Engine Works set to purchase council land in Partick as part of new wedding venue plans

Council-owned land in Partick is set to be sold to developers who are planning to turn a former church into a wedding and arts venue.

Officials at Glasgow City Council have recommended a £230,000 deal for an area between tenements at Ardery Street is approved this week.

It would see MIAD Holdings Ltd – which owns the old Partick Methodist Church – take over the site.

The firm, which is awaiting a decision on plans to convert the church, intends to use the land for deliveries and parking, according to a council report.

The owners, who run the Engine Works – an events space in Maryhill – have developed a £1.65m restoration plan for the old Methodist church on Dumbarton Road.

Their planning applications asked the council for permission to “rescue and reimagine” the building, creating West Works, which has been described as a “welcoming venue for weddings, events, arts, filming and community gatherings”.

Councillors on the city’s contracts and property committee will be asked to approve the sale of an L-shaped area of ground to the firm on Thursday.

An electricity sub-station on the site is expected to be bought by Scottish Power for £1 – which is a condition of the current lease.

A council report states MIAD Holdings Ltd bought the church in October last year and approached the council with “a view to acquiring the subject to include in its proposed refurbishment and redevelopment of the former church”. It adds the purchase price is £230,000.

A demolition warrant for the church site had previously been approved, but the planning application from owners, Michael McDonagh and Adele Gahagan McDonagh, states their plan will “save the building for future generations to embrace”.

It added: “We believe this project aligns with the regeneration goals of both Glasgow and Partick and should set a new benchmark for the thoughtful reuse of our historic buildings.”

Single-storey extensions are planned to the sides of the building, which have a capacity of 300. A Grand Hall is proposed for filming, arts performances, weddings, and events while the Vestry would be a “two-level space designed for workshops, exhibitions, and meetings, with the option to partition for privacy”.

The Ivy Tower would include a ground-floor catering kitchen, staff office, and wheelchair-accessible elevator as well as two VIP rooms and restrooms on the first-floor. A Hidden Garden is also planned.

Glasgow MSP Paul Sweeney, Labour, has submitted a letter of support for the application, which is currently under consideration by council planners.

He said: “While it is unfortunate there is no longer a congregation at the church, it is welcome that the team behind the Engine Works venue, based in Maryhill, are looking to achieve an adaptive reuse of the Partick Methodist Church building.

“Their plan will preserve the heritage of the site and breathe new life into the building – saving a community landmark that was at one point earmarked for demolition.”