Plans to build nearly 200 homes on Finnieston Nuffield health centre site move forward

Changes to a plan to build 195 homes in Finnieston have been agreed, as campaigners once again pushed to save their gym.

Real estate firm Redevco has secured amendments to its planning approval for 195 homes for private sale on the Nuffield Health site at Minerva Way.

It also has permission to use the land for over 390 build-to-rent properties.

Chris Abel, from the company, said the changes would “maximise the available options to get a scheme delivered”.

The application was made due to “funding challenges” around the build-to-rent plan. It received more than 80 objections as a long-running planning battle over the land continued.

Plans for 195 homes were approved in July 2022 before Redevco secured permission for 391 build-to-rent flats last year. The developments have been opposed by gym-goers, with over 2,100 previously signing a petition against the project.

A planning committee meeting on Tuesday heard how Nuffield Health’s lease for the site is set to expire in November. Landowners Redevco said there were no plans for this to be renewed, but later suggested it was “open to having discussions” with the community about retaining gym use until construction works were ready to start.

After the meeting, Keith Trotter, one of the objectors, who has used the gym for 15 years, said campaigners were feeling “fairly positive” as councillors had acknowledged the “developer should not remove an important community asset until there is the necessary funding” and a timeline for development in place.

“Clearly, there are challenges around funding today, given the current world we live in,” he added. “Prematurely removing a well-used and integral community facility in the Finnieston area is in no one’s best interest.”

Mr Trotter said campaigners would meet with the developer to see if they could work together to “make this a win-win for both parties”.

The initial planning approval, granted in July 2022, was due to expire in July last year, but the application to amend conditions was submitted in April.

The approval of this ‘Section 42’ application will “constitute a new planning permission for the previously approved development proposal”, a council report explained.

Eight conditions have been amended, with the main change related to the energy system. A combined head and power system has been replaced with an “air heat pump and mechanical ventilation”.

Mr Abel said: “The reason we are seeking to keep this option open is around the funding challenges relating to build-to-rent and the rental controls that are hopefully unlocking but are still yet to be unlocked.

“Funding currently is preventing us from delivering that scheme, whereas this consent is a build-to-sell scheme, so it wouldn’t have the same funding challenges.”

One objector, Richard Bush, said the gym “makes a significant contribution to health and wellbeing” which aligns with national planning policies. “There is no clear reason why housing cannot be delivered on site while retaining the gym,” he added.

David Johnson said: “Finnieston has already experienced the impact of stalled sites and long-term vacant land. This former industrial site has unknown contamination issues and major problems around its tunnels.

“It’s potentially a very expensive white elephant. This creates a real risk that a prominent site could be cleared and left vacant without a confirmed plan to build.”

Approving the changes, Cllr Saqib Ahmed, Labour, said Glasgow was in “desperate need” of more flats. “I think it will benefit the city of Glasgow and the housing crisis we have,” he added.

Bailie Elaine Gallagher, Greens, said the changes to the planning conditions “make sense” but added: “I would be in favour of the gym continuing in its use until the developers can definitively actually say that they can build on the site.”