Elder Park Primary Earmarked for Demolition

It survived two world wars including an assault from the German Luftwaffe but now Elder Park Primary School is to be demolished by new owners Quarriers.

The children’s charity bought the 1899 Victorian red sandstone building for £265,000 from Glasgow City Council last year and intends to flatten it to construct an epilepsy centre. The plans have incensed locals who have formed SOS Linthouse, Save Our School. They hope to make the charity re-think its plans to demolish the building on St Kenneth Drive in Linthouse.

Govan was recently declared a conservation area but ironically the school is twelve feet over the boundary line.

Sarah Findlay of SOS said: ‘This is winnable and we intend to fight for this.’

Around 30 people comfortably gathered in the school for a meeting last month while heavy rains and high winds battered the water tight building.

And the group’s spirits have been boosted with the involvement of MSP Nicola Sturgeon who is now in the process of facilitating a meeting between Quarriers and SOS. There is hope this might be convened before the end of the year.

Sarah said: ‘No-one for Quarries has turned up at any of our meetings and all we have had is a letter. Children at the school have proposed the school could have an art centre on the ground floor and housing above – which would be great for the area.’

A spokesperson for Quarriers said: ‘Two years ago when Quarriers first began searching for a site in Govan to build a new National Epilepsy Centre, the criteria was that is should be situated close to the Institute of Neurology at the Southern General Hospital. When Quarriers agreed to purchase the site in September 2007 it was made clear to all concerned that the school would be demolished in order for the National Epilepsy Centre to be built. The new centre will be of national importance and will mean that people who suffer from Epilepsy in Scotland will be able to benefit from the most modern and up to date services.’