The Disruption is Finally Over.

In May 1843 the Disruption started.  There was split in the Presbyterian church in Scotland.  New places of worship were constructed, including the Maryhill High Church in Glasgow.  That congregation merged in the 1990s and the Church & Halls were sold.  The purchaser converted the listed building into a house & started a childrens’ nursery in the Halls.  Glasgow City Council authorised these works.

In 2011 Glasgow City Council served an Enforcement Notice requiring reinstatement of part of the Church spire, removed on the basis of safety.  In 2016 Glasgow City Council reported the owner to the Procurator Fiscal for non compliance with the Notice.  The Fiscal brought a case to the Sheriff Court causing major disruption in the lives of the owners & occupiers.

Pearson Planning, Chartered Surveyors was instructed, and applied to have the Church & Halls removed from the List.  Historic Environment Scotland, despite protests from GCC, agreed, and the Church & Halls was removed from the list of buildings of special architectural/historic interest.  The case against the Owner was dropped and court proceedings stopped.

One Hundred & Seventy Four years later, the disruption was finally over.

Meanwhile, Glasgow City Council’s former employee, Harry Clarke, who drove a bin lorry and killed 6 people faces no criminal charges…