'Our job to make sure the building is still here for people coming in 100 years time'
IT'S a crisp winter's day, the sort perfect for ensuring clear sightlines to the horizon - the perfect day, in fact, to be on the roof at arguably the best viewing spot in Glasgow's Southside.
But a lack of timely repairs and a poorly done renovation in the 1980s had left the building in need of a lot of TLC in the form of a major repairs programme, no easy feat without the buy in from every owner. "But there's always one person in a building that holds things up for whatever reason. So my role is a mediator to get to the bottom of what the issue is and talk them through their financial options."
Statutory notices have been used to good effect in areas of Glasgow like Ibrox and, particularly, Govanhill, but would not be applicable in a largely well-maintained building like Camphill Gate.It's a difficult job having the residents, the factor and theHaving the council on board giving backing to the residents association was, Burt says, gave the group added authority.
When Burt and his wife were flat hunting they viewed their property in Camphill Gate and asked to see the roof but were told no one used it. When Burt first moved in the roof was being used as a dumping ground. He found a broken fridge, a bike with no wheels and planks of wood. Burt and Leitch are effusive about Sinclair and her additional powers of persuasion, which came in particularly handy when a stonework issue at the rear of the building added an extra £200,000 to the costs.
Glasgow City Heritage Trust was so impressed by the work of the residents that the Trust nominated Camphill Gate for the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings' inaugural Best Loved Building Award in 2022. Sinclair said:"Camphill Gate is such an unusual building, and both the council and Heritage Trust were so struck by the amount of work the residents were"That was down to Allistair and his neighbours because they really pushed for this funding – and that’s what a project like this takes."It needs really proactive owners who do that extra work on behalf of their neighbours. They were always prepared to give that amount of time.
After a great deal of negotiating with the owners of the 24 flats and 13 businesses, the funds and plans were finally in place when the pandemic hit and everything stopped. The 50% discount was a carrot and there was a stick too: no 50% grant and an extra 15% surcharge for any owners who didn't contribute.
The length of the Camphill Gate scheme has meant some people have moved on which, Leitch says, actually makes things easier as new owners buy properties knowing what's going to be involved.
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