HJV Consultants had sought permission to build a five-storey block with 14 flats and two ground floor commercial units at 1017 Argyle Street, opposite Kent Road.

The application had been significantly amended since its initial validation in April 2022 with the number of proposed flats reduced from 18.

Planning officials had recommended approval stating: “The proposal’s impact on the conservation area and adjacent listed buildings is considered to be appropriate.”

But councillors on Glasgow City Council’s planning applications committee this week voted 7-4 to refuse permission.

The main issues raised centred on materials not matching the local conservation area and concern over scale.

A design statement included with the new proposal explained: “Responsibilities of working within the conservation area, the restricted footprint and peculiarities of the rear legal boundary stepping in along with boundary restrictions to the west gable set back setback from railway and tunnel with its technical piling constraints have all helped inform the detail design of the proposal.

“An option which explores the benefit of large height volume single aspect studio flats has been looked into in detail and is considered to be a positive response to the site’s challenges and opportunities.

“These allow an efficient floor plate and relatively high density of dwellings to make appropriate use of the site while also addressing potential concerns of restricted aspect and amenity.”

An application for 19 flats and two commercial units at the site was refused in 2019.