Call for propsed development to honour influential artist

Last month Wilson Developments submitted a planning application with South Lanarkshire Council for the partial demolition of the B-Listed building and conversion of the retained element to form eight flats and 31 new dwellings.

Last March an application by Simply UK to demolish the annex to enable development of 70-bed residential care home was withdrawn.

Prior to becoming the science block for the Grammar, the building was Lanark Primary School and in the 1920s, Jessie, one of the influential ‘Glagow Girls’, painted a mural on one of the classroom walls.

Unfortunately the mural has long since been plastered over and no one knows exactly on which wall it was painted.

In 2014 a scheme which would see the mural uncovered, restored and form the centrepiece of a new Lanark Arts Centre failed to progress.

With little chance of it now being uncovered and restored Ed Archer of the community council hopes the new development will at least recognise its hidden history.

He said: “It is a shame work by such a famous artist now appears to be lost, but it would be nice for the applicants to preserve Jessie’s link to the town and name the devopment after her.”

Teri Porter, for agent Porter Planning Ltd, responded: “We would be happy to have dialogue directly with the community council. To-date they have not been in touch.”