Silverburn shopping centre expansion plans clear first hurdle

Developers Hammerson want to build dozens more shops, a new leisure complex, a 110-bedroom hotel, a community centre, a park by extending the complex on the other side of the M77. Around 2,000 additional parking spaces will also be created alongside an upgrade to the road network.

The ambitious development, the plans for which will be subject to more scrutiny once a detailed application is submitted, are understood to represent an £80 million boost to the Greater Pollok area and will create more than 1,000 local jobs.

A £20m leisure extension opened at the shopping centre recently, creating 160 jobs, but the new plans are expected to be the biggest expansion yet.

Councillors unanimously agreed with the planning officer’s recommendations to rubber stamp the plans at yesterday’s planning committee meeting.

Tesco had objected to the scheme amid fears that the extension would impact on trade and the use of their car park. Representatives for the supermarket provided a letter to the planning meeting outlining this.

The NHS and National Savings and Investments (NS&I) have interests in part of the land on the other side of the motorway known as Cowglen.

NS&I recently agreed the sale of a derelict 1960s structure and surrounding land at Cowglen to housebuilder Persimmon.

But it has since emerged that the transaction will not be finalised until plans for more than 500 homes get the go ahead.

Councillors agreed that further scrutiny of the land ownership would form part of a detailed planning application.

Bailie Elizabeth Cameron told the planning meeting: “For the people of Pollok this is good.

“For the economic development of the city, this is very important.

“These jobs are also significant for Pollok as this is an area which has suffered.”

Bailie Jonathan Findlay said he was “very supportive” of the shopping centre expansion.

On the question of whether or not it would take shoppers away from Glasgow City centre, he added: “Glasgow City centre is big enough and bad enough to deal with that.”