PUB chain JD Wetherspoon has changed its controversial plans to open a hotel near one of Glasgow’s most famous nightclubs.

A scheme had been approved for land next to the company’s Crystal Palace pub on Jamaica Street, despite concerns raised by the owners of popular Sub Club.

However, a new application has been submitted which would replace the original plans. It still includes turning empty floors above the pub into a 28-bed hotel but no longer involves a nine-storey, 69-bed hotel on adjacent

land.

Instead, the chain has asked Glasgow City Council for permission to open a beer garden on the land between the pub and Sub Club.

The whole scheme would see a £3m investment from JD Wetherspoon, creating 20 jobs.

Company spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “We have submitted plans to build a 28-bedroom hotel above the pub.

“We would also be looking to build a beer garden in the vacant plot by the pub which is owned by the company.

“We believe the plans highlight our commitment to the pub and its customers and to Glasgow itself.

“Hopefully it would also act as a catalyst for other ­businesses to invest in the area.”

A petition against the original application was submitted to the Court of Session by the owners of Sub Club, asking for a judicial review of the decision due to concerns that consideration wasn’t given to how late night music would affect hotel guests.

Court proceedings were suspended on the agreement that JD Wetherspoon would apply for a change to planning conditions to take into account how late-night venue noise could affect hotel guests.

That was approved by planning bosses in November last year despite objections from music industry leaders.

Councillors did impose a condition requiring a noise survey to be carried out to demonstrate “the impact of music and entertainment noise from all adjacent commercial premises on the proposed development”.

The council said this was “to allow established reasonable noise levels from the existing adjacent businesses to continue, and to ensure that the construction of the development is sufficient to minimise the effects of

this pre-existing noise on those within the hotel premises”.

In total, 21 objections had been raised, including from the Night Time Industries Association, the Music Venue Trust, the Scottish Music Industry Association, UK Music and members of the public.

Those claimed that JD Wetherspoon hadn’t taken measures to mitigate noise impacts from pubs and

clubs.

They pointed to the Scottish Government’s ‘agent of change principle’ which places the burden of mitigating noise issues from

live music venues on developers.

Objectors also felt there was insufficient proof to show that a new development would benefit Glasgow financially in the long-term.