Last week, I met with Martin Fell, co-owner of Tchai-Ovna teahouse, who is a central figure in the campaign to Save Otago Lane. The campaign is directed against the construction of two blocks of luxury flats in the West End’s Otago Lane, which would destroy the Lane’s character and charm and severely damage the small businesses that bring people to the area.
During our meeting, Martin and I discussed the latest developments. The developer has withdrawn its original planning application and submitted new plans to for a total of 45 flats and 4 townhouses. This is one below the number of dwellings which would require the more lengthy community consultation process.
This means that there is now only a very short space of time in which concerned individuals and groups can voice their objections and tell the Council to “Leave Our Lane Alane”! Any objections submitted to the original planning application no longer count against the new proposals, so it’s important for people to make their voices heard one more time.
The new closing date for objections is the 4th of March 2011 and I urge everyone to get their objection letters or emails to the Council as soon as possible. Letters should be addressed to Executive Director, Development and Regeneration Services, 229 George Street, Glasgow, G1 1QU and emails to planning.representations@drs.glasgow.gov.uk . Don’t forget to include the planning application number: 10/03061/DC.
It’s also important that your objection is focused on so-called material considerations, such as traffic or parking problems or effects on conservation areas that the new buildings would cause. For advice on this see here. For the latest updates on the Save Otago Lane campaign, see the campaign website www.saveotagolane.co.uk
I’ve already submitted my letter of objection to the new proposals and I hope that you’ll be able to find time to do the same!