Glasgow locals' fury at housing erasing 'lifesaving' green area

Partick locals are upset about the proposal to build 48 flats on the green space surrounded by Crawford Street, Rosevale Street and Beith Street, in the West End.

Christine Macrae has lived across from the site for over 25 years.

She said: "I definitely feel like our voices have not been heard.

“Well, maybe they were heard but they were totally overruled. It’s an absolute disgrace they got that permission.

“Now, they made up their minds and there is nothing we can do.

“It’s a nice little greenery and it will be gone. I’m very disappointed."

Locals wanted to hold onto the park, which is covered in tall trees and with a cycle lane running through it.

Ian Mitchell (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

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Ian Mitchell, 77, has lived in his home for over 15 years and submitted his objection at every turn.

He said: “It gives us a barrier between the expressway, which is constant cars, and the pollution from them.

“It’s a lifesaver in a way, it helps our health.

“It’s also one of the last remaining areas of grass and trees in Partick.

“People walk their dogs there, children have picnics on it but, of course, the main part of it is the cycle path, which is used very much and is a national route. It also makes the area very attractive for cyclists from all over."

Locals pushed to save the field since 2019 when the bid was first handed in.

Since then, the planning process faced several setbacks but the final documents were submitted last November, by developer Nixon Blue (Beith Street) Ltd.

The building site (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

Despite receiving 39 objections, including from local politicians, it was given the green light in September this year.

Christine Macrae said: "We battled for it, we campaigned against it from the beginning.

"We saw the new application and it was shockingly done at the time. It was in the post for ten days and people had very little time to reply to it.

“To send out something so important in the Christmas post was disgraceful. They only got around 30 objections.

“In September, there was a meeting but I don’t know if anyone knew that was coming up and then it was accepted."

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Planned development (Image: Sourced)

Ian Mitchell added: “Sadly, there weren’t enough objections to it. And that is a very important thing, we needed as much as possible, but unfortunately, people didn’t get involved enough."

In her comment, local councillor Lana Reid-McConnell said the site is "clearly not a suitable place" for housing and added that the removal of the trees "would be to the detriment of the health of the community".

Currently, the plan is waiting for approval from the council on changes that were made in line with the conditions of the first set of papers.

Two blocks of flats are planned, with the removal of 38 trees. The cycle path will be moved next to the expressway.