Glasgow City Centre GP Surgery Funding Questions 2026

Key Points

• The first GP surgery set to open in Glasgow city centre for decades has faced questions over how it is being funded
• Glasgow City Council has granted £200,000 towards fitting out the property at Holland Park homes development on Holland Street
• The practice could accept up to 30,000 registered patients to serve a growing city centre population
• Developer MODA and Barclay Medical Practice will match the council’s £200,000 contribution
• Labour councillor Eunis Jassemi lodged an amendment seeking safeguards over the public funding
• Councillor Jassemi asked what precedent the funding would set for private developers seeking council subsidies over health infrastructure
• SNP councillor Angus Millar called it a “novel approach” and stated the council has never supported medical facilities in the past
• The city centre recovery convenor revealed there is currently no established GP practice within Glasgow city centre
• The council describes this as a strategic intervention to fill a gap in social infrastructure
• Councillor Jassemi clarified he doesn’t oppose the deal but wants proper scrutiny and understanding of wider implications

Glasgow (Glasgow Express) June 3, 2026 – The first GP surgery set to open in Glasgow city centre for decades has become the subject of intense scrutiny over its funding arrangements, as Labour councillor Eunis Jassemi raises concerns about the precedent set by £200,000 in public money being directed toward the facility. Glasgow City Council has approved the funding towards fitting out the property within the Holland Park homes development on Holland Street, where the practice is expected to serve up to 30,000 registered patients as the city centre population continues to grow.

Why Is Glasgow City Council Funding a Private GP Surgery After Decades Without One?

As reported by the Glasgow Evening Times, Councillor Angus Millar, the city centre recovery convenor, explained that

“this is a novel approach by the council to support the securing of a facility of this type through grant funding award.”

Millar, an SNP councillor, revealed a startling fact during the most recent city administration committee:

“A lot of people are quite surprised when I tell them there is not an established GP practice within the city centre.”

The council has long recognised what Millar described as

“the gap in social infrastructure needed to grow the city centre population.”

According to Millar,

“the council is making a strategic intervention to fill a gap and has never got involved in supporting medical facilities in the past and would not propose to do so in the future.”

This admission highlights the exceptional nature of the current situation, where decades of lacking city centre primary care have prompted unprecedented council intervention.

Millar continued, emphasizing the positive implications:

“If we are able to say as a council that we have supported and helped secure the delivery of a city centre GP practice where there has been none for literally decades and decades and decades then that is a really positive thing for us to do as we support the growth of the city centre.”

What Safeguards Are Being Demanded Over the £200,000 Public Funding?

Labour councillor Eunis Jassemi lodged an amendment during the committee meeting looking for safeguards over the £200,000 public funding going towards the practice, as well as other measures.

As reported in the committee proceedings, Jassemi asked what precedent the funding would set for private developers seeking council subsidies over health infrastructure.

The funding arrangement involves Glasgow City Council granting £200,000 towards fitting out the property, with developer MODA matching that amount as well as Barclay Medical Practice, which will operate the facility.

This tripartite funding structure means the total investment in fitting out the property reaches £600,000, with public funds representing one-third of the total contribution.

Moving the amendment, councillor Jassemi said he doesn’t oppose the deal but wants to ensure proper scrutiny and gain an understanding of the wider implications.

His concerns centre on whether this approach could encourage other private developers to seek similar council subsidies for health infrastructure projects, potentially opening the door to broader public funding of private medical facilities.

How Will the Holland Street Practice Serve Glasgow’s Growing City Centre Population?

The practice is to be based in a building within the Holland Park homes development on Holland Street and could accept up to 30,000 registered patients to serve a growing population.

This capacity represents a significant healthcare resource for Glasgow’s city centre, which has been experiencing population growth as part of broader urban regeneration efforts.

Barclay Medical Practice, which will operate the facility, has committed to matching the council’s £200,000 contribution alongside developer MODA.

The partnership between a private developer, a medical practice, and public council funding represents an innovative approach to delivering essential health infrastructure in an area that has lacked such services for decades.

