Garrioch Residents' Association case study

Garrioch Quadrant, Glasgow, G20.

Project

Who

Garrioch Residents’ Association is a constituted association with an elected committee and membership open to all residents. Started in 1976, there is an active membership of around 20 residents. The Association’s main work is the running and improvement of the communal backcourt.

What

The backcourt is an open, communal space between the tenements on Garrioch Road, Garrioch Drive, Garrioch Crescent and Garrioch Quadrant. The properties are all traditional red sandstone tenements.

When

The backcourt underwent major redevelopment 30 years ago. Ongoing maintenance and improvement by the residents has continued since then.

Why

The major redevelopment was essential to deal with an unsafe and dilapidated backcourt, and the Residents’ Association was originally set up to deal with the planning and funding-raising for the redevelopment. Another aim of the Association was to create a safe and pleasant environment for everyone, and the maintenance and improvement of the backcourt has continued since 1977.

History

The residents had a growing concern in the early 1970’s about the deterioration of the backcourts and the potential risks to children playing in this area. The backcourts were rat infested with broken railings and a high degree of dilapidation. The health and safety department were contacted and it was the health and safety officer who suggested that the residents apply for an improvement grant.

This was awarded and major redevelopment work was done in the backcourt in 1977. Consultation meetings were held and there was no resistance to the proposals as people were eager to improve the area. The entire backcourt was re-designed and landscaped, opening it up into a fully common space. Large, enclosed brick sheds were built, with metal chutes for access.

Since the major redevelopment, there has been no further major investment, but the Residents’ Association has continued to oversee the further development of the Garrioch backcourt. There have been many small improvements and innovations which have turned the backcourt into an attractive community garden used and enjoyed by the residents.

The 25th anniversary of the redevelopment was celebrated in 2003 and was attended by Ann McKechin MP, Councillor Kirsten Mossan and MSP Patricia Ferguson.

Social

Ownership & Involvement

The residents are 85% owner occupiers. There is a high level of resident involvement, either as members of the Residents’ Association committee or in gardening and maintaining the backcourt. The committee meets quarterly to arrange and revise rules, and to set up various activities. The backcourt is used for many social activities and events are run regularly – Easter Egg Hunts, mulled wine at Christmas, communal barbeques, etc.

The whole backcourt area is open to all, and anyone interested in gardening can work a section of the garden either as a personal project or jointly with others. Beginners to gardening are also encouraged and supported. All the plants and shrubs have been provided by the residents and there is a communal shed containing gardening equipment for everyone to use. There is great flexibility and a sense of diversity in the backcourt as there is no strict planting design or scheme.

Consultation

The Residents’ Association have made adaptations over the years, and these have been undertaken after consultation and general agreement. One of the changes involved turning the children’s play area into a communal barbeque area. This has proved popular as there are fewer children living in the surrounding tenements now, but many residents of all ages who enjoy a barbeque.

There are other improvements that the Residents’ Association would like to see developed in the future – including addressing the lack of water and electricity supply to the backcourt, and a drainage problem at one end of the site.

Environmental

Safety

One of the key aspects to the backcourt is the sense of security and safety. The access to the backcourt is limited by secure close doors and locked gates at the one service access point. This sense of enclosure, almost a ‘secret garden’ atmosphere, is a very attractive part of the Garrioch backcourt.

However, the Residents’ Association is looking to address other safety issues. Currently, the backcourt is not suitable for unsupervised children as there is an un-fenced 1.5 metre drop at one end of the site.

Biodiversity

Birds and insects are encouraged through the range of planting and the provision of wilder spaces. There are bird boxes and feeders are in many parts of the backcourt.

Waste

The residents are active recyclers and have already undertaken various methods of composting, including the Bokashi method (supported by the Coach House Trust). Re-use and refurbishment of resources can be seen in many parts of the backcourt. The residents are eager for council recycling to be introduced into the backcourt. They have space available for the new bins and have lobbied Glasgow City Council to bring the tenemental recycling collections into their area. They would also like to increase other waste diversion activities.

Economic Factors

Funding Sources

The original re-development in 1977 was funded by a 100% grant, available from the Glasgow Local Authority at that time to many tenemental properties.

Since then, the Garrioch Residents’ Association has achieved a great deal with very little external financial investment. Each flat contributes to annual maintenance - £10 per flat per quarter. This fund used to pay for regular grass cutting and for the overall maintenance, management and further improvements.

The committee estimates that only £6,000 has been provided from external funding in the past 30 years. They are currently researching other funding possibilities as there are new improvements planned and major dilapidations to the bin stores.

Property value

A Scottish property magazine has featured Garrioch Quadrant as an extremely good example of tenement living. Residents estimate that around £25,000 has been added to the value of their properties as a result of the good condition of their backcourt.

Construction & Maintenance

Since 1977 redevelopment, the whole backcourt area has been adapted and improved by the residents themselves with minimum expenditure – reusing and recycling materials from elsewhere.

The large brick bin-stores constructed during in 1977 are no longer used as originally intended. Large 660l euro bins are now in use, and there is ample room for them. One of the bin-stores has become the gardening tool store and office.

The access road has been repaved recently, and new fences and gates are planned for the entrances.

The maintenance of the green areas is taken care of by residents of the backcourt. But it is the maintenance of the common buildings that causes the Residents’ Association problems. The bricks of all the bin-stores need to be re-faced, due to some cost-cutting in the original construction. Though some work has already been done on this, it is expensive and climbing plants are a more attractive, though short-term, solution to hide the problem.

Gallery

Summary of Project

Garrioch backcourt shows what can be achieved when residents’ commitment is invested in the long-term. After the major redevelopment 30 years ago, the backcourt has been improving incrementally, with the small actions of residents coming together to have a large cumulative effect.

The active Residents’ Association organises and plans for the backcourt, with an eye to further improvements and new initiatives. This level of community management has ensured that the communal backcourt has avoided the usual problem of common areas – everyone’s responsibility, and therefore no-one’s.

This backcourt is a real communal garden, open to all residents to use and enjoy. Those who work in the garden are enriching the environment for whole community, which includes those who do not or cannot take part in the physical work. The backcourt is a focus and venue for community activity.

By improving the standard of their backcourt, the Garrioch residents are setting an example to new residents, who are encouraged to get involved. Many residents have been attracted to the Garrioch tenements because of the quality of the backcourt. A long-term commitment and a high level of community involvement is needed to build this type of sustainable backcourt.

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