1. Welcome
Niall McColl welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. Attendance and Apologies
2.1. Community Councillors
Niall McColl (Vice Chair), Carla Arrighi, Peter Hayman, Eileen Mills, Gary Atkinson, David Cowan, Daniel O’Malley and Scott Thornton.
2.2. Residents
AL, PP, EM
2.3. Elected Representatives
Cllr Eva Bolander
2.4. Apologies
Tam Coyle; Lord Provost Philip Braat; Deputy Lord Provost Christy Mearns, Cllr Angus Millar; Fiona Clark
3. Minutes of Last Meeting (22 February 2022)
3.1. Update on Action Points
3.2. Corrections to minutes of last meeting
No changes were requested.
3.3. Approval
Proposed by: Scott Thornton
Seconded by: David Cowan
4. Matters Arising
None raised
5. Police Report (Rob Wilson and Stephen Clark)
5.1. Report
- No report as no police presence
5.2. Questions to be passed to the police
5.2.1. Grafitti
- EB – Some areas of the riverfront its no longer value for money to try and cover up the graffiti.
- ST – thanks to Lord Provost for prompt responses re graffiti on Clyde St
- ST – given the CCTV coverage in the city, why are more culprits not apprehended.
- NM – Frieze on Wilson St end of Old Sheriff Court has been targeted recently; removed by private contractors but stonework was damaged due to use of pressure washers
5.2.2. Youths climbing on Glassford St Car Park
- Was reported by a resident as a 999, as they were climbing on dangerous parts of the building, and no response to 101 calls
6. Treasurer’s Report (Carla)
- Everything is now sorted, except for a recent bank statement.
- £1,290.71 as of 8th October.
7. Elected Members Reports
7.1. Cllr Eva Bolander
7.1.1. Graffiti and youth problems
- Complex issue.
- Several different groups:
- Kids from outskirts of the city, younger than traditionally would come into the city centre
- Kids from outside the city – as far afield as Aberdeen; result of lockdown
- Some are groups of friends
- Some gangs, often pre-arranged via social media
- Premeditated criminal groups – may include vulnerable children
- Initiative in Kelvingrove Park last year restarted for 2022; lessons from last year have been learned
7.1.2. Problems with Glassford St car park
- Youths climbing on dangerous parts of the building
- Similar problems have been encountered at residential building near Central Station
- Ongoing issue
7.1.3. Speeding on Ingram St
- Unenforced 20mph zone
- Exacerbated recently by high volume of traffic redirection recently
- Investigating introduction of traffic calming measures
7.1.4. Parking on Candleriggs
- Enforcement is taking place, but doesn’t seem to make a difference
- Further discussion needed re enforcement and prevention
7.1.5. Merchant City Festival
- Will be an in-person event this year, from 28 – 31 July
- Less emphasis on food trucks, more emphasis on supporting local businesses
- Details still being worked out, but George Square and Merchant City will feature heavily.
7.1.6. Green and Open Space Fund
- Fund has been renewed for 2022/23
- One possibility is for planters and seats outside the Ramshorn
- Another is Kings Court or South Block, south of Trongate
7.1.7. Friends of Ramshorn
- Initial meeting will take place soon
7.1.8. Community meetings
- Space available within the City Chambers from 1 April
7.2. Deputy Lord Provost Christy Mearns (by email)
7.2.1. Graffiti on Clyde St
- Reported and removed
7.2.2. Indiscriminate parking on green space, between Albion Street and Shuttle Street
- Confirmed ownership is not within GCC but Strathclyde University and Scottish Enterprise Glasgow so I have written to them asking for solutions to be found
7.2.3. Indiscriminate pavement parking on Candleriggs
- Reported and I am chasing up Parking Enforcement attention
7.2.4. Green space funding for parklets
- I organised a walkabout with Parks officers and members of the Community Council. This was a positive meeting exploring options for Merchant City “Parklets”, seeking confirmation of the funding available for MC (which I will report on separately) and opportunities for greening which there is undoubtedly a strong need for.
- There was interest in a possible site at the corner of Wilson Street/ Candleriggs; a possible site on the sunny corner of Wilson Street/ Hutcheson Street; a possible option on Wilson Street (in a parking space roughly outside Cavendish Clinic); and a possible option of introducing small trees in the existing large capacity black planters around Wilson Street, Hutcheson Street eg.
- To keep costs down, as there is not a significant amount for each “parklet”, we discussed the possibility of considering benches (bolted down) and planters, alongside other ideas to introduce more bespoke timber raised structures.
