Jordanhill housing development to go ahead despite objections Court of Session rules

A group of residents who oppose a £100 million housing development at a major Glaswegian historical landmark have lost their legal action against the proposal.

Members of Jordanhill Community Council instructed lawyers to go to the Court of Session with the hope of overturning a planning decision made by Glasgow City Council in January 2017.

The local authority have given permission to plans which would result in 412 homes being built on the grounds of Strathclyde University's former Jordanhill Campus.

The properties would be constructed by Cala Homes, a private developer.

The residents argued that the Court of Session should overturn the January 2017 decision because the council hadn't followed correct legal procedures.

Lawyers for the community council argued that there had been "significant changes" in the planned development between 2011 - when the matter was first raised at GCC- and 2017.

They argued that developers had changed the quantity of so called 'green space' between these dates. This is the land in which the developers committed themselves to not building on.

The lawyers argued that the 2017 proposal had less green space than its 2011 equivalent.

The residents also argued that the councillors hadn't properly considered transport links between the new development and the rest of the city.

However, in a ruling issued on Wednesday, judge Lady Wolffe concluded that the council had acted correctly and dismissed the case.

She wrote: "As I have found no errors as alleged on the part of the council, even if there were an issue about the assessment of traffic impact, this is not relevant or sufficient for the purposes of the remedies the petitioners seek.

"The principal factual premise of the green space challenge is not well founded."

The case came to court after around 900 objectors to the plans were lodged with the council.

Jordanhill was most recently used by Strathclyde University for its Faculty of Education. The campus covers a 30.9 acre site.

A soldier called Thomas Crawford - who led the capture of Dumbarton Castle in 1571 - first built a house there in the 16th century.

In 1750, the Crawford family sold Jordanhill to tobacco lord Alexander Houston.

Lawyers acting for the local community council argued that the developers had reduced the amount of green space which was going to be protected between 2011 and 2017.

However, Glasgow City Council's legal team argued that the amount of green space which was going to be protected hadn't changed. The lawyers said that the green space was protected under legal agreements.

In conclusion, Lady Wolffe concluded that Glasgow City Council had acted lawfully and that the January 2017 decision should continue to stand.

She wrote: "The petitioners' challenges all fail and the petition falls to be refused. I will reserve meantime any question of expenses.