Glasgow Red Road blocks set for double 'blowdown' next year

THE demolition of one of the infamous Red Road tower blocks in Glasgow has been delayed until next year.

Proposals had been in place for 153-213 Petershill Drive to come down this summer, with 10-30 Petershill Court scheduled to be demolished in 2011.

Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) said it now plans to carry out a double "blowdown" on two of the blocks in the Springburn area of the city, to avoid unnecessary disruption.

GHA said that contractor Safedem, which had the demolition contract for the first block, also recently won the contract to carry out demolition work on the second block.

Accordingly, plans had been developed to bring down the two simultaneously to avoid unnecessary evacuations and traffic and rail disruption.

Jim Sneddon, GHA's executive director of regeneration, said: "The demolition of the Red Road blocks is an important part of plans to create new, popular and sustainable communities which have already seen more than 250 new homes built nearby."

Safedem's managing director, William Sinclair, said: "We have been working with GHA and the local community for just over a year now and have carried out continual reviews to minimise the impact of our operations upon local residents and businesses.

"Now that we are involved with the demolition of this next building, it didn't make sense to go ahead and demolish the first building then, a few months later, demolish the next building.

"It does, however, make sense to have one 'blowdown' demolition operation bringing both buildings down at the same time to minimise the impact on the community."

In March this year, three members of a family who had been seeking asylum died when they threw themselves from their flat in one of the blocks.