Built Heritage Commission for Glasgow established

Built heritage is key to not only Glasgow's civic pride but contributes to the local economy.  The Commission will act as a collaborative forum which will identify how best to sustainably manage the built heritage of the city in the future and champion the heritage agenda.

The BHC will also focus on finding solutions to the complex challenges facing parts of our built heritage, looking at issues around vacant and neglected properties and identifying sustainable uses for these.  One issue which will be discussed is how best to use a £1.7million fund to bring such properties back to productive use.

The Commission - which will meet three times a year - will be chaired by an administration councillor and an independent co-chair, with each political group at Glasgow City Council sending a representative.  Other members of the BHC will include council officers, funders and stakeholders, local heritage charities, Historic Environment Scotland and other statutory bodies, and local community groups.

Glasgow Building Preservation Trust and Glasgow City Heritage Trust will be key partners within the Commission and their expert knowledge in the city will be key to supporting and facilitating the work of the BHC.

The remit of the Commission is to provide strategic advice to Glasgow City Council, and its public, private and third sector partners on issues including:

• The council's heritage assets
• Funding, policy, planning and legislative updates
• Conservation Area updates
• Overview of listed buildings at risk
• Identification of sustainable future uses for heritage assets
• Public Realm
• Sustainability and climate change considerations

It should be noted that the Commission will have limitations to its scope, as it cannot reasonably be expected to save every historic building in Glasgow, or intervene in statutory Planning or Building Standards activities, decisions, or duties.

The first meeting of the BHC will take place before the summer recess.

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: "We are rightly proud of Glasgow's built heritage, and the creation of a Built Heritage Commission for the city underlines our commitment to protecting, maintaining and finding new and sustainable uses for it.  Working with our partners in the heritage sector, the Commission will provide guidance for the action that will deliver the economic, environmental and social benefits that a successful built heritage strategy brings."