I fear for Glasgow's listed buildings in the hands of city's leaders

The Herald Scotland

17-07-2025

This week, Mark Smith wrote that an appeal by the owner of the Vogue cinema in Possilpark to revoke the category C listing was thankfully rejected by the reporter appointed by Scottish ministers ("Incoherent, inconsistent, confused and ineffective", The Herald, July 14). Due to a communication failure between Glasgow City Council and Historic Environment Scotland, the empty cinema had already been partly demolished, a failure which was underlined in the reporter's decision.
On June 17, Glasgow City Council's planning committee met to approve or reject the proposal for a 356-bed student block which would utterly obscure the south elevation of Mackintosh's Category A-listed masterwork, the Glasgow School of Art. It was clear that some members of the committee could not read the drawings provided by the applicant and I was utterly astonished by their complete lack of critical assessment as they approved the proposals, against the advice of Historic Environment Scotland, thereby putting in jeopardy the 'faithful reinstatement' of the building promised by the art school leadership.
Consequently, I am genuinely fearful about the future of the city's listed buildings and its architectural heritage in the hands of its current leadership, councillors and planning officials.
Professor Alan Dunlop FRIAS, Aberfoyle.
Read more letters
When small isn't beautiful
Alister MacLeod (Letters, July 14) asked whether large numbers of mini-wind power generators might feasibly replace 'giant wind turbines' and be effective suppliers of electric power to the grid. Unfortunately, small turbines can deliver only small amounts of power and, as he surmised, the number of mini-generators would be huge.
To a first approximation, the power generated by a wind turbine is proportional to the square of its diameter. A typical turbine at the Whitelee wind farm has a diameter of 93 metres and generates a 'notional' 2.2MW of power. To generate the same power using turbines one hundredth of this size (0.93 metres diameter) would require 10,000 such units. Deploying turbines only two feet (0.6 metres) in diameter would require in excess of 25,000 units. Connecting such large numbers of generators to the grid is quite impractical.
In our lifetimes we have become used to simply flicking a switch to get power in our homes and we fail to appreciate just how 'power hungry' we have become. The electric kettle in our kitchen requires power equivalent to that of four horses. A toaster needs the power of a pair of horses. A typical domestic gas boiler used to provide hot water and central heating uses power equivalent to that of 40 horses.
We are perhaps used to feeling the power of the wind blowing on our faces or the heat from the sun burning our skin. In reality, however, neither wind nor solar power are energy-dense and, as long as we seek to enjoy our power-hungry lifestyles, we will require energy-dense power sources such as fossil and nuclear fuels.
Norman Bolton, Newton Mearns.
Let's have more culture
For good reason the Letters Pages in The Herald tend to be dominated by political, economic and social issues such as the constitution, international conflicts, taxation and the gender debate. Many of the contributors take entrenched positions and there is a limit to how many circles can be gone round.
Should there be space for discussion on arts and cultural items that have featured in The Herald? In the last few weeks I took on board two of Neil Mackay's recommendations and would have missed them otherwise.
Firstly the film Make it to Munich is simply a heart-warming story, in particular the genuine friendship between Ethan (he suffered life-threatening injuries in a road accident) and his consultant. Despite, I'm guessing, having a 40-year age difference, they came across as simply being great mates out cycling.
Secondly I've just finished the first part of the book On the Calculation of Volume, which Mr Mackay also strongly recommended. It's not the sort of book I'd normally hear about, never mind buy and read, but I found it strangely intoxicating without really understanding why. I'm looking forward to the second part and trying to figure what it is about the writing that grips me.
I'm aware of the occasional letter for example on a concert review or about the BBC. I think it would be good to broaden the Letters Pages even further. Certainly Neil Mackay broadened my outlook and that can never be a bad thing.
Willie Towers, Alford.
Protect our libraries
With the desperate situation in today's USA of libraries being metaphorically set on fire, could we in Scotland show an example by expanding the service instead of shutting down access?
The pathetically small amount of cash needed to continue staffing school and local libraries doesn't come close to the wasted finances over recent years.
No matter what your beliefs, woke attitudes, whatever, being able to research and discuss should always take precedence.
Jim Campbell, Bearsden.
Yesterday's Picture of the Day by reader Jackie Gordon (Image: Contributed)
Damselfly confusion
Jacki Gordon's Picture of the Day today (The Herald, July 16) was labelled as being a dragonfly and damselfly feeling the love. Sorry, it's a nice photo captured well, but let down by an inaccurate caption.
The photo, as probably most viewers will realise, is in fact of a male (the blue-coloured one) and a female damselfly mating. Whether or not they are in love is not for me to say. While this not a guaranteed identification of the species it's likely they are common blue damselflies. (Other blue species are of course available.)
Alastair Clark, Stranraer.
Just sport, please. Nothing more
The padding-out of every single sports event on television, to include pre-match, mid-match and post-match interviews and analyses, has reached new lengths (or heights/depths /limits?).
Perhaps we could have just watch the sports without expert advice?
Allan McDougall, Neilston.