Controversial Jordanhill campus site house plans to be challenged in court

The plans were already granted planning permission in principal by Glasgow City Council in January.

However local residents have mounted opposition to the scheme , citing risks to greenspace and protected trees.

They have now lodged a petition with the Court of Session and are requesting a judicial review of the authority’s decision, which they claim is “ultra vires, unreasonable and irrational” and fails to take into account up-to-date information.

Yesterday a public meeting took place at Jordanhill Parish Church, where the community backed the proposed court action and launched a fundraising campaign to get the city council to review its decision.

They argue that the January 2017 decision – taken by City Council’s Executive Director of Development and Regeneration Services – should have been referred back to the planning committee, which last considered the campus planning application (for a maximum of 364 houses) in January 2013.

They also believe officials have failed to take into account material considerations under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, and have failed to fulfil their statutory duty.

The community council highlights four key grounds for challenge in its petition.

These are the protection of open/greenspace; 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 and a significant increase in peak period traffic on Southbrae Drive/Westbrae junction.

In support of its argument, two minutes of agreement – the pitches agreement and the open/greenspace agreement - are underlined.

The Community Council claims that the plans attached to both agreements “do not reflect the plans that were put before the planning committee in 2013”.

Taken together the open/greenspace agreement does not include all the open/greenspace designation within the boundary of the site and, amongst other things, does not include the open parkland immediately in front of the David Stow Building, which is within the curtilage of a B listed building.

A spokesperson for Cala said: “We are aware of this application for a judicial review and will liaise with the council, as is appropriate.”