Residents vow to fight on as Jordanhill campus housing development wins approval

CALA Homes (West) submitted proposals in March to develop the 31-acre site in Glasgow, which was put up for sale in 2015 after Planning Permission in Principle was obtained by the University for a residential developer.

Councillors voted 12-2 in favour of the development ranging from one bedroom flats to detached family homes.

The developers said the proposals will “create a wide range of much needed, high quality homes” and maintained that half of the development will remain as greenspace.

However over 900 objections were made to Glasgow City Council amid concerns over a lack of social housing, the absence of amenities within the development, traffic management and the impact on local schools.

Jordanhill Community Council, which has led the rejections, insists it will continue to try to halt the plans.

The body has already launched legal action, with a judicial review petition being heard in the Court of Session last week, although the outcome is not yet known.

“We will continue to seek justice and look forward to the outcome of our judicial review petition,” said the council.

“We would consider it a breach of natural justice if any work was to commence on the campus site prior to a court verdict.”

Ken Robertson, a spokesman for the community council, said: “We simply cannot understand how the planning committee voted this through and ignored the objections of 900 residents and three local councillors.

“We cannot accept the way things have been handled.

“At a time when climate change is high on agenda, the loss of open space along with the destruction of protected mature trees is unacceptable.

“To make this decision while the outcome of the judicial review is still awaited makes things even worse.”

Mr Robertson added: “A much needed community centre would have provided shared spaces for nursery, pre-school education and after-school care.

“It would have integrated the existing community with the new one, which will be created within the campus.

“Instead there is a very real danger that CALA will create a gated village, remote from the rest of Jordanhill.”

Last month, CALA penned an open letter to residents describing how the planning application will protect and enhance greenspace at the site, retain the Category B-listed David Stow building, open playing fields to local schools and establish one of the city’s most desirable and well-designed residential developments.

After councillors voted to approve the development, managing director Jim McIntyre said: “We’re confident our plans will deliver a fantastic new residential development that will meet the demand for high quality housing in Glasgow.”