Golfhill Public School, Circus Drive, Dennistoun

Board school, tall 3-storey block built of bull-faced red ashlar with polished dressings and strings dividing floors. Symmetrical front elevation with centre range with pilasters at 1st floor, lettering, outer doors at ground and arched window heads; outshots on flanks also with entrances and with engaged octagonal turrets; huge mullioned and transomed windows at rear. (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)

May 2010: A member of the public nominates the building for inclusion on the Register via the website. The building is advised as empty and secured with windows and doors boarded up only on the ground floor. Broken windows on the upper floors. There may be structural problems with the building.

November 2010: External inspection finds the ground floor windows boarded up and many upper floor windows are broken. There are a number of damp, green patches on the walls. Plants are growing on some flat surfaces. A local resident reports the school has been closed for 4-5 years. The Glasgow Evening Times reported in April 2009 that the pupils were moved out of the building following significant structural movement being identified in the building.

December 2010: A member of the public advises the Janitors House has been cleared out & is now unoccupied & boarded up.

10 June 2013: External inspection finds some upper windows are boarded internally. Significant vegetation growths are now evident to all elevations and lead has been stripped from parts of the building. Much dampness is also evident.

25 October 2013: Local planners advise the building remains disused. It is understood to suffer from structural problems.

12 March 2014: Local planners note the property is due to be marketed for sale shortly through City Property Glasgow.

18 August 2014: The former school is being marketed for sale (with the associated janitor's house) as a development opportunity through City Property Glasgow.

November 2016: A member of the public reports the site is now being sold to a property developer. The Glasgow Evening News reported (22/9/2016) that the disposal of the site to Spectrum Properties, who anticipate progressing a application for residential conversion of the former school, had been approved by Glasgow City Council's Executive Committee.

5 July 2017: External inspection finds the former school remains disused and is deteriorating. Vegetation growth has taken a hold across the site, the roof pitches are undulating and small holes are evident. Walls are damp in places, glazings are widely broken at upper levels and the boundary wall has collapsed in sections.

24 July 2017: Full Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for the redevelopment of the site into flats with a retained facade of the school is being sought ref: 17/01360/DC 17/01361/DC.

17 October 2018: Full Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for a residential redevelopment of the site, incorporating a facade retention of the former school and re-use of the janitors house, with associated new build are being sought ref: 18/01642/FUL & 18/02800/LBA. Applications noted previously have been withdrawn.

13 November 2019: Listed building consent (ref. 18/02800/LBA) for substantial demolition, facade retention and extension associated with residential conversion (18 units), internal and external alterations to former janitor's house, and alterations to boundary treatments granted subject to conditions.

17 September 2020: Urban Realm website reports (17/9/2020) on the commencement of site works at the former school. Moved to Restoration in Progress.

1 October 2021: Local planner contacts BAR to advise that full conversion works are yet to commence at the site. Building Warrant has been submitted for the demolition of the rear portion of the building (21/000583/BW). In parallel with this, a further Building Warrant application (21/00036/BW) for the new building element behind the facade retention has also been submitted and both applications are currently under consideration by Glasgow City Council Building Standard Service. It is understood that the developer intends to commence on site as soon as Building Warrants are in place for the development. Moved to At Risk.

1 November 2021: A member of the public contacts BARR to advise vegetation on surrounding land has been cleared and materials are now being stored at the site.

27 May 2022: BARR is advised revised consent for the redevelopment of the school site has been conditionally approved.

16 February 2023: External inspection finds the building to be in generally the same condition as previous assessments. The windows have been further damaged and some upper window frames are missing or no longer in situ. Sections of the iron fencing are damaged or missing. The surrounding area appears to have been cleared of vegetation in preparation for works and scaffold supplies are stored onsite. Building remains At-Risk.