The AGM of Clydebelt will be held in Trinity Church Hall Roman Road Duntocher at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 18th November 2014.
          
It’s that time of the year again, and we hope that many of our members will show their support by turning out to join us for the AGM at 7.30 on Tuesday 18th November in Trinity Church Hall Roman Road Duntocher.  After the meeting there will be refreshments, and then Alan Williamson of the Forward Planning Department of the West Dunbartonshire Council will give a talk on the environmental aspects of the Local Development Plan with regards to the Kilpatrick Hills. There will be an. opportunity for questions. The LDP is currently in final stages of examination by Scottish government reporters who should be making their report in January. (see articles below).

 Clydebelt is looking for more Committee members to actively support our work.  Please consider joining us – you will be made very welcome! Meetings are held every two months.

 Only about half our ‘members’ have responded to the request for a renewal of membership fee of £5 per household, agreed at last year’s AGM. If you want to continue your support for Clydebelt get in touch now or you will be removed from our revised list.

Duntiglennan
After a hard fight to get the proposal to zone ‘Duntiglennan Fields’, as a possible housing site, 
dropped from the draft LDP it seems the matter has not gone away. The Draft Plan is now with the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) for examination. The Reporter dealing with this issue has asked further questions of those who raised issues about the Housing Land Supply.

 Under guidance from the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan, WDC has to allocate sufficient land for housing development. The council has assessed the housing land supply for the periods 2009 ␣ 2020 and 2020 ␣ 2025. Taylor Wimpey are claiming that the LDP allocation is insufficient and Duntiglennan is required to bring the number up to that recommended by Scottish Planning Policy which should contain a 10 -20% margin of generosity.

This conflict is what the Reporter is trying to determine through further questioning. Clydebelt does not have the information and statistical knowledge to give definitive answers and could only reply that as one of the most deprived areas in Scotland with high unemployment and a falling population we would hope that the area should not be being asked to allocate private housing land supply on the same basis as more desirable and more affluent areas. We also emphasised that the district has large areas of undeveloped brownfield sites. To acquire further information there will be a hearing on 11th November with the Reporter and those who have responded. The DPEA Reporters hope to issue their report on the LDP in January. See http://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/CaseDetails.aspx?id=115165 Page 2 Issue 17

WDLDP/  Esso  Site  Bowling
       http://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/CaseDetails.aspx?id=115165 p.3 --07
Clydebelt had made comment on the large Esso site between Bowling and Dumbuck in the consultations for the Local Development Plan. The site was formerly an oil distribution depot and is heavily contaminated and currently being cleaned up for selling on; a process that could take another two years.  
         
 The Council’s aspirations are for a relief road from Dunglass to Dumbuck junction as a diversionary route alternative to the A82 and which would also give access to the site  and state 

•  “There is strong environmental and economic justification for this derelict sites continued identification as a development opportunity. Redevelopment would remediate the contamination arising from the site’s previous use, bring about green network enhancements and provide new opportunities for employment and, potentially, new housing. National, regional and local planning policy seeks to direct development to urban areas and in particular vacant and derelict brownfield sites such as Esso Bowling and Scott’s Yard, which represents a unique opportunity for maritime-related uses linked to the Dunglass Basin and available deep-water access, or for other business, industry, storage and distribution.”
  

The western end of the site would be kept in green belt as it is more liable to flooding and as the Clyde riverside is a Special Protection Area (SPA) for wading birds

Overtoun and Silverton Community Council agree with the proposed new road but otherwise consider the remainder of the site should be retained as green open space, with a nature reserve created. The land is already part of the Green Network and Green Belt and any substantial development on the site would have a negative environmental impact on existing biodiversity, particularly over-wintering birds on the shore.

RSPB Scotland wants the importance of the green belt to the west and the value of this area as compensation for the loss of intertidal habitat through climate change effects, highlighted. This information should be transferred to the Proposed Plan (as modified) to ensure developers are aware of its importance in avoiding adverse impacts on the integrity of the Special Protection Area and the objectives for the site into the future. 

