A controversial plan for a residential development in an internationally-renowned conservation area could be given the go-ahead today, five years after a public inquiry rejected it.
The Stewart Milne Group wants to build 107 apartments and a 115-space underground car park in Glasgow's Park Circus district, widely acknowledged as one of Scotland's Victorian jewels. The city council is recommending that the £15m scheme is approved by its Planning Committee today.
A previous bid by the firm was denounced as "vandalism" by some councillors, while Historic Scotland and the Architectural Heritage Society had also objected.
The Scottish Executive rejected the proposals in the summer of 2002, claiming the bold design was not appropriate for the area.
But Stewart Milne submitted a fresh application late last year, the decision on which will be given today in the final planning meeting of the current council.
The six-storey, blonde sandstone, copper-roofed proposal would be built on a 1.5 acre gap site on the northern edge of Park Circus, on Woodlands Hill.
Designed by Charles Wilson in the1850s, the A-listed Park Circus is widely acknowledged as one of the finest examples of town planning in Europe. The Park Quadrant site was originally included in Wilson's plans but was never built upon.
It was compulsorily purchased by Glasgow City Council in 1981 and has been the subject of an on-off planning saga for over 25 years.
The latest proposal does not have anywhere near the same volume of objections, with most of the statutory consultees having limited reservations about some of the design details.
The report before today's committee states: "The development represents an investment of £15m in the provision of residential accommodation within the Park area.
"It is considered, on balance, that the architect has risen to the challenge of designing a contemporary building which is responsive to the site itself and the prevailing, inspired townscape which is recognised as being of international significance. Accordingly, it is recommended that planning consent is granted subject to conditions."
But it does face opposition in the form of more than 30 letters of objection, including one from the local community council, Woodlands and Park. Concerns include loss of green space, increase in traffic, loss of sunlight, threat to local wildlife, intrusion and some design issues.
West end councillor Niall Walker, who is not contesting the local government elections in the hope of becoming an MSP, is another objector.
He has accused the local authority of attempting to "sneak" the application through in the last planning meeting before the election.
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