A DEVELOPER is appealing against Glasgow City Council’s refusal of permission for flats at an East End bowling green.

SIM Building Group applied for permission to build 24 flats for Parkhead Housing Association on a surplus green at Belvidere Bowling Club, Silverdale Street.

City officials refused consent for various reasons but SIM Building Group is now hoping councillors on Glasgow’s local review board will overturn the verdict.

Planners stated in their decision notice: “The application site is classed as a Protected Open Space in the Glasgow City Development Plan 2017 and is considered to have open space value.

“The proposed development is not considered to better serve the local community or enhance the value of the space and is therefore contrary to City Development Plan policy.

“The applicant has failed to demonstrate that community engagement was undertaken to gauge the level of interest in and viability of the continued use of the premises as a community facility.”

It continued: “By nature of the design, layout and lack of permeability, the residential development would be incongruous within the context of the local area and fail to meet placemaking principles and qualities of space which the council seeks to promote in order to deliver high quality residential environments. The proposal is therefore detrimental to the residential amenity of the proposed dwellings and the wider area.”

Other concerns included lack of enough car parking provision and recreational on-site open space.

The four-storey building, with one and two-bedroom units, would have fronted London Road.

The club, established in 1861, has experienced a drop in membership and only uses one of its two greens.

An appeal document states: “The applicant respectfully asks members [councillors] to consider its proposal afresh.. and to take into account the material considerations which clearly outweigh any departures from council policy.

“Material considerations outweighing the development plan are entirely allowable and proper in planning terms and in this case would produce a good quality outcome for the area.”

A design document submitted with the application had stated: “In order to safeguard the future of the club, they decided to offer the unused bowling green for sale in order to raise funds.

“The development of the front, London Road-facing green therefore is of vital importance in order to protect a [more than] century-old institution.”

The statement argued that, as the site sits in a gap between four-storey residential buildings, the development would “suitably infill” the street frontage.