RESIDENTS have vowed to fight a property group all the way as the firm battles to continue renting out flats.

RESIDENTS have vowed to fight a property group all the way as the firm battles to continue renting out flats.

The McKever group has angered locals by offering short-term lets on flats in a new-build block in Balvicar Street overlooking Queen's Park.

Residents say the flats are let to groups of young people who are making their lives a misery with late-night parties and anti-social behaviour.

Glasgow City Council has served a closure order on the firm but McKever, which previously angered locals by running nearby homeless hostels, has appealed.

Now a public inquiry will be held to rule on the row and yesterday a hearing convened by a Reporter appointed by Scottish Ministers was held at the Couper Institute in Cathcart to set out the framework for the probe expected to begin next month.

Scott MacKay, chairman of Shawlands Community Council, said campaigners were pleased they had won the battle to hold an inquiry.

He added: "As a community council we're constantly having people come to us to raise the issue of disturbances at the flats, including problems of damage to property, vandalism and crime.

"The main problem is that these flats are rented out for a very short period of time. People are sometimes there just for a weekend, so when the police attend there's no responsible householder to hand a warning to.

"Sometimes there are up to 20 people in a two-bedroom flat. The music blaring out affects people living in the building and people living across the road.

"There are often fights. It's bringing the whole area down."

On December 1, 2008, the city council served Planning Enforcement Notices on 11 of the 15 flats at 32 Balvicar Street which are owned by the McKever group.

The firm, which insists it is running a legal business, appealed and the Reporter will recommend what final decision the Scottish Government should take.

A council spokesman said: "The 11 flats were being used for a purpose that had no planning permission and that was having a detrimental effect on residential amenity.

"The original planning permission was for a residential development only. The 11 flats were being used for short-stay serviced accommodation.

"Residents have objected to this and the council seeks a return to purely residential use."

After yesterday's pre-inquiry hearing, representatives of the McKever group declined to comment.