Residents are celebrating after councillors rejected plans to build flats on a small Glasgow South Side park.

Southside Housing Association had applied for permission to build a four-storey block on green space at the corner of Keir Street and Leslie Street.

It would have had 12 flats for rent, along with a Barnardo's family centre, called the Apna project, for disabled black and ethnic minority children.

However, the move sparked 214 letters of objection from people unhappy about the loss of the site, which has a number of trees.

The objectors included Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, MSPs Robert Brown and Bashir Ahmad, and MP Mohammad Sarwar.

Local people, Pollokshields Community Council, Pollokshields Heritage, the New Glasgow Society and the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland also protested.

Steve Inch, Glasgow City Council's development and regeneration executive director, also opposed the development.

He said in a report: "The unquestioned need for the Apna project and its location in the community and the provision of social housing requires to be balanced against the impact on the area resulting from the loss of open space."

He recommended the bid be refused and was backed unanimously by the planning committee.

After the meeting, residents said they would fight to have the land protected for the future.

Andy Thomas, 30, of Leslie Street, said: "This land is very important to the community and we are grateful to everyone for their support.

"Our next step is to consult people on improvements to the park because we want to know exactly what they want to do with it.

"Saving this piece of green space is a victory for Pollokshields and Glasgow."

Planning officials are now in talks with Barnardo's in the hope of finding an alternative site for its Apna project.

Mr Thomas said: "We have won and Southside Housing Association and Barnardo's have also won because they have a commitment from the council that it will provide them with a suitable site for their development."

Barnardo's said the park location would have been ideal because it is close to the neighbourhood served by Apna, which is presently based in St Ninian's Church in Albert Drive.