3/4/2008Go Ape protest vow as Sturgeon hits out
OPPONENTS of the controversial Go Ape plan for Pollok Park vowed to fight on last night.
And they have the backing of politicians including deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
More than 200 supporters of the Save Pollok Park Campaign gathered at Pollokshields Burgh Hall in Maxwell Park to discuss Glasgow City Council's decision to go forward with Go Ape.
Glasgow City Council's planning committee last week voted 14-6 in favour of granting planning permission to build the zip-wire adventure course in the park's historic North Wood.
As Glasgow City Council has an interest in the proposal however, the application falls within a category to be notified to Scottish Ministers.
Once the application comes before Ministers, a statutory 28 day period for consideration of the application will begin.
Ministers have two options open to them – either to "call-in" the planning application for their own determination, possibly by means of a public local inquiry, or to clear the application back to the council for them to deal with as they see fit.
Unfortunately for the Save Pollok campaign, the existence of a substantial number of objections is not sufficient grounds to merit a call-in.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is also the MSP for Glasgow Govan, which includes Pollok Park, said she would do everything in her power "through the appropriate channels" to support the review.
As part of the Scottish Government, she is prevented from directly involving herself in the review process.
Speaking to the audience she said: "I want to pledge my support for this campaign and will work on your behalf to make sure it prevails.
"I have said before the consultation process was woefully inadequate, and looking even further into it, it is actually an utter sham – it might not as well have gone forward."
Ms Sturgeon added: "It's important that people continue to express their views, this is not a lost cause.
"The vast majority in the area don't want this and I'm confident people power will prevail."
The Save Pollok Park Campaign, led by Bill Fraser, believe a number of issues can be raised to trigger the "call-in."
They have pointed out a lack of accessible toilets and facilities, which prompted one member of the audience to point out the nearest toilets were in The Burrell Collection, funded by tax-payers money.
She said: "Why should we be using our council tax to help fund a private project?"
Other issues include car park problems, protection of wildlife species, visual implications, noise issues and inadequate consultation.
Mr Fraser believes Glasgow City Council did not properly consult with the National Trust amongst other bodies.
He also pointed to the Pollok Estate management plan published in 2004 which stated North Wood should be restored to its historic roots and the Glade should be preserved.
Glasgow City Council argued the introduction of Go Ape would help tackle youth disorder as teenagers would be given something to do.
But the majority of those in attendance however argued the cost of a day at the adventure park would be too much, while anybody under 16 had to be accompanied by an adult.
One member of the audience quipped: "The types of teenagers that go these things with their parents are the not the ones we should be targeting!"
Bill Marshall, also involved in the campaign, said he had visited GoApe's Aberfoyle site.
He said: "I went to the Aberfoyle site with as open a mind as possible.
"I was quite shocked at the noise made by the mechanical zipwires.
"Glasgow City Council said you would only be able to hear them from a few metres away but I could clearly hear them from four or 500 metres away."
Mr Fraser said: "The 200 people here tonight at short notice is fantastic and shows the amount of support we have.
"Glasgow City Council has got to take notice of what people are thinking and do their job which is to represent the people of Glasgow."
He added: "We have a 50/50 chance of doing something here and we have to make sure this is given all we’ve got."
Mr Fraser also urged people to join the National Trust.
With NTS's AGM in September, they plan to table a motion that would mean they could fight such problems and not be forced to roll over.
Other MSPs at the meeting included Conservative Jackson Carlaw, Patrick Harvie for the Greens and the SNP's Bashir Ahmad.
Councillors included Lib Dems Paul Coleshill and Margot Clark, SNP George Roberts, Green Danny Alderslowe and Tory David Meikle, who resigned from the Planning Committee in protest.
Mr Coleshill, who said he walks his dog through the park almost every day, added: "Where can you get peace and quiet in this park after the motorway was built? In the precise area they plan to build GoApe."
They have until April 11 to put together their objections, which will then be presented to the Scottish Government.
