Firm to 'withdraw' Glasgow homeless hostel plan due to outrage

As the Glasgow Times reported earlier this month, a proposal was submitted to the council to turn the empty Broomfield Court care home into short-stay accommodation.

However, the bid was quickly met with backlash from residents, who even started a petition to try and block the development.

Now, the director of applicant W100 Ltd has said he will withdraw the plan after an intense meeting with locals on Tuesday night, which The Glasgow Times attended.

Councillor Audrey Dempsey (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

Waheed Malik, director if the company, said to the crowd of over 150 people: "We will suspend our activities immediately. We will just withdraw the plans.

"We need to take on board every single person's opinion here.

"I need to see how can we change the plans and go back to the drawing board.

"But I am not going to walk away."

The gathering was organised to allow people to voice their disapproval of the proposal and to discuss issues.

Homeowners claimed that not all of them received letters notifying them of the plan despite it being handed in to the council in November.

Some also alleged that they were purposely misled.

One attendee said: "We were told this would be a regeneration. That it's for the community.

"They should instead build one-bedroom houses."

Another added: "I live near this building and I never got a letter explaining what is happening, neither did my neighbours.

"Only around 30 houses were notified."

Mr Malik denied accusations of misleading people and claimed he did not know who received letters.

He also clarified that the hostel would be used to house rough sleepers.

In response, locals raised fears for safety and emphasised the lack of resources in the area.

Councillor Audrey Dempsey, who chaired and organised the meeting, said: "There is a children’s house on the doorstep of the venue with vulnerable kids, a nursery school and a primary school across the road.

"There is soon to be a prison across the road.

"The residents have really high concerns about anti-social behaviour as this is a reputation that seems to follow hostels that house homeless people."

Mr Malik replied: "This would be a place to help the most vulnerable, not for drug addicts and violent people.

"We would have trained staff and case workers permanently there, seven days a week.

"We would also screen people before they get here and would do regular checks."

He further assured the group that his other business, Alba Hostel Glasgow in the West End is a safe place and comes highly recommended by online sites such as Trip Advisor.

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The politician also stated Barmulloch hasn't had any investment in years and they simply have no means to share.

A resident agreed: "There is too much poverty here already.

"We don't even have a GP or money for social workers at the school."

Another replied: "We need a play park. 13 years ago we were promised a swing park.

"We still don't have it."

Mr Malik said he "would be willing to" build a play park in the grass pitch near the development.

In defence of the proposal, he added: "We are trying to do something here that has never been done before in the city.

"We would work in partnership with the council.

"Nobody who comes here would be paying out of their own pocket."

After agreeing to take a step back from the current plan, he suggested that a committee should be put together, containing him, local politicians and members of the residents' association, to figure out the next steps of the development.

In the planning documents, a "the rising demand for short-stay accommodation in the area" was cited at the reason for the bid, which Mr Malik said has been exaggerated by the housing crisis.

Originally, the building was used as a care home until its closure in 2022.

At the time of printing, the application for the 74-bedroom facility was still live.

A Glasgow City Council official who attended the assembly, said: "The council cannot suspend the process, it needs to be the applicant."

He also encouraged attendees to leave a comment on the online planning portal.