Blackhill, Glasgow
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Blackhill is an area of north east Glasgow. It was developed as a council housing estate in the 1930s. Most of it was designated 'Rehousing', the lowest grade of council housing intended for those cleared from Glasgow's 19th century slums. The buildings were three-storey, slate-roofed tenements built of reconstituted stone. The western side of Blackhill was designated 'Intermediate', a grade up from 'Rehousing', and housing was of the cottage flat-type with front and rear gardens and a measure of landscaping in the streets. 'Rehousing' areas cost £250 per house to build, while 'Intermediate' areas cost £1000.
Blackhill was built on a golf course, near the Monkland Canal and many early residents report summers of country rambles and a strong sense of neighbourliness, partly encouraged by the enclosed nature of the site - industry, railways and main roads cutting it off from other districts. It was, however, built close to a gasworks and a distillery, which did not add to the health of the area and it gained a reputation for being 'difficult to let'. Nearby is a prison, HMP Barlinnie, which may also have encouraged negative evaluations of the area, though this is unsupported by the testimony of residents.
