Greens visit under-threat Glasgow community meadow

Glasgow Green MSP Patrick Harvie and Green Glasgow Councillor Kieran Wild visited the North Kelvin Meadow in Glasgow’s West End on Friday 12 June to meet community activists and hear how the future of the meadow is threatened by Glasgow City Council’s plans to sell the land to property developers.

The North Kelvin Meadow is a three hectare site adjoining Clouston, Sanda and Kelbourne Streets in Glasgow’s West End, which has been transformed by the local community from long-term derelict land into an inspiring green space, including a meadow, allotments, woodland and an orchard.

The transformation has been undertaken by a voluntary residents’ organisation, The North Kelvin Meadow Campaign. (1) Over 100 community activists, including school children, are involved in the transformation and ongoing management of the site.

Glasgow City Council plans to sell the North Kelvin Meadow site to property developers, New City Vision, to build 115 flats. The Council stands to pocket up to £10 million from the sale of the site.

The local community around the site feels very strongly that the land, which has been open space for over two decades, should remain a community asset. The North Kelvin Meadow Campaign has started an online petition, which now has hundreds of signatures, and has attracted support from well-known Glasgow writers Louise Welsh and Alasdair Gray. The petition can be found at: http://www.gopetition.com/online/28274.html

Patrick Harvie MSP said:

“My visit to the North Kelvin Meadow site today is to show my support for the community campaign to retain this fantastic community asset. It’s clear that the local community has invested a huge amount of time and effort in transforming what was derelict land into a vibrant space, full of life and activity. They have done a terrific job, and I hope that they will be able to continue doing so in the future.”

Councillor Kieran Wild said:

“The Council is clearly putting its pocket before the people here, and ignoring the community, environment and public health benefits of retaining and improving the North Kelvin Meadow site in favour of trousering a huge wad of cash for its development. Even if this cash were to be diverted to improving other play facilities or green spaces, I would rather see the North Kelvin Meadow site retained for the benefit of the local community.”

Douglas Peacock, Chairman of the North Kelvin Meadow Campaign added:

“It’s very clear this land has been made into a beautiful green space for the local community, by the local community. It’s now up to those with influence to listen to the people and act to save this land from being sold for flats.”

Notes:

1. The North Kelvin Meadow Campaign activists have transformed the North Kelvin Meadow site. Since November last year, the community activists have cleared the land of litter, improved access to the site, started allotments, planted fruit trees and bulbs, built a compost heap and more, with growing support from the local and wider community.

The North Kelvin Meadow Campaign has now received funding from O2 and Shell to secure a derelict building on the land for their tools and equipment, and they are working with other community groups and social enterprises, such as Glasgow Wood Recycling and Kelbourne School, on ongoing improvement, development and educational projects.

For more information on the North Kelvin Meadow Campaign, see: http://www.northkelvinmeadow.com