Glasgow residents hit out at plans to fence off football pitch

People around Cathkin Park in the Southside joined together in opposition to a planning application submitted to the council.

The bid was launched by the Jimmy Johnstone Football Academy, a year after they received a 20-year lease of the area, for an annual fee of £750.

Glasgow Southside residents at Cathkin Park (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

Lena, aged 5, playing near the football pitch (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

Cathkin Park sign (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

Natalie Rolph, 37, runs regularly in the green space.

She said: "The fence being erected, that seems to be a bit more severe than just looking after the land. It's taking ownership of it.

"Not only will access to it stop but it will change the visual of the park massively.

"It won't be such a nice, big open space anymore.

"I know from walking around at night as well, that there are bats and an owl and there are woodpeckers, so there is a lot of animal life that will be disrupted."

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A mother, who lives in the area said: "This new development is quite annoying and upsetting.

"We use the park walking the dog, my children both play in the park.

"My wee boy and his friends were part of the Jimmy Johnstone team a few years ago.

"They were very keen and well-behaved children but they weren't scoring enough goals and we were told they couldn't accommodate them.

"So that fact that they have taken over a park where local boys play, but they aren't actually good enough to play for Jimmy Johnstone, I find absolutely disgusting.

"And if they are putting up a big fence, where the boys can't even use it at all, how is that doing any good for any young person?"

Cathkin Park football pitch (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

The proposed barrier is an up to 3m high twin wire and an up to 5m high ball-stopping net.

In the documents submitted, it is marked that the proposal will not affect any public right of access.

However, this resident explained that there has been no information given on the process.

Plans for the fence (Image: Glasgow City Council)

Natalie Rolph and Kirsty Turkington (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

A local man, who lives on Myrtle Park, said: "I don't think anyone knows how to book the pitch.

"I think it is possible, other people are supposed to use it but nobody actually knows how.

"I know that Friends of Cathkin Park regularly get asked how to do it but they have never been informed, even though, I understand, it was one of the lease conditions."

Some people were also upset when the business was given the lease last year.

They also claim Glasgow City Council failed to communicate with them.

Kirsty Turkington, who visits the green space almost every day, said: "They have been incredibly frustrating to communicate with.

"When they first signed over the lease, nobody in the neighbourhood was consulted about it.

"We didn't know, it was basically a backdoor deal.

"When I wrote to them, I only got one response and was told that the park wouldn't change, it would just be this football club that got to play on this pitch.

"Now, they are going about cutting down trees and erecting a big fence around the pitch."

Currently, there are three objections on the planning website, all from residents.

The planning application is currently pending and a decision is expected to be made by Friday, July 21.

The last day for comments is this Friday, you can submit one here.

A spokesperson from the Jimmy Johnstone Football Academy said: "It’s important that we fulfil our obligation to look after this piece of world footballing history which we are now the custodians of for generations to come for this great city of Glasgow.

"When we took on the long-term lease, we promised that we would improve the grass football pitch for future generations, which is still our plan.

"To protect the grass football pitch from vandalism by ways of stolen cars, quad bikes, broken bottles and dog fouls, along with unauthorised golfing on the pitch.

"The grass football pitch is also being used for BBQ on summer days we can only do this if the grass football pitch is protected with the fence that we have applied for via our planning application.

"May we stress that the monies and investment that we have already invested and shall continue to invest can only be justified by protecting the grass football pitch, which helps this asset owned by Glasgow City Council to flourish.

"We do not wish for anyone not to have access to the actual park and never will."

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “A planning application has been received on this matter and it will be considered in due course.

"It is inappropriate to comment on a planning application before it goes forward for consideration.”