TABLE TH E spectre of a 15-year-old property deal hangs over any
plans which the Greater Glasgow Health Board might have to dispose of
two of its prime hospital sites.
In 1977, the Government sold the 600-acre site of the former
Robroyston Hospital in the north of Glasgow to Aberdeenshire-based
property developers Elinacre for #410,000.
Mr Ian MacDonald, Elinacre's principal, who died in 1988, then sold on
parcels of land to housing developers for #2m.
The affair led to a Government inquiry and Mr George Younger, the then
Secretary of State, setting in place a series of safeguards designed to
ensure that such an affair could never happen again.
Property professionals have no doubt that if the health board's
favoured option for closure of the Victoria Infirmary and Stobhill
Hospital goes ahead, then both sites would provide attractive
development opportunities.
Yesterday, the Health Board said that it was too early to speculate on
what the 9.8 and 82 acre sites might be worth. Specific valuations would
form part of the detailed closure option appraisal.
Mr James Shankland, a managing partner with the property consultants
Ryden's, said: ''I think health boards have learned their lesson as a
result of the Robroyston affair.
''I think they now look at planning and technical aspects and, more
importantly, the actual market value of any property they want to
dispose of.
''The Robroyston affair set off the alarm bells and now the procedures
that are laid down are very stringent. There is now little prospect of
any health board underselling their property,'' he said.
Mr Shankland said there could be development problems on both the
Victoria and Stobhill sites.
Mr Brian Clark, a land purchaser with Wimpey Homes, said the size of
the 82-acre Stobhill site could cause problems and that it would
probably prove to be too big for one developer to undertake.
''The Victoria Infirmary site would be more manageable and its
location would, perhaps, make it more attractive.''
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