Community Growers Celebrate Stop Notice for Agnew Lane Developers

Local community groups are celebrating after Glasgow City Council served a temporary stop notice to developers attempting to demolish a community garden on the site.

By Sam Doak

Those concerned about the future of community gardening on Agnew Lane had reason to feel a measure of relief on Thursday after city planning officials temporarily halted efforts to begin construction on the site.

Local community groups have led calls in recent days for the planned development of Agnew Lane to be abandoned and the space to be turned over to the community. While the council’s decision does not guarantee that such hopes will come to fruition, it is an important step for those concerned about the future of the site. 

The plot on Agnew Lane, which has in recent years been home to a number of community initiatives, is currently owned by Hunter Homes LLP. Local community groups who have been growing produce on the land for donation to local social enterprises, claim that the planning permission obtained by Hunter Homes has lapsed and that the community would rather it remain a shared space. As such, the group has been busy in recent days asking members of the public to contact their local representatives in order to voice opposition to the development.

Agnew Lane has been left undeveloped by its owners for a number of years. As far back as 2013 efforts have been undertaken by locals to repurpose the land. Previously, the local community organisation South Seeds maintained a collection of planting beds and fruit trees within the space. This initiative was put to a halt in November 2013 when Hunter Homes cleared the land.

According to media reports at the time, South Seeds was not given adequate notification of the landowner’s intent to do this and, as such, it was not possible for the group to move their structures and plants to a new location in order to prevent their destruction. 

Community groups’ opposition to Hunter Homes’s most recent attempt to develop Agnew Lane rests on a number of points. The first of these relate to the planning permission obtained by the developers, which the group claims lapsed in March 2020. This argument hinges on whether the removal of a roofing structure on the property can be defined as a commencement of development. If such work is found to fulfil this criteria, Hunter Homes will be able to state that their development commenced within the three year time period afforded to them under planning regulations and continue works.

In addition, community groups claims that the presence of roosting bats and other wildlife on the site preclude its development. It is because of this latter concern that city planning officials ordered a pause in construction until 8 July, so as to allow this issue to be investigated further.  

While the future of Agnew Lane remains uncertain, community groups who were using the space have been looking for alternative sites elsewhere in the city. Nonetheless, the group hopes that Hunter Homes will be required to resubmit its plans for council approval, a development that would allow members of the community to formally voice any disapproval to any new development. 

One of the growers, who wished to remain anonymous told Greater Govanhill: “One of the main things about guerrilla gardening is getting the locals onside and leaving the space better than before. Our goal is to register the community’s dissatisfaction and hope that the space can be used another way.” 

Greater Govanhill has been unable to contact Hunter Homes LLP for comment on their intent to develop Agnew Lane. With one local councillor claiming to have received close to 100 emails opposing the development in recent days, it appears as though there is significant local interest in the future of the site.