By SARAH SWAIN & REBECCA GRAY CAMPAIGNERS who battled to stop an adventure course being built in a city park are claiming another victory.

By SARAH SWAIN & REBECCA GRAY

CAMPAIGNERS who battled to stop an adventure course being built in a city park are claiming another victory.

Save Pollok Park (SPP) is celebrating Glasgow City Council's decision to put the park on the list of the council's Common Good assets.

It means the beauty spot, like a dozen other sites in the city, must be used "for the benefit of the community". Also, any money made must go into the Common Good fund, administered by the council.

The fund is held on behalf of the people of Glasgow and is mostly used to pay for civic ceremonies and hospitality.

The move means the council could not sell the park without going to court - though it doesn't specifically rule out development at the park.

Bob Marshall from SPP said: "The park has a special legal status which means the council can't dispose of or give a lease to anybody and take it out of public use without going to court.

"We have always said it's our park and this rubber stamps it."

The campaigners have always maintained the park should be part of the Common Good as it was gifted to the city by the Maxwell family.

Last year they called upon Andy Whiteman, an expert on Common Good land laws, who said that because the park belongs to the people of the city the council would need legal permission to lease or sell it.

English firm Go Ape was given the green light by the council to create an attraction in the park's North Wood despite hundreds of objections. However, the firm walked away in June, citing financial constraints.

Glasgow's other Common Good holdings include shop units in several areas of the city; the Citizens Theatre; a bowling green in Dumbarton Road; Nitsdale Hall; grazing land near Newton Mearns and vacant land on London Road and Woodville Street.

According to a council financial statement from March, the fund made £2 million last year, with £1.5m being spent; £13.5m is left in the pot.

A council spokeswoman confirmed the move and said: "The law surrounding Common Good is often complex. However, the council considers Pollok Country Park to be part of the Common Good and lists it among Common Good assets on the council website."

Save Pollok Park members are planning a celebratory picnic in the park on Sunday, August 23, at 2pm. They will also be holding a tug-of-war challenge between two teams of campaigners - one representing SPP, the other the council.