To be published on 3rd December 2016 
Michael Barrett sent me this real interesting plan of Glasgow Road. Drawn up by the County Council in 1977, it shows some proposals for developing Glasgow Road, i.e what was to happen after the tenements were knocked down.
However, what is quite unique about this drawing, is the plan was amended or abandoned, for the proposals are NOT shown in where they ended up today.
The heavy lined buildings with hatched lined shading show the proposals which were abandoned. The Sports Centre was to be positioned between John Street and Forrest Street, which probably made sense at the time next to the football park. However, as we know , the Sports Centre ended up west of John Street.
Other abandoned plans was the continuation of Clydeview Shopping Centre, past Logan Street and right up to the corner of Church Street, facing out on to Glasgow Road. A small carpark was to be built at the end of Church Street to access these retail units. A brand new community or church hall was to be built beside Stonefield Parish Church with suitable carparking. Large Industrial units were to be built at Herbertson Street.
Looking into this a little further, I found out that this logical plan above was abandoned for several reasons. The fire burning down Stonefield Parish Church on 3rd September 1979, meant that a hall and carparks were no longer needed and likely scrapped at last minute.
I uncovered that the council were struggling to provide a budget for Blantyre’s redevelopment by 1978 but were determined to proceed regardless. Rising costs in land acquisition, the proposal to extend the park to Glasgow Road and additional costs to compensate businesses who were still trading at the time demolition was planned stressed budgets further. Problems continued in 1979 in trying to attain a budget for the expense of creating a modern sports centre, and the ongoing discussion about whether this should accommodate swimming baths, meant plans for the sports centre were put on hold for a time, until proper funding could be secured. By the time funds were announced, it had already been decided that a larger sheltered housing complex should be placed in the area, the proposal for Devlin Grove.
There’s much more to Glasgow Roads redevelopment story, and now I’m getting to grips with the history, businesses and details of Glasgow Road, it’s something I hope to bring in much more detail in due course.
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