Your article (“Council accused of acting against natural justice on campus homes”, September 13) fails to raise at least one key issue in the dispute between Jordanhill community council and Glasgow City Council.
As a local resident who has followed proposals for the campus since the University of Strathclyde took the regrettable decision to sell the site, I have attended three public meetings staged by the community council. At each of these, officials have been at pains to point out that Jordanhill community council is not against development on the campus site and acknowledges that this must happen.
What appears to be at the heart of the community’s anger is the refusal of Glasgow City Council and Cala Homes to acknowledge the merit of a community value proposition produced by the community council in February this year. This document proposes a multi-purpose community facility on the site that, among other things, would provide a much-needed pre-school and after-school centre, the demand for which will only increase when 400-plus homes are built in the area.
On May 18, Susan Aitken, the Leader of Glasgow City Council, was quoted in your sister paper the Evening Times as stating: “Every community needs access to quality places to play, meet, learn or create and we will invest to make sure every community has at least one new or refurbished community facility by the end of this term.”
Her administration has the perfect opportunity to deliver on that promise in Jordanhill. How much more would we all benefit if the city council opts to spend taxpayers’ money in such a way rather than in needlessly, perhaps even recklessly, defending a legal action?
William Dick,
Southbrae Drive, Glasgow.
As a local resident I am not against the campus site development, just the “max-pack” approach that seems to have been taken by the developers following the initial planning application.
I now see a “community facility” creeping into the discussions with more weight.
This is much needed and will form a pivotal role within the Jordanhill area, given the increased residential numbers that are proposed.
Susan Aitken, the Leader of Glasgow City Council, is on record as emphasising the importance to communities of places to play, meet, learn and create and investing in facilities for these activities.
I hope her promise is acted upon and that these promises are delivered.
If tackled in the right way by reducing proposed unit numbers to those previously tabled and installing strong community legacy space, the council could turn contentious issues to its advantage and produce a flagship paving the way for other such facilities across the city and beyond.
I have previously contacted Ms Aitken to discuss this but I am yet to receive a response.
Finally, I’m also upset to learn that the council is going ahead with discussions with the developer on one hand while spending taxpayers’ money defending legal action on the other.
Proactive and open discussions should have been set up a long time ago in order to stop matters getting out of hand, complicated and expensive.
The focus should always have been on productive avenues to resolve this matter rather than on maximising return to the detriment of the community.
Colin Andrews,
Sackville Avenue,
Glasgow.
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