Elderpark Housing is exploring ways of transforming an unloved piece of land into a community garden hub with space for growing produce and with a firm sustainability purpose.
The ground was once occupied by the janitor’s home linked to the 1974-built Hills Trust primary school. The buildings were demolished around 2010.

Just yards away Elderpark Housing now occupy the 1970s school’s historic predecessor – built in 1874 and the original Hills Trust School. It underwent a multi-million-pound transformation to create the Association’s new offices while preserving part of Govan’s impressive built heritage.

While funding is still to be secured to make the plans a reality, Elderpark Housing said it is “making good progress” with initial ideas to utilise the ground for the benefit of the community.

The proposals include:

• Flower and vegetable growing opportunities with a firm emphasis on growing “culturally appropriate” produce to reflect the diverse nature of Govan’s modern-day ethnic mix
• A bike station
• Recycling opportunities
• Encouraging local schools to utilise the garden for outdoor learning - further fostering already strong links between the housing association and schools
• Organised walks starting and finishing from the garden while also creating a haven of peace and tranquillity for local people to enjoy and encourage positive mental health

Jonathan Giddings-Reid, community regeneration officer at Elderpark Housing, said: “We are very confident that we will make these exciting plans a reality with enthusiastic community backing - transforming land which has been unused for many years. Elderpark Housing is always looking at ways to create opportunities for wellbeing among our tenants and the wider neighbourhood and this redevelopment of waste ground helps achieve that. We are encouraging the community to come forward and support our plans and once finished we anticipate local people will play an important role in looking after it.”

The location of the ground can be found sandwiched between Elderpark’s offices and new homes built at Nethan Street by Elderpark Housing in 2021 not far from Govan Cross.