Philipshill Hospital Chapel (Former), East Kilbride

Hospital chapel, memorial to John Innes, shipbuilder. White-harled, contrasting ashlar dressings, but a minimum of external monument, round-headed lights squat tower-chancel with engaged circular stair turret;
low nave. Slated roofs. Inside, a wide and massive neo-Romanesque chancel arch, low octagonal stone pulpit.

Ecclesiastical building in use as such. John Innes was head of the shipowning firm of Patrick Henderson and Company. (Historic Scotland)

1980s: The Chapel is declared unsafe, but subsequently remains stabilised.
1992: Philipshill Hospital closes.
5 February 1993: The East Kilbride News reports that the Philipshill Hospital site is to be cleared to make way for a new business park. However, there are hopes that the Chapel will be saved, and local planners are keen to see it restored and reused, possibly as office accommodation. Structural engineers are now to assess the structure of the building. It is reported that the Chapel is suffering from water ingress, with plaster falling from the ceiling. The East Kilbride History Society is supporting the retention of the Chapel.
6 August 1993: The East Kilbride News reports that passing ramblers have noticed continued deterioration in the building's fabric. The former hospital site is now in the ownership of East Kilbride Development Corporation, who purchased it earlier in the year from the Greater Glasgow Health Board. Although the Corporation has undertaken a security check, it is unwilling to allocate funds to the building until its place in future development plans is made concrete. The Corporation is soon to submit its proposals for the extension of the nearby Peel Park hi-tech business park onto the hospital site to the Scottish Secretary. The Corporation itself is soon to be wound up, and so ownership of the site is likely to pass to private developers in the near future.
November 1996: Inspection shows the condition of the Chapel to have deteriorated both externally and internally. SCT understands that a recent site meeting revealed vandalism resulting from poor security.
July 1997: The site remains in the ownership of Lanarkshire Development Agency.
March 1998: SCT understands that repair works are being undertaken, including the securing of windows and doors, the re-covering of the roof and the patching of holes, the overhaul of guttering and downpipes, and the consolidation of tower copes. The Chapel will continue to be ventilated once boarded-up as a holding measure whilst the site is marketed.
18 September 1998: The East Kilbride World reports that the Chapel is now wind and watertight. Local planners are to meet with East Kilbride History Society and Scottish Enterprise to discuss its future.
9 June 1999: The East Kilbride News reports that the Chapel has suffered a severe bout of vandalism. Masonry has been knocked down from the front entrance, internal and external doors broken, and grills and shutterings removed from openings. Meanwhile, the Rev. David Simpson is keen to take on the Chapel to house a church he and his wife have recently founded. The Cornerstone Church is currently trying to persuade the Lanarkshire Development Agency and Scottish Enterprise to let it take on the Chapel. Although the East Kilbride History Society is backing the proposals, the owners are concerned that separate ownership of this particular parcel of land could jeopardise the strategic development of the greater site.
December 1999: Local planners report that South Lanarkshire Council is now pursuing further repair and security works on behalf of Scottish Enterprise.
6 September 2000: The East Kilbride News reports that the entire hospital site has now been purchased by Taylor Woodrow for £16.5 million, after it was marketed via Glasgow-based Jones La Salle. Taylor Woodrow intends to develop the site into a hi-tech business park, and there is the possibility that the Chapel may be developed into a resource centre serving the new businesses.
January 2001: An outline planning application is submitted for the whole site which includes the retention of the Chapel, though no specific proposals for its reuse. SCT understands that discussions are to take place between local planners and the owners with regards to its rehabilitation.
April 2001: The owners confirm that they are currently investigating potential commerical uses of the Chapel.
June 2001: The owners note that the Chapel is now in extremely poor condition.
December 2001: Taylor Woodrow applies for Listed Building Consent to demolish the Chapel. A structural survey of the building reports that internal access is now not possible due to falling masonry and the deteriorating condition of the floor. Many slates have been removed along with some guttering, which has led to increased water ingress. There is evidence of some timber rot. The render of the external walls is now extensively cracked, and peeling has revealed that the original brickwork is in poor condition in places. Coping stones have been dislodged from the tower. An alternative plan to turn the Chapel into a Registry Office is now being mooted and is supported by the East Kilbride History Society.
January 2002: SCT objects to the demolition proposal.
February 2002: Local planners report that the application is currently being considered.
10 April 2002: The East Kilbride News reports that the application has been refused. Despite the structural report, it is noted that the Chapel is not dangerous and could be rehabilitated. Historic Scotland, the East Kilbride History Society, and the Architectural Heritage Society for Scotland all objected to the demolition. Repair costs are now estimated at £474,000 and investigations of grant aid have not proved fruitful. South Lanarkshire Council is now planning to issue a Repairs Notice on the owners. SCT receives an expression of interest from a member of the public, keen to turn the Chapel into a nursery.
August 2002: The East Kilbride History Society reports that Taylor Woodrow are planning to sell the Chapel.
September 2002: The East Kilbride History Society reports that Taylor Woodrow has now selected a purchaser for the site. It is understood that the Chapel is now to be converted into offices, a plan supported by the Society.
9 October 2002: The East Kilbride News carries notice of a planning application to convert the Chapel into offices. The application has been lodged by local company Artemis Design Partnership Ltd.
23 October 2002: The East Kilbride News reports Taylor Woodrow has launched an appeal against the decision not to grant permission to demolish. Although its preferred option is to sell to Artemis Design Partnership, it is keen to reserve the option to demolish should these plans not transpire. Artemis Design plans to spend £285,000 on renovation works, which could commence in January 2003. New offices would be constructed on a mezzanine level, with a meeting room located in the tower.
13 November 2002: The East Kilbride News carries notice of Artemis Design's change of use application.
18 December 2002: The East Kilbride News reports that though permissions have been granted for the scheme, it may not now transpire due to a failure to obtain grant aid from Historic Scotland and Scottish Enterprise. An inspection of the building found it to be below the outstanding level required to obtain funding from Historic Scotland. Although Artemis Design is keen to progress with its plans, it is warning that it may have to abandon them if alternative funding cannot be secured.
22 December 2002: The Evening Times similarly reports on the story.
19 January 2003: The East Kilbride News reports on the failure of the Artemis Design proposals.
7 May 2003: The East Kilbride News reports that grant aid from Historic Scotland may now be forthcoming, if Artemis Design meet certain specifications.
October 2003: Historic Scotland reports no change.
12 May 2004: The East Kilbride Mail reports that Taylor Woodrow has received 4 expressions of interest in the property.
October 2006: SCT is advised that the property has been sold and is currently being symathetically redeveloped by Stewart and McKenna ltd as office accomodation.

7 June 2013: External inspection finds the building now in generally fair condition, but conversion works have stopped and the building remains disused. Moved back to At Risk.

28 January 2014: The property is being marketed for sale at auction through Auction House Scotland at a guide price of £50,000-£70,000.

12 November 2019: A member of the public notes new build housing has been erected within the surrounding land.

21 October 2022: Planning permission is being sought for conversion of former chapel to dwellinghouse and addition of upper floor viewing room (ref: P/22/1368).

14 February 2023: Previous planning permission has been withdrawn and a new Listed Building Consent application submitted for the conversion of the chapel into a dwelling (P/23/0129)