Glasgow MSP James Dornan’s former office in Cathcart is to be turned into a restaurant after a planning appeal battle.
A bid to transform the ground floor property at 2 Clarkston Road into an eatery was approved today after councillors overruled a previous knock back.
Plans include a 20 seat dining area, kitchen and servery, and the business would be open from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 8pm on Sunday.
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Mr Dornan, whose office used to be based in the four-storey tenement, is now taking time off from politics due to health concerns. The SNP politician’s office is currently listed at 1220 Cathcart Road, Mount Florida in Clincarthill Parish Church.
No details on what type of food would be served at the new diner operating from the premises have been released yet.
An initial planning application submitted by @SIPP Pension Trustees Limited for the conversion of the office into a restaurant was refused following a number of objections.
Permission was granted yesterday at the planning application review committee despite concerns from residents about an increased risk of fire, fumes, noise pollution and restricted parking posing dangers for pedestrians.
The application was originally rejected for a number of reasons, including that it didn’t propose “an externally mounted high flue” and was not in accordance with the development plan.
The firm behind the restaurant bid defended their right to carry out the property proposals - arguing development plan rules are out of date "at the point of implementation."
A planning appeal statement also stated that a similar flue liner and route were granted planning permission at 11 Gibson Street.
The statement said: “This application is sought in order to expand a business that operates elsewhere in the city, which will have the benefit of creating local employment and maintaining he vitality of the ground floor of the tenement by avoiding another vacant unit.”
The restaurant was approved at the planning local review committee yesterday subject to conditions.
At the meeting SNP Councillor Eva Bolander asked for clarification that there is no access to the close or back court from the premises and was told there isn’t.
Councillor Bolander also queried whether there would be a recycling bin for glass - and was told that requirement could be added as a condition.
A council report said: “Externally the proposal would remove the “blackening” from two windows onto Holmhead Crescent and form a new door from another window to provide access the proposed bin store and kitchen area. Ventilation and fume dispersal would be via a lined chimney.”
