CAMPAIGNERS claimed Scotland’s planning system is flawed after failing in their Court of Session bid to block plans for 400 homes on the historic site of the University of Strathclyde’s former Jordanhill Campus.
Community leaders argue that CALA Homes’ plans to build 420 new dwellings on the historic Jordanhill Campus in Glasgow’s west-end will have a detrimental effect on a Site of Special Landscape Importance and place intolerable strain on local infrastructure.
In November, Glasgow councillors voted 12-2 in favour of the 31-acre development which housebuilder CALA Homes say would attract over 1,000 residents and annually would raise an extra £1.3m in council tax for the city.
Jordanhill Community Council last year raised a judicial petition arguing that the decision to grant Planning Permission in Principle was “unreasonable and irrational.”
But in a 56-page determination Lady Wolffe has rejected the community council's case saying: "The petitioners have failed to show any failure to take into account a material consideration or placing of weight on any irrelevant consideration or any other error of law or breach of statutory duty on the part of [Glasgow City Council] they raise and, accordingly, the orders sought in the petition should be refused."
Almost 900 objections were lodged with the council with residents demanding the development should be scaled down as well as offering a lasting legacy to the community.
The dispute over the site was exacerbated as council planners made their decision in November while dozens of residents were locked out the meeting due to lack of room.
The proposed development by housebuilder CALA Homes would see the landmark B-listed David Stow building in Glasgow's west-end converted into flats while scores of protected trees on the would be destroyed if the proposal is given the green light, say the protesters.
Set within the grounds of what was formerly the country estate of one of Glasgow’s 18th century Tobacco Lords, the David Stow Building has been a landmark on the skyline of the Jordanhill area for the past 100 years.
The building was vacated in 2012, when its owners, the University of Strathclyde, moved to consolidate their campus in the city centre and was subsquently sold.
Community council chairman Professor John Winfield said: “The community of Jordanhill has worked tirelessly for more than a year to highlight the very grave concerns we have about the nature of the development proposed for the historic and much-loved Jordanhill Campus.
“We believe that the time taken to reach a decision in our judicial review petition against Glasgow City Council and the great detail gone into by Lady Wolffe in her written determination vindicates our decision to raise the action.
“While disappointed with the ultimate verdict, we believe we have exposed a flawed planning system that is not fit for purpose and works against communities rather than with and for them.
“The current administration of Glasgow City Council vowed in its pre-election rhetoric to engage with communities and, indeed, the leader of the council promised in a newspaper interview that every community in Glasgow would be provided with a new or improved facility during the current term.
“In the case of Jordanhill, this has proved to be a false promise and a missed opportunity."
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