Housing plans for Glasgow's 'North Kelvin Meadow' blocked

The Clouston Street site (left) before locals cleaned it up and renamed it North Kelvin Meadow

The Scottish government has blocked controversial plans for a new housing development in Glasgow.

The proposal from New City Vision would have involved building 60 flats on former playing fields at Clouston Street which had fallen into disuse.

Local campaigners had cleaned up the Maryhill site and renamed it North Kelvin Meadow.

They had also submitted an alternative proposal for the site to create a "community woodland" and park.

In January 2016, councillors in Glasgow took the unusual step of backing the controversial housing development and the opposing community use plan.

A council spokesman said at that time: "The approval of this planning application from New City Vision will deliver both much-needed family homes in the west end and improve the North Kelvinside pitches facility as well as a substantial receipt for the public purse in a time of unprecedented financial constraints for local government."

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie, who had voiced his support for the community woodland proposal, said he was pleased with the Scottish government decision.

He tweeted: "Wonderful! The campaign to save @kelvinmeadow has taken years, but all that effort has been rewarded! Truly thrilled at this news!"