A controversial application to keep a 24-hour homeless shelter operating in Glasgow city centre has been refused by councillors.
Glasgow City Council’s Planning Applications Committee rejected Homeless Project Scotland’s latest bid for permission to continue operating its shelter and food service at 71 Glassford Street.
The charity had sought retrospective temporary planning permission for up to five years for the facility, which has been operating without the required consent since late 2023.
Council planning officers had recommended refusal, arguing the operation had been strongly linked to an increase in antisocial behaviour and crime in the surrounding area.
Papers presented to councillors cited Police Scotland figures showing 274 crimes linked to the premises since January 2024.
Homeless Project Scotland has disputed how those figures have been interpreted. Chief executive Colin McInnes previously said incidents recorded as being linked to the shelter were not necessarily crimes which had taken place inside or outside the facility, with vulnerable people also reporting incidents to police while using the service.
The council’s assessment said there had been an “elevated fear of crime” since the shelter began operating and concluded this was having a detrimental impact on the character and amenity of the surrounding area.
Concerns have also been raised over the suitability of the Glassford Street premises for the scale of the operation, queues outside the building and the impact on neighbouring residents and businesses.
The shelter uses the ground floor and basement of a seven-storey building and provides emergency overnight accommodation. Homeless Project Scotland says around 33 people can sleep there, while its food service supports hundreds of people.
Food is prepared at another Homeless Project Scotland facility before being brought to Glassford Street for distribution.
The charity has repeatedly argued that the service is needed because of the continuing pressure on homelessness services in Glasgow and says people would otherwise be left sleeping rough.
Its latest application followed a previous refusal in April 2025. An appeal was rejected by councillors in October last year, although the charity was encouraged to submit a new, more comprehensive application.
Ahead of today’s decision, supporters of the shelter staged a protest inside Glasgow City Council’s offices on John Street.
Police attended the demonstration on Thursday 10 September as campaigners chanted “save our shelter” and called on councillors to reject the recommendation from planning officials.
McInnes had warned before the meeting that losing the facility would have serious consequences for people who depend on it for food and accommodation.
Homeless Project Scotland has the option of challenging the planning decision, with any enforcement process expected to take account of the outcome of an appeal.