A PROPERTY company behind plans to transform part of the former Glasgow Garden Festival site has appealed to the council over the length of time taken to reach a decision.

Iceni Projects asked Glasgow City Council, on behalf of Surplus Property Solutions, for planning permission in principle back in February.

The applicant wants to redevelop the site at Pacific Quay, which has been vacant since the festival in 1988, to provide business, residential, retail, café and restaurants uses.

They say a request to extend the determination period for the application was sent in late April, with no response received from the council.

“A review has been sought as the planning application has not been determined within the statutory period,” the appeal states.

“The ‘target date for decision’ on the council’s planning portal remains as Friday, May 1, therefore the extension period was not agreed by the council prior to the expiry of the determination period.”

Glasgow’s planning review committee will now meet tomorrow to consider the appeal.

A statement submitted with the appeal states “creating economic investment in the city is more crucial than ever”.

It claims the development will generate at least 50 new jobs and represents a £10million investment in the area.

The applicant also believes the plans will complement the council’s city development plan.

“The redevelopment of this site for offices and ancillary uses such as retail, café/restaurant, as well as the creation of residential apartments will result in the redevelopment of a long-term vacant brownfield site,” the statement continues.

It will “provide new amenities to the surrounding offices and residents, whilst building on the ­expanding residential population to the south of the core businesses at Pacific Quay”.

“These new uses would serve the existing businesses whilst enhancing the attractiveness of the area to businesses, and creating a sustainable, vibrant neighbourhood to integrate with the surrounding community.”

As the application is for planning permission in principle, more details would need to be submitted by the applicant at a later stage.

A council officer had raised concerns over potential flood risk from the River Clyde but said there would be no increased risk following a consultation response from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

SEPA’s response said it had no objection to the application for planning permission in principle.

But it added when more information on the scheme is submitted by the applicant, the environmental organisation will require “further details on the flood risk implications”.

A planning report submitted in February said the site, to the west of 7 Festival Gate, has “been vacant for a number of years despite marketing for businesses uses”.

The city’s garden festival, one of five held across the UK in the 1980s and early 1990s, ran for five months, from April to September in 1988, and attracted over four million visitors.