DEMANDS for a public inquiry and for the Mackintosh building to be removed from Glasgow School of Art control have been made by Glasgow MSPs.

In a Scottish Parliament debate to mark one year since the second fire to devastate the famous building, questions over the handling of the restoration by the art school board were raised.

Pauline McNeill, Glasgow Labour MSP, led the debate and said there needs to be a recovery strategy for Sauchiehall Street to help business and residents.

MSPs across the political spectrum in the city were critical of the School of Art management and said an independent public inquiry is the only to uncover answers to what led to fire and if it could have been prevented.

Glasgow Times:

Ms McNeill began her speech by telling the story of a resident who returned home after a celebration to find they were unable to access their home.

And she listed several businesses who have either not re-opened or are struggling to survive following the long closure period.

Questions were raised about the response of the council and the plans for the future for Sauchiehall Street.

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Ms McNeill said: “I will never forget walking down Sauchiehall Street months after the fire and meeting with devastated business owners. Ask any resident and business about an adequate response and they will tell you they felt abandoned.”

Ms McNeill said that the community in Garnethill need answers to be able to feel secure in the future if the building is to undergo yet another restoration project.

She added: People do not feel safe in their own homes now, and they will not feel safe until there had been some accountability for this fire. New-build plans for the school must be shown to be robust both in the materials that are used and in the approach to construction.

“As we all have many questions about what actually happened on that night, we must see the fire report as soon as is practicably possible. We need answers.”

Glasgow Times:

The fire destroyed not only the Mackintosh building but the 02 ABC and Campus complex, which is still closed.

Glasgow School of Art said following the fire that it intends to rebuild the mackintosh and work, in the aftermath of the fire, was started to preserve as much of the exterior walls as possible.

Adam Tomkins, Glasgow Conservative MSP said however, the art school management has been incapable of looking after the building.

Instead, he said it should be taken under public control to be restored.

Mr Tomkins was scathing in his assessment of the Glasgow School of Art management and said that answers are needed.

He said there is a “compelling case” for a public inquiry and he wanted to know why it was at least 45 minutes before the alarm was raised.

The art school, he said, told people that it alone would decide how and when the Mackintosh would be rebuilt.

The MSP said that should not be allowed to happen.

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Mr Tomkins said: “Under the Glasgow School of Art the Mackintosh has been allowed to burn down twice.

“They have failed in their stewardship. I want it to be rebuilt as a public asset. It should not be rebuilt as a private art school.”

Sandra White SNP Kelvin MSP, whose constituency includes the Garnethill site said residents and businesses had been let down.

Ms White said: “As we await the fire report, we can only speculate on whether that was unfortunate or due to negligence, bad management or criminality. We must have a public inquiry into the two fires to find out exactly what happened at the Mack.”

Glasgow Times:

Patrick Harvie, Green MSP said: “It’s right that we acknowledge the deep distress and upheaval this tragedy inflicted on local residents and businesses and the serious concerns which remain, including calls for a full inquiry.”

The council said there are plans for Sauchiehall Street both in the short and long term.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “The Sauchiehall Avenue project, funded through City Deal, includes a major redesign of the stretch of Sauchiehall St that was affected by the fire.

“It remains on track to be completed this summer – despite the works being inevitably disrupted by the fire and the subsequent need to create an exclusion zone to protect public safety.

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“A Sauchiehall Street Task Force, which includes representation from local businesses, has a remit to guide the longer term strategy for the street.”