Property developer responds to 'false claims' about fire-ravaged Glasgow tenement

A property developer has issued a statement dispelling claims about the future use of a fire-damaged tenement in Glasgow.

NG Homes was currently leading renovations at a building on Stonyhurst Street in Possilpark, when a fire broke out on Sunday, September 6.

Six fire appliances and two height vehicles, along with specialist resources, were dispatched to the scene with crews remaining to dampen down hotspots.

Following the blaze, rumours began circulating about the building’s future use, including that it could house asylum seekers.

This has been denied by developers NG Homes, who issued a statement confirming the property would be turned into affordable housing.

A spokesperson said: “We are aware that disinformation has circulated regarding the future use of the homes and would once again stress that these claims are false.

“The buildings are being refurbished to provide much-needed affordable homes and, as we have previously stated, these properties will be allocated in line with our Allocations Policy and Scottish housing legislation from our existing housing list.

“As a registered social landlord, we do not allocate housing to people who are not legally eligible for it, and all applications are assessed in accordance with the relevant legal requirements.”

Fire crews remain on scene at the tenement building in Possilpark. STV News

NG Homes also praised the emergency services for their “swift response”.

NG Homes said the extent of the damage is still being assessed, and it is “too early to confirm the impact on project timescales”.

They added: “Our focus remains on supporting the investigation and progressing the delivery of these much-needed homes for the Possilpark community as quickly as possible.”

First Minister John Swinney also spoke about the fire, vowing that “all the force of the law” will be applied if the tenement fire was deliberate.

Police Scotland confirmed “enquiries are ongoing” to establish the full circumstances of the fire.

Swinney said: “I am familiar with the information that’s been circulating about the suggestion that this could have been wilful fire-raising, because of concern that the accommodation was to host migrants.

“Now, whether that’s the case or not, it is completely and utterly unacceptable, because wilful fireraising is a criminal offence in our society.

“Those involved should be apprehended whatever the circumstances, and whether this accommodation was to be used to house migrants or not, this type of behaviour is completely and utterly unacceptable and it must be addressed.

“What we’ve got to face here is that if this type of information has been circulated, behaviour of this type is being perpetrated, it has got to be apprehended. People have to understand if they’re going to be involved in racist activity, which is involving potentially wilful fire-raising and any other threats to community safety, then all of the force of the law will be applied against them, because that behaviour is unacceptable in our society.”