TWO new sports pitches, extra nursery classes and a community centre expansion are planned in Carmyle if a housing proposal gets council approval.

New ‘community infrastructure’ needs to be provided under plans to build around 300 homes in the area, and Glasgow councillors have now agreed the requirements.

They include: two multi-use games area pitches, with floodlights and changing rooms; an expanded community centre, including two additional rooms; three school classrooms and two nursery classes.

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Money for the infrastructure would be provided by the housing developers, through a legal agreement, if planning permission is granted.

An application to build on land next to River Road, Kenmuir Road and Clydeford Road was submitted by AS Carmyle Ltd and New City Vision (Carmyle) Ltd in 2017.

Development of the site was proposed under the Baillieston, Broomhouse and Carmyle Community Growth Area scheme, which was approved in 2009.

At that time, consultation on community infrastructure focused on Baillieston and Broomhouse as there was no developer for the Carmyle land.

A proposal to develop the Carmyle site was refused planning permission in 2015, and the current, outstanding application was submitted in 2017.

The council has held talks with the community, and Carmyle Community Council, on the proposed infrastructure.

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Cllr Martha Wardrop, of the Green group, said there was a “missed opportunity” in the proposals.

“There aren’t any play areas mentioned, and a lot of nurseries are providing outdoor education and schools are encouraging, in the lead up to COP26, spending time in green space, learning about nature.

“I just don’t see any evidence of this in the proposal at all, which is very disappointing. 

“We have got a statutory obligation under the community empowerment act to support allotments, we have a very extensive food growing strategy, we know people have been doing a lot more gardening through lockdown and there is no reference to that either.

“I think there’s a missed opportunity here to really deliver something transformational for the people living there, with additional outdoor spaces, engagement with nature and food growing.”

But, Cllr Kenny McLean, convener for neighbourhoods, housing and public realm, said: “This has been developed in consultation with the local community, so if this is what the community wants, who are we to say they shouldn’t have it?”

He added some details were “still to be worked out, and it is yet to go planning”.

“What we’re doing today is giving the executive director the permission to go ahead and get that legal stuff put in place.”

The planning application will now be presented to the city’s planning committee. Council officers will draw up the legal agreement which would be required to secure the developer’s contribution.

Payments would be made on completion of tranches of 20 homes, at an expected cost of £11,000 per unit.

The legal agreement will be tied to the site, rather than a specific applicant or developer, to ensure delivery should the site be sold before completion.

Cllr Laura Doherty, SNP, who represents Carmyle, said: “The community council especially have been engaging quite a lot in this process, and like Cllr McLean has said, the items they have wanted to see are the items that are in the report.”