St. Margaret’s Church, Oatlands

History & significance
The buildings (church, hall and manse) were designed by the prominent church architect, Peter MacGregor Chalmers and built in 1897-1902 as part of the Govan Parish Project (Church Extension Scheme) to address poverty. The church was closed and the congregation dissolved in 1984 and the building went into secular use, falling into disuse and disrepair in recent years. The building is Category B listed and, in addition to its architectural and historical importance, is of immense social and cultural value as the last remaining link to the historic Victorian tenemental neighbourhood of Oatlands.  A prominent and distinctive building, the main significant elements include the key elevation facing (Old) Polmadie Road, the spatial configuration of the interior and the attention to detail, including scriptural texts carved into the red sandstone walls.

The design proposals
Following an approach from Glasgow City Council (building’s owners), Glasgow Building Preservation Trust completed a feasibility study (options appraisal), with a view to repairing and transforming the building into a community facility for the Oatlands district.  The building forms an integral part of the wider Regeneration of Oatlands scheme (see www.oatlandsregeneration.co.uk for further information).

The study identified that the design scheme needed to combine a balance of community and business use to ensure long-term financial viability and that a new build extension would enable this by increasing floor area.  The new St. Margaret’s facility will provide a multi-use hall, meeting and event space, training rooms and catering facilities to allow community services to be delivered in the heart of Oatlands, providing a new focal point and much needed amenity for local residents.  Income from lettable offices will cross-subsidise the community element and it is hoped local businesses (particularly social enterprises) will be based there attracted by the building’s strong logistical position.

Current position
GBPT and the Design Team are working in close partnership with a range of key stakeholders, including Glasgow City Council, Community Planning Partnership, Glasgow South East Regeneration Agency, Linkwide and the local community to deliver the project. The total costs are in the region of £4 million and to date approximately one third of this has been secured.  Funding has been sourced from Glasgow City Council, Clyde Gateway URC and the Architectural Heritage Fund for the development phase of the project which will develop the design and cost proposals to planning stage.  Further funding applications for the main capital works are ongoing.

Consultants
Page\Park (Architect), Gardiner & Theobald (Cost Consultant, CDM Co-ordinator), David Narro Associates (Structural Engineer), Ramboll UK Limited (Services Engineer), ODS Consulting (Business Planning), Simpson & Brown Architects (Conservation Plan).