Key Points
- Legal Action Initiated: A local community campaign group, the Mount Florida Community Trust (MFCT), has launched a civil action against Glasgow City Council at the Court of Session to challenge a controversial housing development decision.
- Seven-Year Planning Dispute: The civil court challenge follows a seven-year planning contest over the historic former Mount Florida Bowling Club site located on Carmunnock Road.
- Judicial Review Approval: The Court of Session granted official permission for the Judicial Review to proceed, acknowledging that the legal case carries sufficient merit for a full hearing.
- Crowdfunding Success: Local residents raised over £13,000 via a CrowdJustice crowdfunding campaign to finance the civil litigation, hitting the initial £10,000 target in just over one week.
- The Proposed Development: Glasgow City Council’s Planning Committee previously voted 8-2 to approve a residential proposal by Noah Developments to erect 32 residential flats on the former bowling green.
- Community Concerns: Campaigners argue that the site represents one of the only remaining green spaces in Mount Florida and assert that local authority decision-makers failed to follow due statutory planning process.
- Council Response: A official representative of Glasgow City Council confirmed that the local authority cannot issue a comment regarding an ongoing active legal case.
Glasgow (Glasgow Express) October 19, 2026 – A local community campaign group has officially initiated civil legal proceedings against Glasgow City Council, taking the local authority to Scotland’s supreme civil court over its handling of controversial residential housing plans at a historic Southside site.
The legal challenge, brought forward by the Mount Florida Community Trust (MFCT), marks a major escalation in a high-profile planning contest that has spanned seven years. The group is seeking a Judicial Review at the Court of Session in Edinburgh to overturn the council’s decision to grant planning approval for the construction of 32 residential flats on the former Mount Florida Bowling Club site on Carmunnock Road.
Permission for the Judicial Review to proceed was granted by the Court of Session after judges deemed that the community trust presented a well-founded case regarding procedural fairness and statutory compliance.
Why are Mount Florida campaigners taking Glasgow City Council to court?
As reported by Drew Sandelands and local news reporters of the Glasgow Times, Nicola Smith, a spokesperson and representative for the Mount Florida Community Trust, explained that the legal proceedings were undertaken following careful deliberation and formal independent legal counsel. As reported by the Glasgow Times, Nicola Smith stated that
“It is not just a stamping of the feet, we don’t like the answer. It’s a really well-considered, carefully balanced legal argument that looks at the process and whether due process was adhered to.”
The campaign group maintains that the local authority failed to follow standard procedure when assessing the planning application submitted by private developer Noah Developments. The site, which served as a community bowling facility from 1909 until its closure in October 2019, is regarded by residents as a crucial piece of urban green infrastructure.
According to reporting by the Glasgow Times, Nicola Smith further detailed the public backing received by the campaign during their recent fundraising drive, stating that
“We got to £10,000 in seven or eight days. Our community was amazing.” She added,
“This has been the most amazing and the most challenging thing I’ve done. Hundreds of people put their money forward and said, ‘No, take this on, do this fight because it matters.’ What we have is a community that doesn’t want to be rolled over.”
The civil action has been financed by local residents through a CrowdJustice page, which successfully raised approximately £13,000 in donations from supporters to cover upcoming court fees and advocate representation.
How has Glasgow City Council responded to the judicial review?
When approached for a response regarding the civil action and the procedural claims raised by the Mount Florida Community Trust, municipal officials declined to comment on the specific details of the proceedings.
As reported by the Glasgow Times, a representative of Glasgow City Council confirmed that the local authority could not comment on an active legal case.
The council’s stance on the land itself was previously articulated during the committee stages of the planning application. As reported by Drew Sandelands of the Glasgow Times, Councillor Paul Leinster of the SNP stated during planning deliberations that “Ultimately, this is a piece of land that has sat derelict for six years now. I don’t think it’s beneficial to anyone for that to continue.” Councillor Paul Leinster added,
“Even if this doesn’t go ahead… there’s no guarantee this would ever go into the ownership of the trust or any other community organisation.”
Despite vocal objections, public petitions, and formal objections submitted by local ward councillors and the local community council, the planning committee voted 8-2 in favour of approving the residential proposal, leading directly to the current civil litigation.
Background of the particular development
The dispute surrounding the former Mount Florida Bowling Club site began in October 2019 when the sports club ceased operations due to declining membership numbers after 110 years of continuous operation at Carmunnock Road.
In June 2019, anticipating the closure of the facility, local residents established the Mount Florida Community Trust (MFCT) following a petition signed by over 1,200 area residents. The trust sought to acquire the site and retain it as a multi-use community green space, submitting its own community-led planning application which received formal approval from Glasgow City Council in September 2020.
However, ownership of the private site remained with the bowling club trustees, who announced in December 2021 that the land had been sold to Noah Developments. An initial proposal by the private developer to erect two blocks of residential flats was defeated in 2020 following widespread opposition and a subsequent decision by the Scottish Government reporter upholding the refusal in July 2021.
Noah Developments subsequently submitted a revised planning application in July 2022, proposing a scaled-back development comprising 32 flats alongside retained open space. Community resistance remained strong, highlighted by a public demonstration in which hundreds of residents formed a human chain around the perimeter—a demonstration dubbed the “hug the club” event—to underline their desire to preserve local urban green space. Following a lengthy three-hour hearing, Glasgow City Council’s Planning Committee ultimately voted 8-2 to grant planning consent, with formal documentation issued in February 2026, prompting the trust to pursue independent legal opinion and launch civil action in the Court of Session.
Prediction: How this development can affect local residents, local authorities, and urban planners
The outcome of this Court of Session Judicial Review carries significant implications for various stakeholders across Glasgow and the wider Scottish planning landscape:
For the Local Community and Residents
If the Court of Session rules in favour of the Mount Florida Community Trust, the current planning permission granted to Noah Developments will be quashed, forcing Glasgow City Council to reconsider the proposal or halt the residential development altogether. This outcome would safeguard one of the few remaining accessible green spaces in Mount Florida, potentially clearing a path for the community trust to re-engage in acquisition talks to transform the site into a public park and community hub. Conversely, if the civil challenge is dismissed, construction of the 32 flats will proceed, permanently altering the spatial density of Carmunnock Road, removing historic urban green space, and increasing demand for local infrastructure, parking, and public services.
For Glasgow City Council and Municipal Governance
A ruling against Glasgow City Council would expose vulnerabilities in the local authority’s administrative decision-making and statutory planning procedures. Such a precedent could encourage other neighborhood groups and civic societies across Glasgow to utilize civil litigation to challenge controversial planning approvals, potentially increasing legal costs and delay cycles for municipal governance. Conversely, a victory for the council would validate its planning procedures and reinforce the legal authority of local planning committees to approve private development projects on brownfield or disused land over community objections.
For Property Developers and Scottish Urban Policy
The case serves as a benchmark test for the balance between private property rights, local housing targets, and community-led green space preservation under national planning frameworks. A successful civil challenge by a crowd-funded community group could signal to property developers that acquiring disused private recreational facilities carries high legal and financial risks if community consent is absent. This could push future developers to engage in earlier, more comprehensive public consultation or shift focus toward less contested commercial sites across Scottish cities.
