A COMMUNITY council is threatening to take a city council to court over a planning decision that would transform a historic listed building.
Jordanhill Community Council (JCC) has lodged a petition for judicial review of a decision to grant Planning Permission in Principle to turn Jordanhill College into flats.
Permission in principle was granted in January 2017 for a development of up to 364 properties on the former college site.
JCC argues that this decision should have gone back to the council’s planning committee, which last considered the planning application in January 2013.
The community council calls this decision “unreasonable and irrational”, claiming it ignores up to date information and changes that have occurred in the past four-and-a-half years.
A spokesman for JCC said: “There were significant and material changes in circumstances in the intervening period relating to open/greenspace, ecological impact, public transport provision and traffic impact which the (City Council Planning) Committee should have taken into account.
“The application should have been reassessed by the Committee having regard to these changes. It failed to do so.
“Accordingly the respondent (Glasgow City Council) failed to fulfil its statutory duty in terms of the Act and proceeded on a misunderstanding of the factual situation and failed to take account of material considerations.”
JCC highlights four main “grounds for challenge” in its court action: protection of open/greenspace on the Campus site, failure to assess the latest ecological impact and advice from Scottish National Heritage, major changes in the local bus network since the 2011 transport assessment of the Campus project and a significant increase in peak period traffic on Southbrae Drive/Westbrae Drive junction.
The community council and local residents met yesterday at Jordanhill Parish Church.
The public meeting backed court action and a fundraising campaign has begun to support the bid to have Glasgow City Council review its decision.
Euan Miller of JCC said: “We believe the City Council in granting Planning Permission in Principle for this major development of the Jordanhill Campus site has ridden roughshod not only over its own Glasgow City Plan 2 but also local opinion.
“The new detailed plan to build 412 homes on the site is too much, will put strains on the local road network but more seriously will reduce greenspace in this much loved part of the city.
“This decision should have been taken by the planning committee, not a Council official.
“This is completely unacceptable.
“We are of the view that the developer should be forced to reduce the number of houses on the site to around 348-364, the maximum contained in their Planning Permission in Principle application.”
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “We will consider any such action if and when it is taken.”
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