Dark day for North Kelvinside play park as student flats are approved
June 14 2024
An attractive brownfield site in the heart of Glasgow’s West End, the scene of multiple planning applications, looks set to end up as student accommodation.
First subject to a successful application for residential apartments in 2020 the site was later speculatively earmarked for a smaller infill build on a subdivision of the plot. Now, Kelvin Properties has had the final say after winning planning consent with Haus Architects for a tweaked version of the original application, now repurposed as student accommodation.
Overcoming 47 objections, including representations from North Kelvin Community Council, approval has now been given for 134 studio rooms at the junction of Melbourne Street and Queen Margaret Drive in a single red brick block rising to seven storeys.
Concern over the impact of the proposed scheme on a neighbouring play area, known locally as the Happy Children’s Park, were dismissed by planners, who found that the revised scheme replicated the consented scheme in all the essentials, with the primary change being the infill of recessed balconies and removal of a ground floor car park entrance for a residents lounge.
It was noted that a portion of the children’s play space would receive less than two hours of sunshine at the spring equinox as a result of the building, negatively impacting public amenities. However, this was dismissed as developer financial contributions for improvements were felt to offset this.
In comments explaining the decision-making process, the council wrote: “The application site is a vacant brownfield site which has been vacant since the demolition of the former church hall approximately 10 years ago. The proposal would result in a sustainable reuse of the vacant brownfield site.
“The proposal is considered to deliver the six place-making principles, having been designed to address both the opportunities and constraints of the site to deliver an active use on the site and a high-quality building in terms of architecture, materiality and energy efficiency.”
Flexibility has been built into the design to permit a return to mainstream residential apartments should the market demand it.
24 Comments
Surely this is not a case of brown envelopes for brown buildings!
But just very sad that it is so achingly boring, un-contextual and over-bearing in the end result.
Pure lowest common denominator dystopia in an area that has been mercifully mostly spared it due to a very vibrant and active community there.
Conservatives with a small c -- to their core and beyond. No wonder we are in the state we are in -- change must be stopped at all costs / using every heartstring that is available.
Complaining is the only growth industry we have left
Spring equinox -- that will be March 21st for the plebs -- and the ability of children to play outdoors ...
Child cruelty more like -- given the rain / the wind / the snow / the Siberian airflows / the Nordic weather patterns / the Beast from the East ...
Perhaps a by-product of the never ending march of the so called 'progress' totally cooking our construction industry into a rubberised microwave omlette of nonsense with massive inflation and total lack of nous and joie de vivre.
The increase in population will also boost the independent businesses along Queen Margaret Drive and give the area an increased vibrancy.
Totally agree with the previous comment of complaining being the only growth industry in Scotland, which is especially prevalent in the west end. If these people don't like density, development and urbanism, then perhaps don't choose to live in Scotland's largest city and go off to the countryside somewhere.
134 little single aspect rabbit hutches on a site that would have perhaps 24 or 36 one and two bed tenements at most under the current density pattern. Also 7 storeys on a 4 storey street.
The reason it’s a desirable area with an already vibrant community is because the community fights off low quality developments like this. Sadly this one slipped the net.
Anyone who likes ultra dense rabbit hutches could perhaps do their thing in Hong Kong and leave this quiet outer part of the west end of Glasgow alone.
Along with a complete disregard of the real world they inhabit -- their blinkers allow them to miss the modern 6 storey block across the road with its enhanced retail plinth.
Sets the tone for the area.
As for the new block itself -- has its merits but is much reduced in presence and confidence by its hobbit sanctuary spec ground floor.
It seems to be sinking / being sucked towards the centre of the earth ...
... or garden flats as the Victorians would have called them.
Consequently much needed but could do better.
The fact of the matter is that the developers have played a good game in the end and have won.
What is a shame is that a relatively open section of play area will now become even more gloomy on the few days that we actually have sunshine and properly gloomy in the shortest days of winter. The city often talks about making its external spaces more usable, more accessible and more in tune with a wet and dark climate. Does this make things better or worse? Perhaps in light of this (pun intended), we need better protection for our open spaces and their aspect.
Case and point would be this scheme, or the Triple Kirks in Aberdeen
The playground already has issues with the surrounding trees and the shade they deliver. What is needed is more shelter and hopefully the developer contribution is well spent.
Come 2029 and the trees will be coming down.
Can you deport a grey squirrel?
Asking for a friend called Nigel.
Clearly people who live in a nice-ish area are always just bad people and suggestions that architects and developers might do work in appropriate settings for the type are just racist extremist fantasies.
The building across the road is an over-bearing beast as well so not a good precedent but it does at least have a top, a middle and a bottom....
I mean why wasn't a sensible, decent scheme built on this site many many years ago?
It's brown field so no big discussion needed unless you waste loads of time totally over egging to get to a really bad compromise like this.
End of....
20 seconds away -- by a hard driven shed spec Corsa with the windows down and the musak blaring.
They have never really recovered.
You know a Tesco instead of a Waitrose or at the very least a Sainsburys or an M&S.
Their pain must be unbearable in the circumstances.
The City Plan is not fit for purpose. The writing is so vague that it suits the planners and councillors depending on which way the wind blows. As a result the city is being blighted by overdevelopment and random towers.
It's all just pants!
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