Plans to knock down bowling club in Glasgow's West End for £10m care home to be refused

Plans to knock down a bowling club and build a lavish care home in Glasgow’s West End have been recommended for refusal again despite changes by the developer.

Northcare Ltd wants to demolish the club on Helensburgh Drive in Jordanhill, and build a new home with a cinema and cocktail bar.

It has cut the number of proposed rooms from 66 to 60 and moved a footpath to prevent pedestrians crossing a driveway.

A decision on the controversial plan, which sparked over 100 objections, was delayed in August to allow the firm to submit the altered proposal.

The issue will now go before the city’s planning committee on October 11, but planning officials are still recommending the application be turned down. They have said the development “would result in the loss of protected open space”.

Officials added: “While the proposed development could potentially help address a need in the local area, for care within the local community, this does not outweigh the strong presumption in favour of the retention of protected open space.”

Objectors argued, in response to the initial application, the care home at Anniesland Tennis and Bowling Club would be too high, remove much-needed outdoor public space and cause overlooking.

At the August meeting, a council official said the developer had sent a letter which advised a “new piece of guidance that had been prepared by the Care Commission actually sets a limit on the number of beds to 60 within care homes”.

“They say that removing the six bedrooms could see the configuration of the building changed and as a result this may well result in a change in terms of the amount of open space within the development,” the official added.

Northcare has claimed the development will “provide much needed accommodation for the ever increasing elderly population, allowing them to live their lives with dignity and independence with specialist assistance at hand”.

It has promised new open space, including a community garden, a cinema, café, rooftop terraces and cocktail bar. The firm said it is planning to invest £10m in the site, creating 90 permanent jobs.

However, 115 residents, including Labour councillor Eunis Jassemi and Greens councillor Lana Reid-McConnell have opposed the development.

An earlier bid for a 66-bed care home on the site was rejected in March this year. Officials rejected that application as it would not “protect the integrity or character of the city’s natural environment”.

They also said no justification had been made for “development of the site contrary to the strong presumption in favour of the retention of this open space”.