ReGlasgow

DECISION Delayed On Flats For Landmark Gorbals Site

1 July, 2020 | Residential

COUNCILLORS put off a decision over a plan for flats on a high-profile site at the northern entrance to the Gorbals.

New Gorbals Housing Association (NGHA) want to build the eight-storey block on vacant land at the junction of Crown Street and Laurieston Road.

It would have 33 affordable, social rent apartments, 11 with two bedrooms and 22 with three bedrooms.

Twenty-three letters of objection — including a petition with 54 signatories — have been received by the council, raising concerns including the design and scale of the buildings, parking provision, loss of green space and overshadowing.

Glasgow’s planning applications committee was split over the development.

Only three councillors voted in for approval, four voted for refusal and five said they wanted the application be continued to allow further dialogue to take place with the applicant.

As none of the proposals had received the support of a majority of the members, the motion with the fewest votes was dropped and a vote was taken on the remaining proposals.

Ten councillors backed the continuation.

City planners had recommending that permission be given stating: “The proposals have been appropriately scaled for the immediate context and have been designed to suitably respond to all public vistas.”

There will be no dedicated parking spaces — the allocation process for the flats will identify applicants who do not require one.

The planning report stated: “If parking was to become a future issue, NGHA have confirmed that tenants of the proposed development could access..111 car parking spaces they own and manage, 22 of which are within 150 metres of the site and the remainder being within 300 metres.”

Permission was given in 2003 for a 14-storey tower containing 50 flats on the site but worsening of the economy and the ambitious nature of the proposals led to that development not proceeding.

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