South Nitshill

South Nitshill is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde.

The original housing scheme (the Crescent, Whiteacres, Woodfoot and the Valley) has now largely been demolished. Only the Valley area remains, and it has recently been refurbished by Glasgow Housing Association, although it has been said in some quarters that really they should have left it alone, as the finished article is worse than what was there to start with.

The demolished areas have now been replaced with private housing (ironically, 60 of them flats) mainly built by Persimmon Homes. Other builders are across the road in the Parkhouse area (known to locals who lived in South Nitshill in the 70s and 80s as "The Wimpeys").

Although the scheme was, from the 70s onwards, plagued with social problems like any other, a strong community spirit remained. For those who have bought new houses or remain in the Valley area, the community spirit that once was in South Nitshill is sadly lacking. Facilities are very poor - Nitshill Primary and Woodacre Nursery are scheduled to close under Glasgow City Council's Pre 12 strategy, and only a single shop exists in the area. This has led to criticism from locals given there are (or will be) nearly 1400 houses in the area by 2009.In its 1970s and 80s heyday, South Nitshill had a dozen shops, bus terminus and "Jean's" three ice cream vans.

The only vestiges of the old scheme that now remains is the huge St Bernard's Catholic Church (designed by Glasgow architect Thomas Cordiner and opened in December 1963) and the Sky Dragon take-away shop (est 1989), both on Wiltonburn Road. This Parish and family run business still survives despite the destruction of all around, and looks forward to growth with the advent of new housing.

Regeneration will improve, hopefully, the physical appearance of the area, and perhaps in the future people will look back with fond memories of the new scheme as they did of the old.