The Holland Park development itself represents part of Glasgow’s wider city centre regeneration strategy, with residential units being constructed to attract more residents to live in the heart of the city.

The addition of a GP surgery addresses a critical gap in the social infrastructure that would otherwise discourage potential residents from moving to the city centre.

What Precedent Could This Funding Decision Set for Future Health Infrastructure Projects?

The question of precedent has become central to the debate surrounding the funding decision. Councillor Jassemi’s amendment specifically seeks to understand what signal this sends to other private developers who might seek council subsidies for health infrastructure projects.

The concern is that once public funding for private medical facilities is established, it could create expectations for similar treatment in future developments.

Councillor Millar attempted to address these concerns by emphasizing the exceptional nature of this intervention. He stated clearly that the council

“has never got involved in supporting medical facilities in the past and would not propose to do so in the future.”

This statement suggests that the council views this as a one-off strategic intervention rather than the beginning of a new policy approach.

However, Jassemi’s position reflects a cautious approach to public spending, seeking to ensure that the wider implications are fully understood before the decision is finalized. His clarification that he doesn’t oppose the deal demonstrates that the concern is not about the principle of establishing a city centre GP surgery, but rather about ensuring proper governance and transparency around the use of public funds.

Why Has Glasgow City Centre Lacked a GP Practice for Decades?

The revelation that there is currently no established GP practice within Glasgow city centre raises questions about how this situation developed over such a long period. City centres typically serve as commercial and administrative hubs, but residential populations have historically been lower compared to suburban and outer areas.

The lack of a GP practice appears to have been accepted as the norm for “literally decades and decades and decades,” as Millar described it.

This suggests that people living in Glasgow city centre have historically needed to travel to surrounding areas for primary care services, or that the resident population was too small to justify establishing a dedicated practice.

The changing dynamics of Glasgow city centre, with significant residential development taking place as part of urban regeneration efforts, have created new demand for local healthcare services.

The Holland Park development and similar projects are transforming the city centre from a predominantly commercial district into a mixed-use area with substantial residential components.

Background: The Development of Glasgow City Centre Health Infrastructure

The gap in social infrastructure that Councillor Millar referenced has been a long-standing issue in Glasgow’s city centre development strategy.

For decades, the city centre focused primarily on commercial, retail, and entertainment functions, with residential development taking a back seat. This approach meant that essential services like GP practices were not considered necessary priorities.

Glasgow City Council’s recognition of this gap represents a shift in understanding about what constitutes complete urban regeneration.

The council has acknowledged that attracting residents to the city centre requires more than just housing; it requires the full suite of social infrastructure that supports daily life, including healthcare services.

The strategic intervention approach taken by the council reflects an understanding that market forces alone may not deliver essential health infrastructure in areas where it has been absent for decades.

The £200,000 grant represents a targeted investment designed to catalyse the delivery of a facility that serves both the immediate needs of current and future city centre residents and the broader goal of sustainable city centre population growth.

Prediction: How This Development Could Affect Glasgow City Centre Residents and Healthcare Access

This development is likely to have significant implications for Glasgow city centre residents and the broader population seeking accessible primary care. For the estimated 30,000 patients the practice could serve, the opening of a city centre GP surgery will eliminate the need to travel to outlying areas for routine medical care, saving time and reducing transportation costs.

The precedent set by this funding decision, despite Councillor Millar’s assurances that it will not be repeated, could influence how future health infrastructure projects are approached in Glasgow and potentially in other Scottish cities facing similar challenges.

If the funding arrangement proves successful and faces no significant public backlash, it may encourage developers and medical practices to propose similar public-private partnership models for other infrastructure projects.

For Glasgow city centre residents, particularly those in newer developments like Holland Park, the availability of a local GP practice may make city centre living more attractive, potentially accelerating population growth in the area. This could create a positive feedback loop where increased population density justifies additional services and amenities, further enhancing the city centre’s appeal as a residential location.