The sandstone tenement, a category B listed building located at the corner of Kenmure Street and Albert Drive, had stood abandoned since a fire gutted the property in 2020. In the early hours of Saturday morning, the structure crumbled, prompting emergency evacuations and road closures in the surrounding area.

The whistleblower, an architect who has chosen to remain anonymous, claims they previously urged the council to issue a dangerous buildings notice for the site, which could have initiated steps to safeguard the building’s future. However, Glasgow City Council confirmed that such a notice was never issued. It is understood that the council was waiting for ownership issues to be resolved before taking formal action, but the collapse preempted those plans, The Times has reported.

The architect has filed a formal complaint with Police Scotland, stating that the council failed to uphold its statutory duties. “The council is responsible for maintaining buildings in the city to ensure public safety and heritage preservation, and they failed in this regard,” the architect said.

“They did install a safety fence when I raised concerns several years ago, which offered some protection to the public. But they should have gone further. Issuing a Section 30 works notice or a listed building notice would have triggered a process requiring owners to carry out necessary repairs,” they explained. “Instead, no temporary roof was installed, and the building was left exposed to the elements.”

According to the architect, a senior council official cited budget constraints as a reason for inaction. “But financial concerns shouldn’t determine whether or not building control enforces the law, especially when it involves listed structures. Failing to maintain a listed building is a criminal offence.”

Efforts to save the tenement had reportedly stalled due to the absence of buildings insurance and the owners’ inability to fund repairs. The council had approached a local housing association to take over ownership, and negotiations were ongoing when the building collapsed.

This incident marks the second major structural failure in the Albert Cross area, an important part of Pollokshields and within a designated conservation zone.

Paul Sweeney, Labour MSP for Glasgow and a member of Holyrood’s working group on tenement maintenance, described the situation as “deeply frustrating,” particularly since the fire occurred five years ago.

“The lack of block insurance left owners unable to afford repairs, and the council failed to step in, despite having statutory powers to act, especially for listed buildings,” Sweeney said. “But in practice, local authorities are often reluctant to use these powers.”

He stressed the need for urgent legislative reform to protect Glasgow’s historic tenement stock. “There are around 70,000 Victorian and Edwardian tenements in the city, and their deteriorating condition has been a known issue for over a decade. We need a new Tenements Act in Scotland to address this crisis.”

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council confirmed that fencing had been installed around the building for some time prior to the collapse. “When the front wall gave way, the stonework landed well within the fenced perimeter. Public safety was not compromised,” the spokesperson said.