New Maryhill homes ‘lack imagination’

PLANS to create dozens of new homes in Maryhill have been branded as “generic and lacking imagination”.

Maryhill Housing Association (MHA) have submitted a planning application for 65 flats on Maryhill Road, Whitelaw Street and Cowal Road.

But the area’s community council have compared the design of the three housing blocks to those of a multistorey car park.

Concerns have also been raised about a lack of parking at the site, with just 54 spaces being made available.

In a letter to MHA and Elder and Cannon Architects, members of the Maryhill and Summerston Community Council said: “When this project was first mentioned to the Community Council, we were told that an iconic building would be going up on the site, somewhat in line with the turreted building which had been there previously.

“We were very surprised and disappointed with what was actually presented to us as the proposal for the site. Far from being iconic, the blocks are generic and lacking in imagination, in fact the wording used to describe them was, ‘it looks like a multi-storey car park’.”

The proposal for the site includes 17 homes for the elderly and five with wheelchair access. The other homes will be available for social and mid-market rent, as well as shared equity.

All the homes will be set within three blocks ranging from five to six floors high – that proposal has been adapted from the original plans which sought to create four housing blocks.

In a letter to neighbouring households, Elder and Cannon Architects said they reduced the number of flats to reduce parking concerns.