- Officers strongly supported each option in principle – they believed that they were all relatively quiet spots with a good degree of sunlight and direct sun. I have requested that further detail on feasibility of each option be provided at the earliest opportunity, so all options can be looked at in the round, and communicated to local residents, before a final decision is taken.
7.2.5. Ramshorn Cemetery
- seeking update on the budget I secured to permanently reopen it. It is owned by City Property so the Council is engaging with them to understand how they will provide public access to the site in line with the Council’s decision and recently-allocated budget. This is not however a business-as-usual activity for City Property so they may come back to the Council asking for assistance; if they do, Council officers will work with colleagues in City Property in order to provide access in line with the budget decision.
- I believe that the asset should be considered for transfer back to the Council who may be better placed to manage and maintain this public space. I am making enquiries about this and will keep you updated about wider progress on this generally.
7.2.6. Artisan, Ingram Street Site
- I understand that the Community Council may vote to object to the pre-application proposal for residential development on this site. I would be happy to support the CC, and residents, in objecting to this pre-planning proposal at this moment in time, as I believe that it presents a good opportunity to make representations and provide an early opportunity to resist private housing development here which, in my opinion, is not in the best interests of local residents, of the environment, and of the liveability of the local area.
7.3. Questions
- DM – Parking on Albion St open space – parking tickets were issued, but problems persist
- EM – update on ventilation in Committee Rooms; Eva unsure, will follow up
- EM – noted that “Four corners” is not so named now, as problems are wider than that area. Action points have been implemented, including taking the children home to their parents
- ST – Greening the Merchant City. Useful meeting with horticulturist, but no guarantee that GCC will maintain them longer term.
- GA – similar youth related problems at Union Square in Aberdeen; there they found an old bye-law that was used to prevent offenders coming into the city
8. Planning (Peter Hayman)
Planning list had been circulated in advance:
- 22/00292/LBA Community Cnl: Merchant City & Trongate Flat 3/2 117 Candleriggs Glasgow Internal and external alterations to listed building.
- 22/00303/FUL Community Cnl: Merchant City & Trongate 65 Argyle Street Glasgow G2 8AH Upgrade of rooftop telecommunications site.
- 22/00324/FUL Community Cnl: Merchant City & TrongateFlat 3/2 117 Candleriggs Glasgow Formation of 3No. conservation style rooflights and refurbishment of existing window.
- 22/00385/FUL Community Cnl: Merchant City & Trongate 75 – 95 Dunlop Street Glasgow External alterations
- 21/02821/PAN Community Cnl: Merchant City & Trongate St Enoch Shopping Centre 1 St Enoch Centre Glasgow Redevelopment and refurbishment, including phased demolition works, to provide mixed use development comprising retail (class 1), financial and professional services (Class 2), residential flats (including build to rent, open market sale, co-living, student accommodation and later living (Sui Generis)), restaurants (class 3), public house (sui generis), office and business space (Class 4), hotel, apart-hotel and hostel (class 7 and Sui generis), serviced apartments (sui generis), residential institution (class 8), non-residential institutions (class 10), leisure and culture (class 11) and other related ancillary uses, public realm (including outdoor performance space), landscaping, car parking, servicing and access and associated works.
- 21/03774/PAN Community Cnl: Merchant City & Trongate Site At Osborne Street/ Old Wynd Glasgow Erection of flatted residential development and associated works.
- 22/00492/FUL | Frontage alterations | Public House 199 Albion Street City Centre Glasgow G1
- 22/00195/ADV Display of non-illuminated signage. – 62 Virginia Street Glasgow G1 1TX
- 22/00245/LBA Internal and external alterations, includes erection of rooftop extension – 61 Glassford Street Glasgow G1 1UG
- 22/00246/FUL External alterations, with erection of rooftop extension with retractable roof as ancilllary bar/ restaurant to hotel use, includes installation of plant to roof – 61 Glassford Street Glasgow G1 1UG
- 22/00667/LBA Installation of telecommunication equipment upgrade – Premier Inn 187 George Street City Centre Glasgow G1 1YU
- 22/00672/FUL Installation of telecommunication equipment upgrade – Premier Inn 187 George Street City Centre Glasgow G1 1YU
- 22/00643/LBA Internal and external alterations to listed building. – Storey 1 10 Montrose Street Glasgow G1 1RE
- 22/00644/FUL Installation of 2No. ventilation louvres – Storey 1 10 Montrose Street Glasgow G1 1RE
GA noted that the last time telecoms equipment was installed at the Premier Inn, the noise was unacceptable and went on late into the night.
