2/4/2008Community deprived of basic facilities
CALLS are growing for a health centre in a facility-starved community in Glasgow.
People in Robroyston in the north of the city say they urgently need the vital service - more than the shops that keep springing up in their area.
They have earmarked a plot of land on Saughs Road thought to be roughly 13 acres owned by offshore company Elmford Ltd.
They have accused the group of failing to address the needs of the community - but the company says it has listened and plans will just take time.
The nearest health centre is in Provanmill over a mile away and public transport links, according to the community council, are said to be very poor.
Throughout the 1990s there were massive housing developments which increased the population of the area to more than 8500 people.
William Murray, from the community council, said: "There are roughly 2,500 households in this area - there's absolutely nothing apart from an Asda.
"There are also plans to build even more houses on the M80 corridor - we will have no local amenities, no health centre, no nursery.
"We don't need another Homebase, or Asda, what we need is a health centre, or a nursery, or a family restaurant.
"Unless something is done, the area is in danger of turning into another Cumbernauld - lots of housing but nothing else."
A spokesman for Stewart Milne Group, who are representing Elmford, stressed they were aware of the need for a health centre and the land would be used to provide both community and retail space.
He said the planning and building of the project would take a number of years to complete.
He said: "We've listened to the community and we know there is a need for a health centre, as well as other facilities.
"I find it a bit surprising that they are complaining about us building solely retail space - we have said repeatedly that the land is big enough for both retail and community facilities.
"It is now a case of waiting for the evolution of community planning and unfortunately that is a process that could take a number of years.
"As a result, Elmford is not in the process of marketing the land to anybody at the moment."
A Glasgow City Council spokesman confirmed in the past, planning permission had been granted for a range of uses which would bring commercial facilities to the area.
She added: "While there are no current planning applications for the site, the city council would be supportive of proposals which extended the range of facilities available to residents and which comply with the relevant policies in the adopted city plan."
In April 2004 plans for a proposed £10 million David Lloyd Leisure Centre on the site were given the go-ahead but were later shelved.
People in Robroyston in the north of the city say they urgently need the vital service - more than the shops that keep springing up in their area.
They have earmarked a plot of land on Saughs Road thought to be roughly 13 acres owned by offshore company Elmford Ltd.
They have accused the group of failing to address the needs of the community - but the company says it has listened and plans will just take time.
The nearest health centre is in Provanmill over a mile away and public transport links, according to the community council, are said to be very poor.
Throughout the 1990s there were massive housing developments which increased the population of the area to more than 8500 people.
William Murray, from the community council, said: "There are roughly 2,500 households in this area - there's absolutely nothing apart from an Asda.
"There are also plans to build even more houses on the M80 corridor - we will have no local amenities, no health centre, no nursery.
"We don't need another Homebase, or Asda, what we need is a health centre, or a nursery, or a family restaurant.
"Unless something is done, the area is in danger of turning into another Cumbernauld - lots of housing but nothing else."
A spokesman for Stewart Milne Group, who are representing Elmford, stressed they were aware of the need for a health centre and the land would be used to provide both community and retail space.
He said the planning and building of the project would take a number of years to complete.
He said: "We've listened to the community and we know there is a need for a health centre, as well as other facilities.
"I find it a bit surprising that they are complaining about us building solely retail space - we have said repeatedly that the land is big enough for both retail and community facilities.
"It is now a case of waiting for the evolution of community planning and unfortunately that is a process that could take a number of years.
"As a result, Elmford is not in the process of marketing the land to anybody at the moment."
A Glasgow City Council spokesman confirmed in the past, planning permission had been granted for a range of uses which would bring commercial facilities to the area.
She added: "While there are no current planning applications for the site, the city council would be supportive of proposals which extended the range of facilities available to residents and which comply with the relevant policies in the adopted city plan."
In April 2004 plans for a proposed £10 million David Lloyd Leisure Centre on the site were given the go-ahead but were later shelved.