Developer meeting re planning at St. Josephs
Our planning officer Paul Beswick had a meeting on 28th of August with the developers for St. Josephs on Gilmore Place.
Perhaps better known locally as ‘Little Sisters of the Poor’ having sold the site for development they are any thing but poor now.
Unfortunately it looks Tollcross will be all the poorer for the Sisters moving out as the site will be developed for student housing, and not affordable homes for long term residents.
Below is a pdf of some notes from the meeting Paul took so you can see what is about to come through the planning system.
I am horrified to read that St Joseph’s is set to be turned into student accommodation. In addition to concerns about the impact on quality of life of near neighbours, we absolutely do not need any more student accommodation in the area. The notion that parking spaces will not be needed is utter nonsense; many students have cars. Residents already struggle to find a parking space and this is bound to make the situation worse.
I hope that the views of Tollcross residents will be taken into consideration and that the Community Council will represent those views in whichever forums you have access to. I am wondering how other residents are feeling about this plan?
I agree with Sarah that building 3 to four storeys in what was back grassland area without requiring consultation is strange due to size of development.
Parking must be sorted not maybe we’re ambulance bays were by builder with council.
Keith Smith
“use is acceptable as it would be difficult to convert to residential as much of the space would be needed for car parking so they could not develop all the land; no parking spaces are needed for students.”
I don’t think this is a valid argument – Scotmid redevelopment has been permitted and parking issue was dismissed as city centre location meant “The zero car parking provision is acceptable in this location.”
“A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transport.” Enrique Peñalosa, one time mayor of Bogota. A quote from CEC’s Local Transport Strategy – Can we draw the developers and the planning department’s attention to this?
The developers at Scotmid were also ‘encouraged’ to …”In support of the Council’s LTS Cars1 policy, the applicant should consider contributing the sum of £7,000 (£1,500 per order plus £5,500 per car) towards the provision of car club vehicles in the area. This does not require to be subject of a legal agreement”
Seems to me the area to the rear of the site would make an excellent site for new car club parking.