"Green Wedge" and Rugby Club

The Local Plan allows only part of the Kilmardinny/West Park greenbelt to be released for housing. The Rugby Club's fields are to be retained. In the developers' original application the Rugby Club was to be relocated to a central position, thus forming a green heart for the housing, and making a break between the Bearsden and Milngavie communities

What follows is an extract from the concluding submission by Douglas Armstrong QC at the Public Inquiry. He summarises the Council's case for retaining the West of Scotland Rugby Club within the development site.

"Appellants" refers to the Developers. "Ma'am" is Ms Janet McNair, the Scottish Executive Reporter.

(i) The first indicative masterplan proposal by the Appellants (CD10) retained the Club within the appeal site. The reasons for this retention are set out in the Appellants' Planning Statement (CD21) prepared by McInally Associates. The document recognises the desirability and importance of retaining the Club within the appeal site. I refer to the following two passages:

* "The proposals represent a package which will enable the redevelopment of land ... and it will achieve integrated sports facilities encompassing the present Council sports centre and West of Scotland Rugby Club." (paragraph 3.2); and

* "The positioning of the pitches and associated landscaping is crucial in maintaining an open, green heart to the development and contributing visually to the consolidation of the Craigdhu Burn green wedge." (paragraph 8.5).

The Local Plan does not provide for the facility to move to another site no doubt in recognition of the importance of the facility to the Community and its role in providing green space on the appeal site. The Reporter to the Local Plan Inquiry recognised that the appeal site is a sensitive green belt edge location that requires sensitive and planned development. In including the playing fields as part of the development of the appeal site the Local Plan highlights the importance attached to these facilities remaining on site.

(ii) The Appellants' proposal will not result in the retention or reconfiguration of the West of Scotland Football Club.

Clearly the Appellants have decided against an open green heart to the development with the proposal before you Ma'am. I submit no satisfactory planning reason has been given for the removal of the Rugby Football Ground playing fields from the appeal site.

No informed explanation has been given to the inquiry as to why the playing fields could not be retained on site. There has been no assessment produced by the Appellants to show why the Club and playing fields could not be accommodated on the 41.8ha appeal site. Mr Cairns for the Club set out the extent to which the Club relied on CALA and the financial difficulties the Club had but no explanation was given as to why the Club could not be accommodated elsewhere on the appeal site. I refer to Mr Allan's evidence in his precognition under the heading Reason 3c for a full discussion on the evidence on this matter. The Appellants are proposing an alternative location for the Club facilities and I consider the evidence on that proposal in section 4 of this Submission.