A Glasgow design team has been appointed to create a housing plan for the former Victoria Infirmary.

Sanctuary Group has asked Glasgow-based Collective Architecture to produce draft proposals for the first phase of community consultation, due to start at the end of January.

And heritage features of the building, such as the famous Nightingale wings, will be retained as part of the plans.

Local community councils came together to form the Victoria Forum, asking for consultation with local people over the future of the former hospital site.

Sanctuary bosses vow that Collective Architecture will make extra effort to communicate with the local community.

Peter Martin, Sanctuary’s Group Director of Development, said: “Collective Architecture is an award-winning Glasgow firm with vast experience of community consultation, both for Sanctuary and other housing providers.

“Collective Architecture is developing a comprehensive community engagement programme beyond the statutory requirement to ensure local opinions are captured and considered.

“This consultation process will begin at the end of January.

“We have started the process of demolishing parts of the site, but I can reassure the local community the Nightingale wings, administration block and gatehouse will be retained.

“The local community will also be given notice before any major activity begins.”

Sanctuary will build around 400 homes on the 9 acre hospital site, which, as first told in the Evening Times, the social housing group purchased from the NHS on August 1.

The not-for-profit housing provider will retain the listed administration building along with key heritage features including Battlefield Road’s Nightingale wings and the gatehouse off Langside Road.

Sanctuary plans to transform the former Victoria Infirmary into modern homes for first-time buyers, families and older buyers.

Nick Walker, of Collective Architecture, said: “The Victoria Infirmary redevelopment represents a wonderful opportunity to deliver new homes in Langside within existing and new buildings.

“It is a unique chance to carefully connect the site back into the surrounding area and to Queen’s Park, creating connections for pedestrians and opening up views of the park.”

The Evening Times took a final tour round the Victoria Infirmary in September, showing the eerie wards and empty mortuary.

Our feature proved so popular that Sanctuary Group opened the building to the public for the day so locals could say goodbye to the 126-year-old building.

Any enquiries about the Victoria Infirmary redevelopment can be emailed to TheVictoria.Glasgow@sanctuary-housing.co.uk