Broomhill Hub Update: On appealing the Community Right to Buy

Campaign update # 13

Hi there! This is the latest from the campaign for the community ownership of the bowling green on Randolph road. This newsletter went out to over 630 local residents. If this newsletter was forwarded on, you can sign up here:

I hope this message finds you well. I'm writing to provide you with an important update regarding our recent efforts to register our interest in the Jordanhill Bowling Club site under the Community Right to Buy legislation.

Regrettably, we have received notification that our application has been rejected. Despite this setback, we remain determined to pursue the community vision of transforming the site into a thriving community hub that serves the needs of all residents.

In light of this decision, we reached out to our valued community members, seeking your input on how best to proceed. The response from our newsletter subscribers has been in favor of exploring the appeals process. We deeply appreciate your feedback and are taking it into careful consideration. Please see below for the full responses:

However, it's important to note that pursuing an appeal will require a legal basis. To assess the viability of this option, we have been consulting with an expert in Community Right to Buy law and are in the process of engaging with lawyers to explore our next steps.

To determine if an appeal can proceed we must fund an initial legal opinion, which carries a significant cost (approximately £3000). This opinion will help us determine whether an appeal is warranted given the circumstances. We are currently in discussions with Community Land Scotland regarding funding support for this endeavour. Depending on the outcome of this opinion we can then decide if the appeal should proceed. We would only seek to appeal if the legal opinion is favourable towards there being a case to appeal.

Should there be a legal basis and we decide to move forward with an appeal, we must be prepared for the associated costs, which could range between £15,000-£20,000. This would necessitate a swift and concerted fundraising effort on our part. However, it's important to acknowledge the potential risks involved, including the possibility of incurring expenses from the Scottish Government or other parties if our appeal is unsuccessful. Whilst the Scottish Government might wave this right, the same is unlikely to be the case of the Bowling club trustees, and any other interested parties (potential buyers of the site).

We have a limited window of 18 days remaining to lodge an appeal and swiftly raise the necessary funds. Should we choose to proceed, we are exploring is the use of a legal crowdfunding platform that would only collect payments if the full amount is pledged by the campaign backers.

Rest assured, we will keep you updated every step of the way as we navigate this challenging situation. Your ongoing support and commitment to our shared vision are deeply appreciated.

Thank you for your attention, and please stay tuned for further updates. In the meantime I encourage you, if you’ve not yet done so to 1) join the Broomhill Community Hub Trust Limited here. Only members will get to vote on the next stage. 2) participate on our survey of next steps here, and 3) if you have relevant experience or can help get in touch by replying to the email or commenting on substack!