A homeless shelter has been served with a closure notice and told it is not considered appropriate for a conservation area.

Glasgow City Council served the notice to close on Homeless Project Scotland for its premises at 67 Glassford Street, which it has been operating as a night shelter for around 40 people since December last year.

Following complaints from residents in the Merchant City area and some businesses, the council moved to take action.

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The Glasgow Times reported how the council issued the notice and it said the reason was a lack of planning consent and multiple crime reports.

The notice, seen by the Glasgow Times, also states the shelter, which also provides a free food service in the evening, is not “considered appropriate for the location”.

The notice states: “The site is in the designated Glasgow Central Conservation Area.

“The change of use from an office to an overnight homeless shelter is not considered appropriate in this location due to the nature of the surrounding area, which is characterised by commercial and residential uses that contribute to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

“The introduction of the use in this location has a negative impact on the character and amenity of the surrounding Conservation area.”

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It added: “A genuine fear of crime and anti-social behaviour as experienced by nearby commercial businesses and residents has developed.” (since December when the shelter opened)

The conservation area covers most of the city centre, including Merchant City.

It also includes the streets where a number of commercial hotels used by the council as emergency accommodation for homeless people.

Many of the people who use the Homeless Project Scotland have also stayed in the hotels.

Colin McInnes, chair of Homeless Project Scotland, said the council wants to shut the charity down.

He said he has contacted all councillors in the city to ask for their support in keeping the shelter open and is planning a protest outside the City Chambers on Thursday morning.

The charity founder said he has been liaising with the building standards team at the council and has architects working on the building.

He said however, he was given no reminder or warning the action was being taken.

Mr McInnes said: “No administrative or bureaucratic hurdles should stand in the way of providing essential assistance to those most in need.”

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: " A change of use for a building in a conservation area must be compatible with the established character of the area and ‘preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area’.

"There is no policy that specifically precludes a homeless shelter being established in a conservation area."