WHERE ARE WE NOW AND WHAT DO WE KNOW?

February 2025: Planning permission has be approved for a Seven Storey Development Consisting Of 109 Apartments And Commercial Units on the site of the Ingram Street Car Park, but please note that there is currently existing an open case with the Scottish Information Commissioner (SIC) about a redacted document and an open case with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) about the lack of transparency and fairness in the handling of the case by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) of the Scottish Government.

There is still a question to be answered as to whether it was legal to issue a Decision, whilst these cases are still open.

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF EVENTS …

Back in 2019, Glasgow City Council (GCC) sold the land to City Property Glasgow (Investments) LLP (City Property, an arm’s-length external organisation of GCC) for £3.5 million. In 2022 Artisan Real Estate submitted a planning application which was validated in May 2022. The application was approved by GCC on 07 February 2023.

However, on 28 February 2023, the case was called in by the Scottish Government in view of the newly approved Scottish Government National Planning Framework 4 and the Agent of Change Principle embedded therein, created in the interests of protecting music, arts and cultural venues such as the City Halls Complex against the impacts arising from new development and potential complaints from new residents about noise.

Between those dates (07 Feb 2023 and 28 Feb 2023) new (incredibly noisy) fans were installed on the roof of the City Halls Complex disturbing to existing residents living further from the development site. They were installed without building permission, without listed building consent and without a noise impact assessment (NIA).

Artisan Real Estate blame Glasgow Life, but City Property own the City Hall Complex. City Property notify GCC that they consider a planning application is necessary. GCC (Sept 2023) confirm that they would be ensuring that the necessary consents would be put in place.

To date necessary consents have not been put in place.

For anyone else it is illegal to act in such a manner without planning permission.

Also, the reporter’s Report:

42. All dwelling shall be designed and constructed in a way that:-

b) ensures the internal noise levels, with the windows closed, would be within the maximum levels set out in Noise Rating Curve 25 (NR 25) during a music event similar to that informing the Noise Impact Assessment. (Undertaken by the developer’s acoustic consultant.)

The reporter refers only to music noise and dismisses the issue of the fan noise.

Also, the reporter fails to mention that the developer’s Heating and Cooling systems (opening windows and MHVR systems, with no air conditioning system) would require windows to be open during warmer days. The choice therefore becomes, either live with intolerable heat or intolerable noise.

Despite opposition from local residents, non-local residents, the Merchant City and Trongate Community Council, our local MSP and Glasgow MSP, co- leader for the Scottish Green Party being registered with Scottish Ministers, planning has been approved.. We know there are many who are against development but are bound by obligation.

We believe approval of this development to be a short-sighted quick fix result for Glasgow City Council. We believe that a Cost Benefit Analysis would have proved that the economic value of health benefits associated with higher levels of physical activity, improved mental health condition, and reduced exposure to air pollution that would result from investing in a new urban park would far exceed, in the long term, the purchase price to be received by City Property in selling the site. A CBA had been requested but was not considered.

We believe that the NCP car park lease will not be renewed in March 2025. Thereafter, site preparation is imminent.

AT RISK:

  • the Old Fruitmarket venue and City Hall Complex because of noise complaints from new residents 
  • the historic Mural visited by thousands every year 
  • a green space in the city centre so recommended as vital for city centres, so promoted (but apparently being discounted in this case) in GCC policies and strategies and in NPF4 (National Planning Framework) 
  • 21 trees: 3 Horse Chestnut red-listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 18 Cherry Blossom trees. 
  • wildlife (birds and foxes)  

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

We are at the final stages of presenting our petition to Glasgow City Council’s Petitions Commission and to Glasgow MSPs, objecting to this development.    

Please sign and share this petition as broadly as you can to help make a difference and save this space for a City Park and not another high rise block.  You do not need to be a resident in order to sign it

Once the chainsaw chops down the first tree, it is too late and gone forever. 

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/merhcant-city-park

Thank you. 

Merchant City Park Group. 

Contact us: merchantcitypark@gmail.com