SNH support the mapping of proposed Green Network enhancements at this site’s western end and the reasons given and note the site’s southern waterfront presents a no less significant opportunity: for biodiversity, landscape character, and recreational access along the Clyde linking to Bowling station.

Clydebelt  support retaining the green belt to the west of the site, which, via the burn, links the tidal zone and River Clyde to the Kilpatrick Hills and promises of wildlife enhancement. Clydebelt state they would like the cycle way to be enhanced and form part of a green corridor through any developed part of the site and additionally note that the area to the east of the basin has potential for leisure/heritage use due to the Henry Bell Monument, Dunglass Castle and House with its Charles Rennie McIntosh connection.

 Other objections submitted state there should be no new road, no green belt release or extension of the site towards Dumbuck Junction; and no residential, retail or any form of built development.
There was no comment noted from the Bowling and Milton Community Council.

           At a public meeting in March a representative from Esso confirmed that most of the site would be unsuitable for housing due to the possibility of continuing contaminants and that future industrial, commercial and recreational uses were most likely. Disposal of the land would be in the hands of their commercial dept.

      The council’s objectives as regards maritime use, deep-water access and industry surely conflicts with the designation and protection of the Clyde as a SPA for birds as indicated by the RSPB.   

 Residents on this track up to Greenside reservoir have experienced anti-social behaviour from passing
youths and had applied for the Right of Way to be closed proposing that the alternative route should be the new path created by the Forestry Commission, through the new community woodland . This new path has already been made a core path under the Access Regulations and signposted accordingly in an attempt to divert people from the section of path in question. At the WDC planning meeting on 22nd October the request to close the Right of Way was refused. Clydebelt and several members made comment on the proposal.

Hopefully some of the attraction of the area for these disaffected youths will be removed if/when two developments at the former Cochno Waterworks takes place. The waterworks building has been left unsecured for a long time and has become a venue for anti-social behaviour. An application for a 75 bed nursing home has already been passed (DC14/140) and another (DC14/138) for 11 houses is pending decision. These are being built in green belt and the housing, at least would appear to be extending the urban area, by the ‘back door’. The design and appearance of these houses cannot be said to be particularly ‘rural’. 

It could be thought that such ex public utility sites, should be reinstated or only used for a purpose amenable to green belt status.

This application is for a single 250 Kw turbine, 43 m to blade tip in height, situated in green belt, on the north-west side of the Murroch Burn upstream from the new Aggreko factory. Claims to be able to supply power for 140 homes. Unusual in that this is at a relatively low altitude (100m.AOD) and only 438 m. from the Beechwood housing estate, whose streets are to be used for access and for construction traffic and which may be affected by the hum from the turbine or swoosh of the blades? 

It would be partially screened by Broomhill Wood and, it is claimed, by recently planted trees, but with a life expectancy of 25 years it is doubtful if these would screen a 43 m. structure even in 250 years. Various predictions are made to its visibility from other selected viewpoints, including Gleniffer Braes, Paisley (18154m. away!), and Lyle Park Greenock (15083m,away) but the more obvious potential viewpoints in the Kilpatrick Hills such as Lang Craigs and Doughnot Hill and from east Dumbarton such as Garshake and Bellsmyre, appear to have been omitted. The site is 32 hectares; if granted, could there be a possibility of a further application for more turbines?

 There was another two day meeting by Scottish Canals– a “charrette” –   held on 29th and 30th August, which was open to the public.  Plans had been drawn up to develop the area although these were still at a consultation stage and had not been submitted to Planning. 
 
The website to view their proposals is: http://www.bowlingbasin.com  Included in the plan is a new access bridge over the canal to the Eastern edge of Bowling, to take vehicles over the canal and leading to a car park ‘hub’, and also with the possibility (subject to planning) of housing being developed on the north side of the canal and in the existing woodland which lies between the canal towpath and the line of the disused railway. As no plans have gone forward to planning yet, Clydebelt is not able to take any action except to monitor. Earlier plans for renovating the ‘Arches’ DC14/161 has been approved.

