BBC Buildings (Former), Queen Margaret Drive, Botanics

SW part J T Rochead, 1869-71, Renaissance villa converted to educational use; additions by James Miller 1936 and later. NE part John Keppie with C R Mackintosh (Honeyman and Keppie) 1895. Former medical building of Queen Margaret College, 1895. SW PART: 2 storeys, 3 x 5 bays. Polished ashlar, rusticated angles and flanking entrance strips. Sash and case windows, 4-pane glazing. (Historic Scotland)

Originally part of the site was occupied by North Park House, built for merchants John and Matthew Bell (Glasgow Pottery at Port Dundas). This Renaissance palazzo was begun by Rochead and completed by John Honeyman. (Williamson, Riches and Higgs)

In 1884 the building was acquired for Queen Margaret College, the first college for women in Scotland, and in 1895, the College began building Britain's first women's medical school on the site, designed by architects Honeyman and Keppie, and an associate, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The college closed in 1935 and principal architect James Miller began adapting the Glasgow site for BBC Scotland in 1936, allowing for the site’s buildings to be used in the production, administration and broadcasting of BBC Scotland's radio and television.(RCAHMS)

November 2010: External inspection finds only the front building remains, the rest of the site having been cleared. Ground floor and some 1st floor windows have been boarded up, some glazing to the rear has been lost. The building has been closed since the BBC relocated to Pacific Quay. The site was purchased by QMD Glasgow Limited, who secured permission for a scheme including hotel, flats and townhouses in 2008. The Glasgow Evening Times reported in August 2010, that the site had been bought by West Register Investments, after QMD Glasgow Limited had to call in administrators. The current owners are marketing the site for lease until market conditions improve, at which time the hotel development hopes to be revived.

June 2011: A member of the public reports that the lead roofing of the cupola on the Macintosh section of the site appears to have been partially or fully removed, exposing the wooden sarking boards.

November 2011: BBC News website reports the site has been secured by Stefan King‘s G1 Group for conversion to a new headquarters for the company.

13 August 2012: A member of the public advises workman have been on site. A Building Warrant for - Alteration - conversion - refurbishment of vacant class 2 office and reinstatement of former dwelling is under consideration ref: 12/00755/BW.

2 November 2012: Full Planning Permission for alteration and conversion of the building to form offices and conference facilities has been lodged with Glasgow City Council ref: 12/02052/DC.

16 November 2012: Full Planning Permission for 19 townhouses and 79 apartments in the cleared area of the former BBC site has been lodged with Glasgow City Council ref: 12/02120/DC.