GLASGOW City Council was today accused of planning to ruin a top city park - by leasing it out for just a pittance.

GLASGOW City Council was today accused of planning to ruin a top city park - by leasing it out for just a pittance.

If planning bosses give the go ahead for a controversial aerial assault course in Pollok Park, the Evening Times has calculated the money the council will make from the deal will be a tiny drop in the ocean in its £1.18billion annual budget.

The council would get just £2000 in rent in the first year. And even after four years - when the deal goes up to rent and a percentage of turnover - the income generated for council coffers would be under £120,000 a year. And only if the facility operates at an estimated full capacity of 60,000 visitors.

Even after 21 years the council will only have earned £2.2m overall - not even enough to build a third of a primary school which costs on average £7m.

Meanwhile, Go Ape will enjoy an annual turnover of up to £1.3m for using three acres of the city's prized green spaces.

Council bosses today stressed the Go Ape plan was not about about making cash and insisted it was about providing enhanced facilities in parks.

According to an Executive Committee report which went before the council last year, it would charge business owners Go Ape just £2000 rent for the first year for the adventure playground in the park's North Wood near the Burrell Collection.

Though that will rise gradually, if the centre reaches full capacity after four years, the council will still only pocket nearly £120,000 a year.

The venture, which will see bridges and zip wires strung from around 30 trees faces strong opposition with protesters claiming it will ruin the peace and tranquillity of the area.

One prominent campaigner, sports broadcaster Chick Young called the figures "scandalous" compared with the amount Go Ape would make from £25 adult and £20 children entrance fees.

He said: "It makes you wonder why anyone would accept that amount of money.

"The council is taking £2000 in the first year out of a million pound turnover business. Anyone with any business sense can see that's just horrendous."

But Chick added that despite almost 900 people turning up at a heated public meeting on the plan he thinks the council are going to "bulldoze it through".

Bill Fraser, from Save Pollok Park, also condemned the council's actions.

He said: "We just think this is a dreadful deal for the city. This is the last quiet area within Pollok Park and we feel that Go Ape is the wrong development in the wrong place."

The council's rental income will rise to £10,000 from the fourth year and for the rest of the 21-year lease. It will on top of the rent also then take between 3% and 8% of the turnover depending on visitor numbers.

If running at full capacity, based on 28 customers starting the course every hour, 60,000 could potentially pass through a year, based on the opening hours of the English firm's other Scottish site in Aberfoyle.

That would see an annual turnover for Go Ape of £1.3m. The council's 8% cut of that would come to £109,000 which, together with the £10,000 rent, makes £119,000.

A city council spokeswoman said: "The rent reflects the very small area of land being leased, with most of the activity taking place above ground.

"Linking the lease to turnover ensures the return to the council grows in line with the business, and with inflation. However, this proposal is not about making money - it's about providing enhanced facilities in parks."

The accusation came as a Maryhill man revealed the heartfelt letter he's sent to Go Ape Chief Executive Tristram Mayhew asking him to put a halt to the plan.

Ross Collins, 35, from Maryhill, wrote: "I ask you from the bottom of my heart, please, reconsider this location."

A Go Ape spokeswoman said: "Tristram Mayhew has received several letters from Pollok Park residents and is replying to senders personally."

The plan is due to come before the city council's planning committee in two or three weeks.