CONTROVERSIAL plans to demolish a historic West End bowling club and build a block of nine-storey flats have been thrown out for the second time. 

Corunna Bowling Club on St Vincent Crescent opened in the 1860s but closed in 2017 after being sold to developers. Proposals to create more residential accommodation in its place were met with almost 400 objections.

Nixon Blue Ltd previously submitted a planning application to Glasgow City Council to build a residential development at the club but this was refused in August last year. Following an appeal, proposals were presented before the planning local review body yesterday.

Members heard the applicant had intended to flatten the bowling club and build 39 flats in its place with cycle and car parking spaces.

Concerns were raised the proposals would detract from the character and would ruin protected open space.

Read more: West End residents urge council to turn down flats bid

Councillor Malcolm Cunning said: “The applicant appears to be trying to get around the loss of open space by creating a public area at the front and a play area but that is not enough.”

Members agreed that the suitability of the site for a building of that scale was a problem. 

Committee convenor Michael Cullen said: “The core element is the suitability of the plan.

There would be considerable difference in height between the new building and the surrounding ones which are only three storeys high. There have been objections from the community council, residents association and coal authority.”

Meanwhile a bowling club in Glasgow’s South Side looks set to close after a decision by committee members last week. 

Read more: Historic Glasgow bowling club earmarked for luxury flats

Reports online suggest that the board of Mount Florida Bowling Club, which has been operating in the community for 110 years, has decided to let the club shut its doors. 

In January it was reported that falling membership at the club could force it to close its doors.

Later that month the club announced its decision to stop any consideration of new membership until after the AGM, on Friday, March 15.

Now, the site could be lost to the community, as rumours circulate that the bowling club and green will be sold to housing developers. 

A letter written to a member of the Save Mount Florida Bowling Club group states that the decision to dispose of the club was taken as early as October last year. 

When contacted a representative from Mount Florida BC declined to comment on the club’s future. 

Local residents have shared their disappointment online, as well as their commitment to saving the site from housing developers for community use. 

Chair of Mount Florida Community Council, Chris Carus, said: “The community council was surprised and disappointed to find out in January was the bowling club experiencing difficulties with membership, but was considering closing. 

“Since then there have been extensive efforts to speak to the club. They are a very private organisation and have resisted continued efforts to engage.”

Residents have been making efforts to boost membership of the club, which still have signage inviting applications until the end of February. 

Mount Florida Community Council has claimed that as many as 120 new membership applications have been submitted in recent weeks.  

Mr Carus added: “It has emerged that they made the decision to close and dispose of the club in October but we are getting no official story from the club and they are accepting no new members.” 

He added: “We have worked with residents and have had the input of 200 people at a public meeting and online and the local community would like the site to be preserved. 

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