Charity bosses battling to prevent the council from being able to take back part of the Children’s Wood and North Kelvin Meadow are set to find out whether their appeal will be successful today.
The community group is happy to accept a 25-year lease from Glasgow City Council but wants a clause – allowing the authority to reclaim part of the West End land for educational use – to be removed.
It believes the condition “significantly undermines” current and future initiatives by “handcuffing the land in the same uncertain state as before”.
Education staff at the council say the land could be used for an early learning and childcare facility in the future if necessary.
Campaigners managed to save the land from being used for housing in late 2016 after a long-running battle with the council.
The city’s asset transfer committee meets today to consider the appeal, after deciding they didn’t have enough information at a meeting last month.
Representations have been made by the Children’s Wood group, council officers and Police Scotland.
Children’s Wood volunteers recently disputed there is an anti-social behaviour issue around the site after Councillor Ken Andrew said there was a problem.
John McCartin, area inspector for Maryhill, has told the council he attended a meeting with councillors to discuss anti-social behaviour “at this location and the surrounding streets”.
He stated: “It was clear from this meeting, that the number of reported incidents to Police Scotland was significantly less than the perceived level of anti-social behaviour, or conversely anti-social behaviour or other forms of criminality were greatly under-reported to us.”
In a statement to the council, the Children’s Wood revealed a neighbourhood watch group has been set up, which speaks to visitors about noise levels.
The community argues the land is “very different” to a nearby children’s play park – citing the findings of an independent reporter, appointed by the Scottish Government, when housing plans were thwarted almost four years ago.
“Other public open spaces near the site are very different in character from the informal meadow/woodland setting and are not capable of supporting the same range of activities,” the reporter found.
The Children’s Wood representative added play groups, gardening sessions, outdoor learning programmes for over 20 schools and nurseries, community events and mental health workshops are all held on the land.
Around 80 people have signed a petition backing the appeal and the group has provided dozens of supportive quotes to the committee.
Patrick Grady, MP for Glasgow North, has also shown his support for the community.
He said: “It is heartening to see the space being used regularly for a variety of community, educational and recreational purposes.
“Spending time outdoors is even more important now as we adapt to this new way of living and I know that the local residents are very grateful for the green space and the physical and mental health benefits it brings.”
Council officers state Education Services did not have “definitive proposals” but requested the “ability to take the site into consideration for future provision should be preserved”.
The statement adds: “As a consequence of the Scottish Government’s commitment to providing 1140 hours of free early learning and childcare for three to five year-olds and eligible two year-olds, an expansion of provision will be required across the city.”
Officers claim the Children’s Wood were informed about their “aspirations for potential use” before the application for a community asset transfer.
It reveals there is enough early years capacity in the area for at least the next three years.