Mr Fraser added: "We may have lost the battle but the fight is not yet over."
And they have the backing of politicians including deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
More than 200 supporters of the Save Pollok Park Campaign gathered at Pollokshields Burgh Hall in Maxwell Park to discuss Glasgow City Council's decision to go forward with Go Ape.
Glasgow City Council's planning committee last week voted 14-6 in favour of granting planning permission to build the zip-wire adventure course in the park's historic North Wood.
As Glasgow City Council has an interest in the proposal however, the application falls within a category to be notified to Scottish Ministers.
Once the application comes before Ministers, a statutory 28 day period for consideration of the application will begin.
Ministers have two options open to them – either to "call-in" the planning application for their own determination, possibly by means of a public local inquiry, or to clear the application back to the council for them to deal with as they see fit.
Unfortunately for the Save Pollok campaign, the existence of a substantial number of objections is not sufficient grounds to merit a call-in.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is also the MSP for Glasgow Govan, which includes Pollok Park, said she would do everything in her power "through the appropriate channels" to support the review.
As part of the Scottish Government, she is prevented from directly involving herself in the review process.
Speaking to the audience she said: "I want to pledge my support for this campaign and will work on your behalf to make sure it prevails.
"I have said before the consultation process was woefully inadequate, and looking even further into it, it is actually an utter sham – it might not as well have gone forward."
Ms Sturgeon added: "It's important that people continue to express their views, this is not a lost cause.
"The vast majority in the area don't want this and I'm confident people power will prevail."
The Save Pollok Park Campaign, led by Bill Fraser, believe a number of issues can be raised to trigger the "call-in."
They have pointed out a lack of accessible toilets and facilities, which prompted one member of the audience to point out the nearest toilets were in The Burrell Collection, funded by tax-payers money.
She said: "Why should we be using our council tax to help fund a private project?"
Other issues include car park problems, protection of wildlife species, visual implications, noise issues and inadequate consultation.
Mr Fraser believes Glasgow City Council did not properly consult with the National Trust amongst other bodies.
He also pointed to the Pollok Estate management plan published in 2004 which stated North Wood should be restored to its historic roots and the Glade should be preserved.
Glasgow City Council argued the introduction of Go Ape would help tackle youth disorder as teenagers would be given something to do.
But the majority of those in attendance however argued the cost of a day at the adventure park would be too much, while anybody under 16 had to be accompanied by an adult.
One member of the audience quipped: "The types of teenagers that go these things with their parents are the not the ones we should be targeting!"
Bill Marshall, also involved in the campaign, said he had visited GoApe's Aberfoyle site.
He said: "I went to the Aberfoyle site with as open a mind as possible.
"I was quite shocked at the noise made by the mechanical zipwires.
"Glasgow City Council said you would only be able to hear them from a few metres away but I could clearly hear them from four or 500 metres away."
Mr Fraser said: "The 200 people here tonight at short notice is fantastic and shows the amount of support we have.
"Glasgow City Council has got to take notice of what people are thinking and do their job which is to represent the people of Glasgow."
He added: "We have a 50/50 chance of doing something here and we have to make sure this is given all we’ve got."
Mr Fraser also urged people to join the National Trust.
With NTS's AGM in September, they plan to table a motion that would mean they could fight such problems and not be forced to roll over.
Other MSPs at the meeting included Conservative Jackson Carlaw, Patrick Harvie for the Greens and the SNP's Bashir Ahmad.
Councillors included Lib Dems Paul Coleshill and Margot Clark, SNP George Roberts, Green Danny Alderslowe and Tory David Meikle, who resigned from the Planning Committee in protest.
Mr Coleshill, who said he walks his dog through the park almost every day, added: "Where can you get peace and quiet in this park after the motorway was built? In the precise area they plan to build GoApe."
They have until April 11 to put together their objections, which will then be presented to the Scottish Government.
Mr Fraser added: "We may have lost the battle but the fight is not yet over."