See http://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/CaseDetails.aspx?id=115165 P.1 Issue 11

There will be an exhibition of the proposed plans for a new re-located Football Club, training facilities and conference centre to a greenfield site between Dalreoch and A82 slip to Renton . This is still at a consultation stage and members of the development team will be there to answer questions. They will be submitting their plans in January 2015.

The exhibition will take place at the current football club site on Castle Road. It will run over two days: November 6th (11:00a.m. till 7:00p.m.) and November 7th (10.00a.m. till 4:00pm) It will also include the plans for the redevelopment of the current Castle Road site, for 180 houses and flats and a walkway linking the town centre with the Castle.

National Park Proposed Byelaws for West Loch Lomond and other sites The NPA proposes to introduce camping restrictions, (similar to those now in force on the East side of Loch Lomond), to many other lochside areas, including the west side of Loch Lomond. But the aim is not just to place restrictions. The Park Authority want to deliver a wider range of opportunities to camp but reduce the types of anti-social behaviour, damage and pollution that ruin other visitors’ and residents’ enjoyment. Nevertheless the restrictions proposed could be contrary to the aims of the Scottish Access Laws and restrict the ‘wild campers’ who prefer to camp on their own.There will be a ‘Drop in’ on December 13th from 10.00am-2.00pm at the Park H.Q in Balloch.

‘Your Park’ on their website offers the opportunity for you to have your say. The consultation period is already open and ends Monday 12 January 2015. More details on the website www.thisisyourpark.org.uk

Rigangower is on the core path from Miltonhill to the Black Linn/ Loch Humphrey via Greenlands, adjacent to Sheephill Quarry. 

An application to extend the site slightly and to install a ‘stone grinding’ machine was submitted and passed las last year and commented on by Clydebelt. Strangely, a new application was submitted this year which shows much greater detail of what is proposed. It is hoped to recycle about 70% of the stone previously used to infill the quarry and to process this and other stone imported to the site, into sand and different sized grades of aggregate. This requires the formation of four settling ponds and heaps of processed materials on site which were not mentioned on the original application. A bund will be formed and planted with trees to try to screen the site from the road. There is bound to be some increase in noise and light disturbance to neighbouring properties. It is estimated that this recycling will extend the life of the quarry by 30 years. Unfortunately Clydebelt had assumed the application was similar to the first one and had made no comment. It was passed at the planning meeting of 22nd October.

Forestry Commission Scotland is seeking views from local people on the woodlands it manages around Drumchapel.
 
A ten year Forest Design Plan is in the process of being drafted and will be on display to members of the public on Thursday 13 November from 3-8pm at Drumchapel Community Centre, and on Friday 14 November at the Phoenix Centre from 2-7pm.
 
A Forest Design Plan is an important document, which sets out the vision of the forest in the future and so it is very important that people are aware of what is planned and help shape it.
 
Community Ranger Derek Shannan said “We’re really keen to get feedback from as many people as possible about our proposed plans for the woodlands that surround Drumchapel.  We’re looking forward to talking to members of the communities and hearing what they’d like to see in their local woods.”
 
The Drumchapel woodlands include Cleddans Burn and Garscadden Woods.  A network of paths runs through these sites and it is a great way to get some exercise, find a quiet place to relax or watch wildlife from roe deer and tawny owls to butterflies and water voles.  Follow the path beside Cleddans Burn to the old water tower for views of the Kilpatrick Hills or picnic, walk or cycle beneath majestic ancient oaks at Garscadden Woods.
 
The consultations will be held as drop in sessions with maps and information on the proposals, and staff will be present to help answer questions and gather comments from the local community and site users on the plans.
 
For more information on the consultations or the woodlands in Drumchapel please visit the following website- http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/visit/drumchapel-woods or contact Scottish Lowlands Forest District on 0300 067 6700.
 
Drumchapel Community Centre, 320 Kinfauns Drive, Glasgow, G15 7HA 
Phoenix Centre, 5 Monymusk Place, Drumchapel, Glasgow, G15 8JH