Plans for Battlefield wine bar refused by Glasgow councillors to go to appeal

Plans for a wine bar serving nibbles in Battlefield, which was refused by the council, will go to an appeal next week.

The proposal would see an empty former off licence on Sinclair Drive transformed into a wine bar with cold snacks also on offer including olives, pates, crisp breads and pickled vegetables.

The site was formerly the Wee Dram, which sold spirits and closed in 2018.

Glasgow City Council knocked back the proposal for the venue for a number of reasons, including that there was a lack of information about waste and recycling, and that it didn’t comply with policies.

Applicant Sylvan La Cave has launched a planning appeal against the refusal, which will go in front of councillors next week.

A council report said there there was a failure to “to consider the negative impacts created by inadequate ventilation” and “inadequate information provided in connection with waste and recycling.”

It added: “This negative impact on the residential amenity of the flatted properties above the site would be harmful to the health and well being of current and future residents.”

It also said use “of the property as a Class 3 business would result in a significant loss of residential amenity to the adjacent residential flats above the unit and adjacent to the unit through the effects of increased noise, activity and/or cooking fumes.”

The food is to be prepared at a restaurant in Woodlands Road before being delivered to the premises according to a statement lodged on behalf of the applicant. It would be open from 10am to 11pm Monday to Sunday.

The applicants’ appeal said “there is no requirement in policy for a class 3 use to have a vertical flue vent. There is no need for an extraction flue as there is no cooking on the premises.”

It said: “Claims of residential impact are unfounded and based on a misrepresented application, making such requirements unnecessary and unjustified.”

It added:”Plans already show adequate waste storage and collection arrangements. Naming contractors or predicting future use is unnecessary. The proposal is a wine bar with minimal waste, so concerns about increased waste or restaurant-level output are irrelevant.”

Councillors will consider the change of use of the premises from Class1A to a cafe, restaurant (Class 3) use at next week’s planning local review committee.