has backed the decision.
A City Chambers source said the building was a "monstrosity" and they were "gobsmacked" by Historic Scotland's recommendation.
"It is of no worth to Glasgow's heritage," he said.
"This is delaying a project worth in excess of £300m, with more than 1000 riverside apartments with complementary retail and leisure components. And that doesn't include public sector investment of around £40m in the new pedestrian bridge."
The development has been planned in several stages to transform the derelict warehouses and dock buildings across the Clyde from the city's financial district.
Phase one will begin soon, but the developer warned the second phase was now on the "back burner".
The council source added: "This has the potential to knock back this regeneration by a couple of years. It could knock it back by 10 years if the economic cycle changes and there's a downturn.
"Under those circumstances building new neighbourhoods and homes won't be as attractive a proposition as they are at the moment. This isn't just about the £300m investment, this is also about the jobs that go along with it.
"This is a key plank on the regeneration of the Clyde which Jack McConnell said was a national priority.
"We're absolutely bemused that this decision has been taken."
Mr Smyth also hit out at Ms Ferguson's decision.
He said: "This certainly doesn't encourage the regeneration of Tradeston.
"It's an old dilapidated warehouse which from our engineers' report is not particularly structurally sound.
"Our conservation experts say it's not of intrinsic value either as a building type or as an individual building.
"It means that we will have to go back and reconsider the second block of the regeneration plan."
Three hundred and thirty apartments are due to be built as part of that phase.
Mr Smyth added: "I've been an architect since 1978 and have dealt with English Heritage and its equivalent in Ireland and gone through the process on many occasions of fighting for and against the retention of listed buildings.
"We're pro-development, but we're practical people as well and I've never come across either a process or a decision of this nature in all my career.
"It is very difficult to understand the basis on which Historic Scotland thought it was worthwhile keeping, and more difficult to understand why the Minister who would have had another agenda - looking at the overall context - would go against the local authority of Glasgow City Council.
"We decided to keep another listed building on the site but I'm baffled why anybody would consider the Beco building worthy of retention."
The building is in Govan MSP Gordon Jackson's constituency and he was concerned about the future of the regeneration attempt.
He said: "This is a very important development and every effort must be made with the developers to ensure it goes ahead.
Ms Ferguson made her decision to back the preservation of the building after receiving a Historic Scotland recommendation that it could be accommodated within the development.
As Culture Minister, she speaks for Historic Scotland. She said: "Glasgow is a city that is very proud of its heritage and we have very few of these riverside and river area warehouses left.
"I would hope that this building could add value to the development.
"Historic Scotland have offered to meet the city council and the developer to discuss integration and I'd urge all the parties to meet as soon as possible to take that forward."
Council officials were meeting today to decide their next move.
Timesfile
THE Beco building was built in 1878 for draper Robert Kerr
Kingston Brass Company later took over the building
The description which earned it List-B status described it as a "five-storey, symmetrical ashlar draper's warehouse and showroom"
Tradeston was developed by the Trades House in the 1600s
It was used by ships to store cargo and was one of Glasgow's busiest commercial areas
Dozens of tenement warehouses were build in the area, which formed a grid pattern dating back to the 1800s
The district suffered badly when shipbuilding and associated river and dock industries went into decline
The rebirth of Tradeston was first plotted when Glasgow celebrated its status as European City of Architecture in 1999
Three years later, the Tradeston Development Strategy was unveiled and has since been spearheaded by Alburn Tradeston, a company launched by John and Noel Smyth
John Smyth was brimming with confidence in August when he declared: "This is a prime location. It will hold its value and its appeal."
