Decision delayed on controversial West End care home plans

The firm behind the scheme, Northcare Ltd, had initially planned to demolish a former bowling club on Helensburgh Drive and create a 66-bed home with a cinema and cocktail bar.

Over 100 residents, including two councillors, opposed the development and council planners had recommended the city’s planning committee turn down the proposal.

Objectors believed the care home would be too high, take away much-needed outdoor public space and cause overlooking.

However, before a decision could be made, the applicant informed council officials of a change of plan which could increase the amount of open space, with only 60 bedrooms now proposed.

Glasgow’s planning committee agreed to continue the application to allow revised designs to be submitted for consideration today.

A council official told councillors: “A letter came in from the applicant on Friday afternoon which explained that there was a change in circumstances.

“They advised that a new piece of guidance that had been prepared by the Care Commission actually sets a limit on the number of beds to 60 within care homes.

“They say that removing the six bedrooms could see the configuration of the building changed and as a result this may well result in a change in terms of the amount of open space within the development.”

Northcare wants to build the home at Anniesland Tennis and Bowling Club and has argued the development “will provide much needed accommodation for the ever increasing elderly population, allowing them to live their lives with dignity and independence with specialist assistance at hand.”

The firm has said there would be new public open space, with a community garden, and around £10 million would be invested in the site, bringing 90 permanent jobs. The home would include a cinema, spa, cafe, rooftop terraces and cocktail bar.

Northcare director William Sawers said there is a “great need” for a new, quality care home in Jordanhill, adding “our care homes are state of the art, luxurious and award-winning in terms of quality.”

However, council planners had ruled the development would “result in the loss of protected open space.”

They reported: “While the proposed development could potentially help address a need in the local area, for care within the local community, this does not outweigh the strong presumption in favour of the retention of protected open space.”

In total, 115 objections to the application were submitted alongside eight letters of support.

Councillor Eunis Jassemi, Labour, said the proposal was out of character with the area, overlooked private properties, had inadequate parking provision and would result in the loss of green space.

He added: “The residents of Jordanhill do not need a luxury and highly unaffordable nursing home. Instead, better alternative use of the land would benefit the whole community and not a few.”

Councillor Lana Reid-McConnell, Greens, said: “We cannot keep going in the direction of cramming developments against the community wishes and destroying what could be valuable green spaces.”

There was no objection from sportscotland but the government agency did recommend £180,000 was provided by the developer to upgrade tennis capacity in the area as three courts would be lost.

It said there was no need to provide compensation for the loss of the bowling green and pavilion as other clubs in the area have capacity for more members.

A previous application was rejected in March with the loss of open space given as one of the reasons for the decision. However, Northcare believed the new application justified the proposal.