No local support for Braidbar Quarry development

The majority of residents would like to see Braidbar Quarry made safe and left as it is or developed as green space.

Giffnock Community Council has conducted an online survey of local opinion concerning the development of Braidbar Quarry, the preservation of green spaces in Eastwood and building of a new leisure centre in Eastwood Park.

The questionnaire posed four options:

Leave the quarry as it is (fenced off and inaccessible because it is dangerous.)

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Remediate the quarry (make it safe), and leave and/or develop it as green space.

Remediate the quarry and develop it as a housing estate, but leave Huntly Park as it is.

Remediate the quarry and develop it as a housing estate, including the wooded area, the lower football pitches and the dog walking area of Huntly Park.

There were 654 responses to the questionnaire, and the results were as follows:

Option 1 – Yes: 96 (14.88%)

Option 2 – Yes: 474 (73.49%)

Option 3 – Yes: 55 (8.53%)

Option 4 – Yes: 20 (3.10%)

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The survey also showed overwhelming support for preserving green spaces in the Eastwood area (94.48 per cent) and for building a new leisure centre in Eastwood Park (82.26 per cent).

A Community Council spokesman said: “The results show clearly that there is no local support for developing the quarry as a housing estate – indeed there is overwhelming support for the preservation of green spaces, which are at a premium both in Giffnock and Eastwood more widely.

“Yet East Renfrewshire Council are currently in negotiations with Advance Construction (Scotland) which will inevitably lead to such a development.

“Clearly they are flying in the face of local opinion, and it is essential that they engage with the community council and local residents over this issue and seek to find a more acceptable solution for the community.

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“We have repeatedly asked them to do this, but so far they have refused.

“We keep getting told that no engagement with the local community can begin until a formal application has been made by Advance Construction and agreed with East Renfrewshire Council.

“We find it intolerable that ERC will not talk to the community while engaging with a developer and clearly working toward a formal planning application to build houses on the quarry.”

An East Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “It remains the case that no formal proposal of application notice or planning application for the development of this site has been submitted. If in future an application should be submitted a process of public consultation would need to be carried out by the developer.

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“The formal planning application process also ensures a voice for anyone who wishes to make a representation to the council before a decision is made by councillors on the planning committee.

“We are absolutely committed to making East Renfrewshire one the most desirable places in Scotland for people to live in, work in and visit. A key part of this is providing quality green spaces for residents to enjoy and we will continue to deliver in this area.

“No decision has been made on a potential site for a new leisure centre within the Eastwood area and a further report will be brought back before councillors in due course for consideration.”

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