Short term Airbnb in West End conservation area refused by Glasgow council

A bid to overturn a decision to refuse plans for a short term holiday in a quiet residential area has been rejected by Glasgow City Councillors.

Proposals for the property at 55 Kelvinside Gardens would have seen the two bedroom home leased seasonally from March/April until September/October for an average stay of three or four nights and a maximum of 14 nights while being advertised on Airbnb.

Plans were brought before members of the planning local review committee on Tuesday.

A report presented to councillors advised that the flat, which is also situated in the Glasgow West Conservation area, was equipped with a general household waste bin plus a recycling bin for plastic and paper.

Glass would be stored in the kitchen or deposited at local recycling bins while general household waste could be disposed of via the lane, in the bins provided at the rear of the building.

But councillors raised concerns on whether or not guests would be able to dispose of their waste effectively and if a short term let like this was suitable for the area.

Councillor Declan Blench said: “My question is about the waste uplift facilities. The appeal says it doesn’t really have any residential waste uplift?

“It says household waste can be emptied into the bins on the lane? How would that be managed?”

A council officer advised members that residential waste could be collected from the lane and it seemed that guests would be encouraged to do that too.

Councillor Saqib Ahmed asked if there were any other properties in the vicinity that were short term lets and was advised that there were none.

Members then decided they didn’t have a strong enough reason to grant the appeal and that the proposals were contradictory to Glasgow’s planning policy.

Councillor Paul Leinster said: “I don’t think there is any reason to overturn the decision and I would not support granting this.”

Bailie Thomas Kerr added: “I don’t think I could support this either as it clearly contradicts our policy.”

Members unanimously agreed to reject the appeal.