A historic church in the west end could be completely demolished with plans to retain part of the facade scrapped, leaving locals outraged.
The former Hillhead Baptist Church - at the junction of Cresswell Street and Cranworth Street - has been earmarked for redevelopment since 2017 after lying vacant for two decades.
Planning permission was granted to turn the B-listed building into 29 flats and facilities for the church but developers have now said that designs will have to change due to further deterioration.
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The roof has had to be removed as an "emergency measure" due to it being unstable with the facade also "deteriorating more quickly than anticipated".
Developers Wemyss Properties have now said it will be too costly to repair it.
MSP Paul Sweeney has accused developers of having "scant regard for local residents" and has warned that the strength of feeling of those opposed to the plans has been "misjudged".
He told Glasgow Live: "It’s deeply disappointing that the developer, Wemyss Properties, are looking to demolish the B-Listed Hillhead Baptist Church just off Byres Road. They already have planning permission to build flats in the building while retaining the façade and other key features, but they seem intent on trying to squeeze every last bit of profit from the proposal as possible with scant regard for local residents, the environmental impact or indeed the preservation of Glasgow’s architectural heritage.
“I have been contacted by countless constituents, with every one of them expressing their fury at this proposal and vowing to do everything they can to ensure it does not go ahead. I will be with them every step of the way and would encourage Wemyss Properties, in the strongest possible terms, to rethink this decision before it is too late.
“Local residents and others can take part in the consultation online and let Weymss Properties know that they have badly misjudged the strength of feeling on this issue. I am confident that we will reach a positive conclusion with any proposal for demolition ruled out and I look forward to working with the community to ensure that is the case.”
Documents submitted by Wemyss Properties on the project explained: "Recent condition surveys (March 2022 and June 2023) show that the building façade is now deteriorating more quickly than anticipated.
“Future repair work will be extensive and increasingly costly, compounded by the significant rise in construction costs and inflationary pressures.
“Given this situation, Wemyss Properties has inevitably had to subject its original assumptions to rigorous tests to determine the likely costs and viability of the project.
“An independent development consultant has reviewed all alternative uses (e.g. student accommodation, hotel) for the site to understand if they allow retention of the building’s façade, but unfortunately all options would generate significant financial losses.
“The unavoidable implication is that the demolition of the façade represents the only economically reasonable way forward. Based on this, the intention is to progress new proposals which no longer retain the façade.”
The plans are due to be submitted to Glasgow City Council later this year.
