Seconds out in battle for Otago Lane
CAMPAIGNERS fighting to stop development on the westend’s Otago Lane are bracing themselves for a further battle.
Otago Street Developments, the company planning to build houses on the lane, has resubmitted proposals to Glasgow city council which, campaigners claim are not significantly different from its previous submission.
Protesters have been fighting the development since the issue was first raised some two years ago.
Iain Steel, chair of the Otago Lane community association said the new move by the developers had taken activists by surprise since no-one was notified.
Iain told The Extra: “We just met on Sunday to get the ball rolling again and we have a mailing list of 3,000 people to get in touch with.
“We didn’t have time to plan a march as we need to give police more notice.
“The plans have changed from those initially submitted as two of the buildings have been raised in height”.
Iain added that the plans still go against the council’s city plan which says that a new building must not be more than two storeys high.
There is a further reduction in parking space for residents and the use of zinc cladding which is not in line with a conservation area.
Opposition to the building has received a great deal of support. However, the community association warns that letters of objection previously submitted may not be included for this application if “the planning department feel the developer has addressed in any way the points people have raised”.
Although activists are determined to fight it out to the end, Iain told The Extra that the city council is in favour of passing the plan.
He said: “The developer has said there is a feeling in favour of passing this development.
Westend MSP Sandra White has said she will continue to support the opposition. She told The Extra: “It’s a constant source of worry and threat for the people who live and work in Otago Lane and they haven’t even been consulted on the new application.
“I’m still very supportive of the people involved and hope that this doesn’t go ahead.
“It’s a unique area and the proposed development would completely destroy it, so I’ll be working with the campaigners to oppose it yet again”.
A spokesman for Glasgow city council made no comment on the rumour that the developers had been given an unofficial nod for the project.
He said: “The proposal has been amended (the existing application remains open) and neighbours have been notified.
“More detail on the proposal will have to come from the applicant”.
Activists were set to meet yesterday to discuss the way forward.
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Sunday 20 May 2012
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