Billy Connolly, in an exclusive interview with the LOCAL NEWS in 1998, castigated the ‘idiots’ in the city chambers for their lack of consultation when regenerating the Gorbals and other parts of Glasgow.

He said then, ‘It always amazed me they never let the people of the Gorbals re-design it. Instead, they destroyed it. The people of Cowcaddens too, never really got a say. They were all deemed unable, by some half-wit at the city chambers.’

Of planners he said, ‘These are the people who designed Easterhouse, Drumchapel, Garthamlock and their total awfulnesses. I’m not just condemning them out of hand, they had already designed Knightswood – they got that right! When you design a place which has a waiting list for houses and trees lining the streets – then go ahead to build Drumchapel. That’s clever?’

But as recently as last month in the LOCAL NEWS, none other than Prince Charles and his ‘think tank’ of  the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment, selected Gorbals Crown Street as one of only three good examples in the UK of superior redevelopment and sustainable regeneration.

Scottish Enterprise Glasgow’s Brian Fitch, who is a regeneration specialist, was invited to a high powered meeting in the Prince’s private residence to tell the story of Gorbals renewal.

He told the LOCAL NEWS, ‘I echo the views of Billy Connolly. In 1998 that was the norm. But the public sector organisations have got their act together since then. Crown Street was at the forefront of inviting the community to participate in planning. The project was among the first in Britain to do this. We’ve learned from the mistakes of the 60s and 70s and moved on. It is normal practice now to invite communities to be round the table in regeneration project planning.’

New Gorbals Housing Association tenants were recently told great effort is being made to ensure residents – tenants and owner-occupiers – are actively involved in planning and developing their homes and the surrounding area.

In a reflection on 15 years of local redevelopment, Director Fraser Stewart said, ‘I believe there is no bad publicity. But planners and buildings have let people down in the past. It is very important for the local community to have a seat at the table when change is taking place and we’ve achieved that in Crown Street. In the past 15 years we’ve completed 1000 houses with 75% for sale and 25% affordable renting. This is the first urban regeneration project in Scotland to have been completed and to have recreated a high street which is akin to the heart of a community.’