Area behind Clouston St, Glasgow

[gap74]

Who said they had money in Icelandic banks then?

The main point is that the council had absolutely zero interest in this land, not even in keeping it tidy, until a developer came along with a nice fat offer. The locals would rather it stays open and in community use, and as usual, this carries bugger all weight when compared to a housebuilder's chequebook and the prospect of new council tax payers. It's a situation repeated many times over the city, in places such as the Back Park in Cathcart/Mount Florida - a piece of ground compulsorily purchased in the 70s to stop it being developed, but now zoned for development.

Enough's enough, the city is littered with brownfield sites and demolished residential areas, build on ALL of them first before even thinking about grouching that there's no more land.

[Dexter St. Clair]

Who said they had money in Icelandic banks then?

you did

As for the shortage of dosh - not my problem, they were the ones investing it in Icelandic banks and doing little to curtail the excesses of our elected representatives....

Unless of course you're one of the contributors whose grammar fails them when it comes to constructing a meaningful sentence.

[gap74]

T'was a rant about councils in general, in response to Ony's:

1) a severe shortage of housing in most parts of Scotland.

2) a severe shortage of dosh in the cooncil coffers at the moment.

...and my mention of South Lanarkshire, who certainly did have money in Iceland (which is a glorious country, by the way, and I have no beef against the place or the populace for the actions of their financial sector - I was there the week it all went tits up last year, although I deny any responsibility...!)

Boy, must be swell having so much spare time to engage in such petty pedantry.

[onyirtodd]

....................

The main point is that the council had absolutely zero interest in this land, not even in keeping it tidy, until a developer came along with a nice fat offer. The locals would rather it stays open and in community use, ....................

I'm in agreement with this. I have no objection to the North Kelvin Meadow Campaign doing their thing until such time as a purchaser, if any, is found. I've mentioned here and elsewhere and approve of similar organisations (like GROW Glasgow) doing the same thing elsewhere.

I've recently offered my support to SAGE (Sow and Grow Everywhere), "a visionary initiative hoping to generate a massive change in community food growing in the Glasgow Metropolitan region. A joint venture by NVA and ERZ lanscape architects, SAGE will transform derelict and vacant land into vibrant, stimulating, visually attractive spaces for people to grow their own food. It will be designed as a mobile initiative – when any land is required for development- the infrastructure can move to a new site."

Enough's enough, the city is littered with brownfield sites and demolished residential areas, build on ALL of them first before even thinking about grouching that there's no more land.

It isn't as simple as it looks. Where there's demolished residential areas there's often former owners who appear like magic with the thought of a little bit of dosh for property they abandoned many years previously. Plans for 50 odd new build homes on St Vincent Street/ Bredalbane Street/ Dover Street have been held up for two years for this very reason.

[gap74]

It isn't as simple as it looks. Where there's demolished residential areas there's often former owners who appear like magic with the thought of a little bit of dosh for property they abandoned many years previously. Plans for 50 odd new build homes on St Vincent Street/ Bredalbane Street/ Dover Street have been held up for two years for this very reason.

Was there not talk recently about proposing some kind of fiscal disincentive to buildings and land being left to rot? Such a thing could be waived if they let the community use it or at least kept it in a safe and tidy condition. It's as much of a problem as ever, whether we're talking bits of overgrown waste ground or crumbling listed buildings. Time the folks in charge put some thought into this kind of thing, instead of worrying over trivial pish like dirty pictures or where in a supermarket booze can be sold.

[onyirtodd]

It isn't as simple as it looks. Where there's demolished residential areas there's often former owners who appear like magic with the thought of a little bit of dosh for property they abandoned many years previously. Plans for 50 odd new build homes on St Vincent Street/ Bredalbane Street/ Dover Street have been held up for two years for this very reason.

Was there not talk recently about proposing some kind of fiscal disincentive to buildings and land being left to rot? Such a thing could be waived if they let the community use it or at least kept it in a safe and tidy condition. It's as much of a problem as ever, whether we're talking bits of overgrown waste ground or crumbling listed buildings. Time the folks in charge put some thought into this kind of thing, instead of worrying over trivial pish like dirty pictures or where in a supermarket booze can be sold.

