MINISTERS are facing calls for their investigation into a controversial housing plan on the site of a wood adopted by families in Glasgow to be heard as a full public inquiry.
Several dozen high-profile public figures from the world of the arts, academia and civic Scotland have written to the Government, claiming only a full inquiry can get to grips with the circumstances by which the publicly-owned land in the city’s west end was sold for private development.
A Government reporter has been appointed to examine whether Glasgow City Council can go ahead with its plans to sell the North Kelvin Meadow and the Children’s Wood to developers to build 90 properties.
Read more: Controversial housing plans for North Kelvin Meadow 'called in' by Scottish Government
The reporter has yet decide on which method of investigation will be used and will need to select either a hearing, report or public inquiry.
Those supporting the inquiry calls include leading children’s author Julia Donaldson, Children’s Commissioner for Scotland Tam Baillie, Turner Prize-winning artist Richard Wright, Franz Ferdinand’s Paul Thomson, musician RM Hubbert, writers Bernard MacLaverty and Alasdair Gray and Dr Carol Craig, director of the Centre for Confidence and Well-being.
The letter to new communities minister Angela Constance states: “We call on you to hold a full public inquiry into the circumstances under which this land that has never been built on and has been neglected by the city council for 20 years came to be sold for private development please preserve North Kelvin Meadow as an open space so that it can be enjoyed by the community for years to come.”
With its high-profile backers and protests, the long-running meadow saga has dogged the city council for several years and is seen as typical of the reasons for Labour’s declining support amongst the west end’s middle classes.
In January the council finally approved the development by a vote of eight to six, with the application later called in by the Government in March.
The Government’s report stated that “given the loss of valued open space and possible conflict with policy, as well as the council’s financial interest in the proposal it is considered that, on balance, it raise issues of national significance as to merit further scrutiny and determination by Scottish Ministers rather than by Glasgow City Council”.
Read more: North Kelvin Meadow campaigners hold demonstration over housing development plans
Its supporters claim only a public inquiry will call on witnesses and highlight the historical use of the site dating back until the 1990s.
The Children’s Wood has secured to pay two part-time employees to advance their own plans for the site, which also received full planning permission in January.
Chairwoman Emily Cutts said: “This planning application goes against both local and national policies, it will destroy a highly valued and vitally important community greenspace and there is a clear conflict of interest within the council in terms of the financial gain.
“Glasgow City Council are obsessed with building on this piece of land, despite thousands of people objecting to the idea. We want to see this application get the investigation it deserves, and only a full public inquiry will do justice to the thousands of people who love this land and what it represents.”
Read more: We need a full public inquiry over North Kelvin Meadow
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Scottish Ministers have called in this application and will make the final decision on this case. We will respond to the letter in due course.”
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