Glasgow flat owner appeals short-term let rejection after 'privacy conflict'

A west end flat owner has launched an appeal after the council rejected a bid to use the property as a short-term let due to a “privacy conflict” with neighbours.

Planners turned down a proposal to use a two-bed flat on Hastie Street in Glasgow, near Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, as a short-stay apartment as it shares an access with “longer-term private residents”. One objector had raised fears that the property could be used “for parties”.

But the applicant, Stella Russon, believes the plan wouldn’t have a “detrimental impact”, and would make a “positive contribution” to the city’s economy. The appeal will go before the council’s local review committee on Tuesday.

Planning officials decided the change would be to the “detriment” of current residents. They said it “would result in an unacceptable introduction of commercial use and intensification of activity in a residential block of flats”.

It would also “impact on communities by, for example, hindering the provision of homes”, officials reported.

There was one objection to the plan, which raised concerns over noise, security and “potential for short-term tenants to use the property for parties”. A second objection was received after the deadline for comments but contained “similar issues”.

However, the appeal, submitted on behalf of the applicant, states the proposal is “small in scale” and would “not change the residential character and amenities of the area or cause a disturbance”.

It argues short-term lets have “various benefits for landlords, guests, and tourists” and “also cater to workers looking for short-term accommodation”. “The neighbourhood is not an exclusive residential area,” the appeal argues, and the use would be “appropriate for the well established mixed-use area”.

It adds the application is “compatible with the location and will not have a detrimental impact on the visual amenities or a detrimental impact on the character of the surrounding buildings.”