I hadn't heard that. I know for certain that one housing association has almost monthly trawls round their 'patch' looking for potential sites for new build but in their area of the city such spaces are few and far between - hence the anger at the delays when such sites are identified. A similar situation (owners appearing again after years) exists on the vacant site on Corunna Street/ St Vincent Crescent Lane - just behind the Ben. Have a look next Friday if HG Drinks ends up there.

While you're there; stairheid gossip suggests the owners of the building on the south side of Argyle Street between Corunna Street and Kelvinhaugh Street are actively seeking a developer. Get your before pics while you can

[Mori]

http://northkelvinmeadow.com/

[onyirtodd]

Tom Shields on the subject(s)

http://www.sundayherald.com/oped/opinio ... 89.0.0.php

[Mori]

Herald

Battle stations as protesters enlist protected species in fight for land


Green MSP Patrick Harvie setting up a bat box in Glasgow’s west end

Published on 1 Nov 2009

A community fighting to stop local land in Glasgow being sold to housing developers believe they have found a secret weapon … bats.

Former playing fields between Clouston Street and Kelbourne Street in the city’s west end had lain derelict and been used as a dumping ground for almost 25 years. But then locals from the North Kelvin Meadow Campaign decided to turn them into a public garden and allotments, filled with ­flowers and vegetables.

Glasgow City Council had other ideas, though, and dismissed the plan, earmarking the land for sale to a ­property developer for 115 flats.

Scottish Natural Heritage donated £250 for the group to place bat boxes on the site, but Glasgow City Council refused to allow their construction and issued an interdict banning two local campaigners from building there.

Now locals, backed by the Green Party, have built the boxes anyway, hoping they will attract significant numbers of bats, a protected species which cannot be moved once settled.

One local, who did not want to be named, said: “We’ve been renovating the land for over a year and we’ll continue. There are around 100 people who have been working here, in the face of court action and threats from the council.

“The bat boxes are part of a struggle to keep the land for community use.”

Patrick Harvie, joint convener of the Green Party party, said: “Local people are continuing to look after this piece of land, bringing it into community use with some benefit to biodiversity. That’s how we should be using a city’s green space.

“The city council seems to have forgotten that the land exists to serve the needs of the local community and it is instead merely serving the needs of a property developer.”

The council has said it will allow the group to use the land until developers begin work.

[dolkin]

i spent 4 yrs playing football and sports on this site as they were used by nk as their playing playing fields have the gravel rashes to prove it and showers were always cold double pe for 4 yrs between 78-82 all weathers maybe one off the reasons our current stock of footballers are so poor these area,s have been abandoned and game consoles are much more comfy and dryer just my opinion

[Mori]

North Kelvin Meadow willing to co-operate but not backing down

January 24, 2010


Don’t expect protesting gardeners to chain themselves to flower beds when land testing work commences on the disputed ground at Clouston Street.
Despite a promise of co-operation from developers New City Vision and the gardeners of the North Kelvin Meadow Campaign, their objectives remain poles apart.
In December last year, New City Vision Ltd signed the missives with the council.
The land is not yet sold by the council, but will be if subsequent planning permission is granted.
Harry O’Donnell, Director of New City Vision, said: ‘We are nearly at the stage of testing the land with trial pots and bore holes.
‘We are doing everything possible to work in a spirit of co-operation with the gardeners on the site.
‘I recognise that they have invested time and energy into their project so I am doing all I can to ensure my people don’t disrupt their their plant boxes... continues @ local news glasgow

[Mori]

Adam Architecture

Urban housing in established Glasgow neighbourhood

Design for a group of new houses in Clouston Street, within Glasgow’s historic West End. The development is close to the River Kelvin and Botanic Gardens and is surrounded by nineteenth century housing. The scheme connects to this historic urban fabric, with perimeter blocks, smaller scale mews buildings and a curved crescent of townhouses arranged around a central public park and intersected by pedestrian routes. The design of each element refers to the established architecture of the local area, using a combination of simple vernacular forms with more ornate buildings at key corner and gateway locations.