9. Licencing (Tam Coyle)
- No Licencing report due to Tam giving apologies.
- Connolly’s and Murphy’s bars still causing ongoing problems
- Candleriggs Square due to reopen 1 April
10. Merchant City Park (Eileen and Peter)
- Eva withdrew from the conversation, as she sits on the Planning Committee
10.1 Motion
- Peter proposed the following motion
Merchant City & Trongate Community Council maintain their commitment agreed at their January 2019 meeting “their wish to see the site adjacent to the Old fruit Market bounded by Candleriggs, Ingram & Albion streets become a green, multi function community park.”
To this end, having the site built on would be incompatible and they object to any plans to do so.
The objectives are to:-
- Preserve the space for community amenity and make up for lack of local meet up facilities
- Support Glasgow City Centre development plans calling for green, public space
- Address mental and physical health issues of isolation loneliness and lack of social contact
- Preserve the existing trees and add to the biodiversity potential lacking in the city centre
- Tackle pollution
- Preserve the major civic artwork mural, its appreciation and draw for visitors and tourists
- Create a space for children to play
- Attract visitors westward to a pleasant meeting place, and onward to High Stree
- Provide a space for outdoor games, such as boules, chess etc.
- Have a space for performance, music, sports or outdoor cinema
- Allow for farmers’, book sale or other markets, or other temporary events
- Give patrons of City Halls & Old Fruit Market a place to gather before and after performance
- Potential for a mobility hub to promote active travel in the area
- Aid local businesses with a pleasant setting allowing breathing space for customers
There will be a public meeting on Thursday 7th April at 6.30pm (in person at 18 Montrose St and via Zoom)
Niall recommended that we postpone a vote on the motion until after that meeting, as that will be an up to date gauge of public support. This was accepted
10.2 Comments
- Christy Mearns supports the MCP plans, and advises that now is the time for locals to let it be known what they want for the site
- Proposals Are at https://65-97ingramstreet.co.uk, feedback can be given until 10th April
- AL – be careful what we wish for; what is to say that the park would not be blighted by the problems that affect other parts of the city centre
- PH – already vast amounts of housing being developed in the city centre
- GA – affordable housing is needed, but none of the plans include that; it should be part of the planning requirements
11. Social Media (Niall McColl)
- Facebook followers 622 (469 at November 2021)
- Twitter followers: 124 (103 at November 2021)
- Mailing list: 76 (74 at November 2021)
- Recent tweets about parking on streets in Candleriggs – other areas of the MCTCC area are affected but this is the most blatant.
- The April meeting will hopefully be in person, with a livestream available via Zoom (register in advance)
12. Local Issues (all)
12.1 Flyer distribution
- Thanks to PP and all who have helped with the flyering
- Feedback from businesses in Parnie St area, not keen on online meetings, not hearing about filming until too late.
13. Filming
- Batgirl filming is winding down. They are making a donation to the community; once the money has been received, we will let everyone know and will be looking for ideas on how to use it for the benefit of the local community
- Some filming of “Borderland” will take place in one unit on Parnie St in April. The production met with residents to go through their plans in great detail and to allay their fears. That production team has been very engaged with the community council – they had asked to film a scene on Ingram St at Virginia Place, but were dissuaded when we talked about the disruption to businesses and residents already experienced this year.
- A cooling off period is now in force for use of the Merchant City & Trongate areas due to the number of productions there have been in recent months
14. AOCB
14.1 Hustings
- Preferred date Thursday 28th April at 7pm via Zoom. Daniel to organise. Same format as last time
- List of candidates should be known first week in April.
15. Date of next meeting
Tuesday 26th April 2022 at 7pm – location to be confirmed.
16. Action Points
| Item | Action by | ||
| 1 | Report back on meeting with Mairi Miller re Connolly’s bar, and speak to her re coffee shop on Candleriggs | Christy Mearns | |
| 3 | Follow up on Candleriggs TRO re pedestrianisation south of Bell St | Christy Mearns | |
| 4 | Contact David Cowan re experiences with recent filming | Angus Millar | |
| Confirm arrangements re use of City Chambers, including ventilation and streaming facilities | Phillip Braat | Full meeting of council on Thursday – Hybrid style, will be rolled out to some of the committee rooms | |
| 9 | (Feb) Confirm how many staff directly involved in graffiti removal with Denise Hamilton | Tam Coyle | |
| 10 | (Feb)Discuss possibility of having street art on lampposts | Tam Coyle and PP | |
| 11 | Impact of demolition of Annie Miller’s pub on local residents | Eva Bolander | Missed from previous meeting |