Mount Florida Community Trust hits out over bowling club sale to NOAH Developments

Following an unsuccessful application in July, Glasgow-based NOAH Developments concluded the purchase of the site on Carmunnock Road last Sunday, December 5.

The company also revealed new proposals for the site, including a rescaling of the development to better fit with the surrounding area, turning the clubhouse into a community facility, and landscaping of whatever green space would be left.

Now the Mount Florida Community Trust, which opposed the initial plans, is hitting back, saying it will not compromise on what residents will be left with, with a view to maintaining the whole green space.

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The Trust was established in 2019 to save the bowling club, after it closed down for reduced membership. 

Mount Florida Community Trust director Nicola Smith said: “As far as the trust is concerned, with the new proposal the developers seem to be saying to the community ‘well, you can have some green space, or you can have a building, but you can't have both’. 

“This is just a touch David and Goliath because they are a big, wealthy corporate organisation who just want to throw money at it until they get what they want, but we are a community that really stands together as we showed last time.

“While the community does acknowledge the need for more residential development, this is not the space to put it. 

“This is the last and only open green space in Mount Florida and it should be accessible to all the community as an open green space, rather than being built on for private developmental gain, and lost as a green space forever.”

The Trust is also criticising the way in which the sale has been concluded and the plans were communicated.

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Ms Smith said: “They've concluded the sale without the planning permission and we have yet to see any actual plans for what they propose to put on the site by way of their residential development.

“They've put this into a press release, but they still haven't consulted the community and from what we can see, there are no plans submitted to Glasgow City Council.

“They've sent one email asking us to contact them, not consulting, but stating what they want to do, there's a very significant difference between those two activities.”

The Mount Florida residents had been vocal in their rejection of the development, with 620 objections to the previous application. 

In a community consultation carried out by the Trust, 1,100 residents said the green space and community hub must be kept for community use. 

An artist's impression of the previous plans for residential development

Ms Smith added: “There really are only a small number of people who actively want this to go ahead, and they will have an incentive.

“It is disappointing that the club decided to complete their sale for the developer, we were offering to get funding to purchase the site from the Scottish Land Fund but the club repeatedly declined to engage with us."

NOAH and the club have also agreed that a financial contribution of £250,000 from the site's sale proceeds will be awarded to a designated community group.

In addition, the control and management of the community facility and open space would be offered to a community group on a long-term lease at a peppercorn rent.

However, the Mount Florida Community Trust said these details have remained undisclosed. 

“There's no indication of who that body might be, how that might be guaranteed as controlled by the community and crucially, they will still own the land, meaning they can take it away and build on it,” said Ms Smith.

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A spokesperson for NOAH said: “We recently agreed the purchase of the Club from its members and noted this in a recent communication with The Trust and other key stakeholders.

“To clarify, our proposals are for the upgrading and retention of the clubhouse as a community facility and the provision of landscaped community open space made possible with a limited residential development.

“The release of part of Bowling Clubs’ sites for such enabling residential developments to fund the creation and enhancement of community/club facilities and open/sports spaces adopts a similar template to recent successful planning approvals for Partickhill, Shawlands and Cathcart Bowling Clubs.

“As The Trust will confirm, we are reaching out for a meeting and look forward to this happening.

"We are keen to establish interest from any potential groups/organisations who may be interested in taking control of the community facility and open space which will be supported with a donation of £250,000.

“We will now commence a period of extensive community consultation and engagement prior to submitting any planning application.

"Information has also been circulated to the local residents advising them of our proposals to ensure they are fully and accurately informed.

“We look forward to engaging with the local community and community groups on how they best wish to see the new community facilities and open space in Mount Florida further develop’’.