West End community hits out over ‘faked objections’ claim
A WEST End community has hit back at claims residents faked objections to a planned six-storey development in a protected area.
Rossweir Limited wants to build 19 properties at the foot of Fergus Drive, just off Queen Margaret Drive in North Kelvinside, part of the West Conservation area that takes in the Botanic Gardens and Kibble Palace.
A previous application for an aparthotel, put forward by the same applicant, was turned down by Glasgow City Council last year on the grounds that the design was not sympathetic to the surrounding tenement buildings.
A total of 300 objections have been lodged with the council about the latest plan, which local people say raises the same concerns including, loss of privacy and light.
Consultants hired by the developers have now angered residents by posted a letter on the council website, which appears to question the authenticity of their campaign.
It reads: “The population of the Hillhead Ward is 25,411, therefore the equivalent of just 0.08 per cent of the Ward population has commented on the application for planning permission.
“Of the objections to the application for planning permission, we note that 210 of these (69.54 per cent) are proforma letters of representation which have largely been stimulated through social media by a few local residents requesting that people object to the proposed development using the proforma. “
Nick Higgins, who lives on nearby Wilton Street, said: “As one of the local residents referred to above, I find it offensive that the response of our neighbours should be belittled in this fashion.
“Many of our neighbours are elderly and do not have access to the internet, many also struggled to upload objections to the council website that was problematic at best and not fit for purpose at worst.
“Furthermore, the majority of the objections in the proforma came from the objections raised by the council planning officers to the previous seven storey application submitted by the same developer and owner of the site – Mr Eddie Rioch – that had not been overcome by the new six storey development.
“In addition, each proforma included a section written in the objectors own words that clarified exactly why they objected to the development and which objection they most agreed with.
“We do not have the deep pockets of the developer, only the deep desire of locals who do not want to ridden roughshod by those that seek to put profit above the quality of life of the people that live here.”
Barbara Murphy, 69, who lives directly opposite the proposed development, with her husband James, 74, said: “Nobody has been coerced into anything. It’s absolute nonsense to suggest that people are not entitled to object because they filled in a proforma.
“I’ve lived here for 18 years and feeling is strong and widespread against this development.”
A spokesman for the developers said: “We are aware that there will be a range of views in relation to any such application and we don’t have any further comment beyond what has already been said.”