New villas approved on former Glasgow all-girls private school Craigholme site

A former school is to be partly demolished to make way for villas and apartments in Glasgow.

Craigholme School in St Andrews Drive, Pollokshields, will be transformed into ten new homes made up of four houses and six duplex apartments.

There were 12 objections over the development, with concerns voiced over design, privacy and the impact on the West Pollokshields Conservation Area among others.

Councillors approved the proposals from Wellwood Leslie Architects at the Glasgow City Council planning applications committee this week.

The vacant school is made up of five original villas interconnected with large areas of infill. The development would see the infill knocked down along with a large rear extension. Part of an extension to one of the villas is also to be demolished.

A line of common Lime trees are to be planted on St Andrews Drive the meeting heard after Labour councillor Imran Alam asked what type would be put in.

Four trees are to be removed with 17 planted on the site, the meeting heard.

SNP Councillor Eva Bolander said it would be recommended to have different tree species planted to boost biodiversity.

She added: “It is nice to see a proposal where they have done a lot of thinking in respect to the conservation area.”

Green councillor Martha Wardrop asked for the planning conditions relating to the development to state precise materials for the gates, bins, a balcony on a villa and driveways.

Councillor Wardrop said: “I don’t want the balcony, gates and bin to detract from the appearance of the enhanced property work that is done.”

“I have seen developments where they can cause an eyesore and result in not meeting the required historic environment policy objectives.”

A council officer said conditions would be altered to be more explicit in relation to details of materials to protect the appearance of the development.

The committee granted planning permission and conservation area consent subject to conditions and legal agreement.

The officer said he would check about options for biodiversity regarding an alternative to Lime trees at the site while maintaining the conservation standards.