Victoria Infirmary site developers are branded 'breathtakingly arrogant'

Sanctuary Homes has now submitted its planning application to Glasgow City Council for 413 flats, office and retail space at the former Victoria Infirmary.

However, the Victoria Forum - made up of three community councils - claim there should be a masterplan for the site and that they were told the document would be submitted by Sanctuary.

City policy dictates that a masterplan is provided by developers to be approved before planning applications are considered by a council committee.

Rather than submitting a separate document, Sanctuary said its masterplan is embedded in the 400 planning documents it has submitted to the council.

But the Victoria Forum has been campaigning for the past two years for a masterplan for the Infirmary campus as well as for the wider area and claims Sanctuary's efforts are not good enough.

Forum chairwoman Evelyn Silber said: "This is really no more than a planning application and as such should be rejected as premature until a separate masterplan has been submitted and approved.

"There is no evidence-based justification for some of its proposals, for instance for all flats and no houses.

"Their approach is breathtakingly arrogant and disrespectful both to the Council, which should take a firm line, and to the community."

Campaigners said they welcome the development of the site and acknowledged Sanctuary carried out a thorough community consultation.

The sticking point, however, is the Masterplan with the Victoria Forum saying a detailed Masterplan should cover local housing needs and other local factors such as traffic, pedestrian safety, school places and play parks

Glasgow City Development Plan described a Masterplan as a detailed document describing how a site will be developed.

Sanctuary firmly states that its planning application is sufficient and that it has worked closing with the council's planning department.

The Victoria Forum, which is urging locals to respond to the planning application before the closing date of October 31, has developed its own Masterplan.

It suggests housing should be a mixture of house and flats with specific provision for the elderly and disabled and 50 per cent for rent, rather than private purchase.

They also ask for public realm development proposals for outside the site, especially around Battlefield Rest, and a business and commercial analysis is required immediately to assess the need for commercial units.

It is now asking that the development be put on hold and for Sanctuary and the council to work with the community to develop a separate Masterplan.

Chris Carus, chairman of Mount Florida Community Council, added: "This is a critical moment for the South Side.

"How this site is developed will affect the area for generations – impacting everything from local businesses to school catchments, traffic and the general attractiveness of the area."

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said: “We have received a considerable amount of information from Sanctuary Homes in relation to the former Victoria infirmary site.

"This is currently being reviewed and appraised.

"The applicant has been advised that we will not be determining the planning application until the masterplan has been considered by the Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm City Policy Committee.

“The public has until October 31 to comment on the planning application and all responses will be taken into consideration.

"The impact of any major housing development on an area is factored into the decision-making process through the policies of the City Development Plan.”

Peter Martin, Sanctuary’s Group Director of Development, said: “Our planning application was validated in consultation with Glasgow City Council’s planning department and fully meets the statutory planning requirements.

"Our masterplan is limited to the site itself, in line with the planning process. The wider area is outwith our remit.

“More than 600 local residents attended six community consultation sessions and our proposals take account of their views.

"The general reaction has been very positive, with people keen to see significant investment in this important, historic site.

"Our local design team’s detailed proposals can be viewed on the Glasgow City Council website.

"These proposals include the retention of the iconic Nightingale Pavilions, new public realm areas and an improved pedestrian route through the site to Queen’s Park.

"The former Victoria Infirmary was a central part of the community and many people have a connection to the hospital.

"We have strived to meet the expectations and aspirations of everyone who gave us their opinion.

"Our proposals won’t please everybody but we believe they reflect the positive views of the 600-plus local people who attended the public consultation events.”

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Council said: “We have received a considerable amount of information from Sanctuary Homes in relation to the former Victoria infirmary site.

"This is currently being reviewed and appraised.

"The applicant has been advised that we will not be determining the planning application until the masterplan has been considered by the Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm City Policy Committee.

“The public has until October 31 to comment on the planning application and all responses will be taken into consideration.

"The impact of any major housing development on an area is factored into the decision-making process through the policies of the City Development Plan.”