Housing plans are threat to Luggie wildlife, warns group

Luggiewatch members fear the plans will result in a vital area of local beauty, home to protected wildlife and plants, being destroyed.

The group was set up last month by enthusiastic local environmentalists and now has 124 members in its public Facebook group.

They want people interested in celebrating, protecting and using the Luggie wildlife corridor which stretches between East Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire to join them.

On its Facebook page, Danny McFadden expressed members’ concerns over East Dunbartonshire Council’s current development plan. He said: “The plan is next to and invades the wildlife corridor of the Luggie.

“Additionally, in five years time, the council might resume and plan further housing on what is generally known as the Luggie Glen, a unique, treasured area of natural heritage with protected wildlife.

“The group is very concerned about this.”

Members are keen to stress they are not against housing developments per se.

Danny added: “Members believe this area in the historic village of Waterside accessed from within Kirkintilloch - A ