Wednesday March 25th 2026
Corunna Bowling Club, on St Vincent Crescent in Finnieston, closed in 2017
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Sarah Hilley
Councillors have approved the demolition of a bowling club on an historic street for new flats to be built despite 237 objections.
They overturned the recommendation of officials to refuse and instead gave the go-ahead for the six storey block of flats at the western end of St Vincent Crescent in Finnieston, which is lined with A-listed homes.
The vacant Corunna Bowling Clubhouse, which closed in 2017, can now be knocked on the overgrown site down to make way for 20 flats with three and four bedrooms, a community building and public space.
Council planners said the plan from applicant Nixon Blue should be blocked as open space would be lost. But councillors disagreed.
Speaking at today’s planning applications committee, councillor Jill Pidgeon said: “I think we should approve this development.” She described the bid as “sympathetic” and highlighted how open space would be available as part of the proposal.
Councillor Pidgeon added: “I think the fact that this proposal has larger family homes is something that should be taken into consideration.”
Councillor Imran Alam said: “If we refuse this today we are looking at the site lying derelict and empty for another many number of years.”
He added: “Finnieston is a nice area to live in and bring a family up in it – the fact there is potentially family homes here is reassuring.”
Pointing out the positives, Councillor John Daly said: “We get to build more family homes and we also get to tidy up a location.”
An official told the committee: “The reason we are recommending refusal for this is because it is a protected open space. It would be dangerous to set a precedent that developers can develop all the city council’s open spaces as long as they give part of that site back to the community use.”
The site sits within the St Vincent Crescent Conservation Area in Finnieston and objectors have voiced concern about losing green space, parking and traffic impact and privacy fears among other issues.
The new housing would feature a roof terrace on the fifth floor and a basement for car parking and bicycles. All the flats would have a terrace or balcony and designs include 0.16 hectares of open space for residents of the development and the public to use.
Councillors approved the planning application subject to conditions.
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