Update on Community Right to Buy: Scottish Government Decision on Broomhill Hub

Campaign Update # 12

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:

Dear Broomhill Community,

After months of waiting for the outcome of our community right to buy application we have finally received an a response from the Scottish Government. Unfortunately our application to register a community interest in the former Jordanhill Bowling Club has been rejected. Please see the full response from the Scottish Ministers here at this link. In the text below we summarise their decision and discuss the next steps.

What Was Broomhill Community Hub Trust Ltd’s Proposal?

BCHTL proposed transforming the Jordanhill Bowling Club land into a vibrant community hub, featuring community gardens, event spaces, and workshops designed to bring environmental, social, and economic benefits to Broomhill. This plan aimed to enhance local biodiversity, provide educational opportunities, and foster social cohesion.

The Decision

The Scottish Ministers decided not to approve BCHTL’s application for registration. This means the project as proposed won’t proceed under the community right to buy provisions of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. This decision is based on a comprehensive evaluation against the Act’s criteria.

Key Points from the Decision

Community Body Recognition: BCHTL is recognised as a valid community body. Their proposal aligns with sustainable development principles.

Support and Connection: The application demonstrated strong community support and a clear connection to the land, showing that our community values the proposed project.

Concerns Raised: The main concerns were about BCHTL’s detailed planning, capacity, and funding strategy. The Ministers on the surface made an argument that as this was a late application we should have submitted as early as Summer 2022 for the community right to buy application.

Our view: Given the demands made of the application we reject the minister’s belief that we should have applied earlier as any application made in 2022 would have been rejected for not being credible. The time gap between 2022 and 2023 included convincing the landowners to give us access engaging our community and carrying out a feasibility study. 

What Does This Mean for Our Community?

Moving Forward: Although this specific path to acquiring the land won’t proceed, it opens discussions on how we can still achieve our community’s goals through other means.

We have a few options open to us:

• appeal, we have the legal right of appeal, but this must have a basis in law. We are receiving advice from Community Land Scotland and will assess if this is an option open to us. We have 28 days to lodge an appeal. We may need to seek legal assistance to do this. If you have a relevant legal background, we need your help.

• Fundraise to make a higher offer on the open market.

• Club in with developers to make an offer. We have been approached by an affordable housing company who wish to split the site with us. They propose to buy the site, refurbish the clubhouse and build houses on the remainder of the site.

• Look for a new site: though as part of our feasibility study we looked for nearby suitable locations and there did not appear to be any open at present to us. A change of vision would be needed for a new site. 

• Await the sale and submit a timeous application for the site once the sale goes through. The planning landscape and prospect for the site hasn’t changed. Any prospective owner is bound by the Mt Florida Planning Decision and will find it incredibly difficult to obtain any change of use. 

This decision highlights the importance of community engagement and support. The project garnered significant community backing, which is a strong foundation for future initiatives. 

To help us gauge our community feeling we have put together a short 1 minute consultative survey on these options. You can fill it out at this link.

Please note that we will be calling an AGM of the BCHTL to make a formal decision about the future of the trust. If you’re a resident in our community you are eligible to vote, but only if you register before the meeting. You can register here.

We understand this news may be disappointing, but it’s important to remember the strength and unity our community has shown through this process. Let’s use this as a stepping stone to explore new opportunities and continue working towards enhancing Broomhill for all residents.

Above, Dall-E’s representation of our community finding out the news.