Charity’s Park Circus base could be turned into flats

Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) moved out of its Park Circus premises in 2019 due to “extensive and costly maintenance and repairs” that the charity said couldn’t be justified.

Plans for the building

Now, development firm Bagshaw Ltd has asked Glasgow City Council for permission to turn the A-listed building into five homes.

It wants to refurbish the property, at 19 Park Circus, and then create three apartments in the main townhouse and two in the mews house, which is entered off Park Lane Terrace.

Building background

The building, within a conservation area, was home to SCIAF for 20 years, but it moved to a new office on West Nile Street to work from a “more energy efficient, modern building”.

At the time, the charity said the move would save money on bills and keep costs to a minimum, so “we can spend more supporting people in need”.

Bagshaw Ltd, which now owns the property, has asked the council to approve a change of use from offices to flats.

The A-listed building forms part of a circus of terraces formed around an oval garden, designed by Charles Wilson and built in the 1850s.

‘Extensive repairs’

Plans, submitted on behalf of the developer, state the property has been “neglected and requires extensive repairs, maintenance and refurbishment”.

They add: “The proposal is to subdivide the existing property into five dwellings and refurbish the existing property to a high standard, reusing, repairing and replacing all existing cornicing and ceiling rose work, timber panelling, architraves, facings, skirtings, doors and windows in keeping with the listed building.

“We propose to retain, restore and refurbish the existing passenger lift and retain access for all dwellings to the rear courtyard via the existing communal stair and rear door on the lower ground floor.”

Three of the apartments will be entered from Park Circus, with two accessed from Park Terrace Lane.