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Glasgow Life accused of 'cover-up' over plans to expand Scotstoun Stadium

Jordanhill Community Council said the leisure operator had withheld documents following a Freedom of Information Request.

Glasgow Life has been accused of 'covering up' the potential scale of expansion plans at Scotstoun Stadium.

Jordanhill Community Council said the organisation had withheld documents following a Freedom of Information request.

The full extent of plans was only disclosed after the city council-owned leisure operator was ordered to do so.

 Scotstoun Stadium. Google Image.
Scotstoun Stadium. Google Image.

The proposal worked out with top-flight rugby side Glasgow Warriors - the stadium's main tenants - suggests the venue could increase from 4,765 seats to an estimated 14,500.

However, the project has raised fears among local residents who claim increased traffic will create intolerable congestion.

And Jordanhill Community Council is furious that the documents falsely claim it is in favour of the development.

A spokesman for the community council said members had lodged a formal complaint against Glasgow Life.

He said: “The Glasgow family is not listening or responding to the concerns of the community.

'Amenity'

"There is so much that is wrong about this proposal - including giving a long lease of a public service amenity to a private enterprise - and the way it has been handled.

“For Glasgow Life to initially withhold the drawings raises significant concerns but when you see the scale of the new stands it is little wonder they wanted to keep it quiet.

“To see a proposal of this magnitude that has unequivocally no respect for setting is absolutely outrageous.

"The south facing Victoria Park allotments are overshadowed by the scale of the proposed north stand, rendering community growing extremely difficult.

“The site is wrong for this scale of development.

 Scotstoun Stadium
Scotstoun Stadium

“Scotstoun Stadium and surrounding infrastructure can’t even cope with existing match-day traffic so to be considering any increase is ridiculous.

“The ineffectiveness of present transport measures to reduce car dependency for matches is another concern to residents.

"Until such time as this can be made to work no further proposal should be considered to increase spectator capacity.”

The Warriors have been in talks with Glasgow Life for some time.

Building two new stands would help the top-fight rugby side realise its commercial ambitions.

Instructed

Proposals have not yet been submitted in a planning application.

But a concerned resident wanted to know how details of the proposals stood.

Glasgow Life initially disclosed only part of the so-called Scotstoun Stadium Redevelopment Project Proposal following an FOI request.

However, the Scottish Information Commissioner instructed the city council to release the entire document including drawings which reveal the size of the two proposed new stands.

The community council’s two-part complaint to Glasgow Life alleges both “misappropriation of use of association with Jordanhill Community Council” and “alleged mis-leading of a Public Meeting.”

 

'There is so much that is wrong about this proposal - including giving a long lease of a public service amenity to a private enterprise - and the way it has been handled.

'For Glasgow Life to initially withhold the drawings raises significant concerns but when you see the scale of the new stands it is little wonder they wanted to keep it quiet'

Jordanhill Community Council 

 

The spokesman said: “We were astonished to see the document claim ‘all engaged thus far support the scheme’.

“Jordanhill Community Council categorically refutes that it has expressed any support for the scheme and the associated long-lease agreement.

"It is very misleading for Glasgow Life, Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Rugby Union and Glasgow Warriors to suggest otherwise.

“Their document also infers that the proposal was presented at a public meeting in September 2018 but this is not the case.”

'On hold'

A spokesman for Glasgow Life said: “The recently released proposal is one of the earlier concept proposals for plans to develop Scotstoun Stadium.

"These plans were not and have not been progressed.

"Given the impact of Covid-19, all plans for the stadium are currently on hold.

"If we return to stadium development plans in the near future we will, of course, undertake the appropriate public consultation.”

A spokesman for Glasgow Warriors said: “Over the past few years, with increased popularity for rugby in Glasgow, we have been in regular dialogue with Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life over plans to develop Scotstoun Stadium and to maximise the potential of the estate for rugby and athletics.

“In light of the coronavirus pandemic, our priority right now is on safely returning our players to match fitness and creating the right environment to train at our home at Scotsotun Stadium when it is safe to return.”

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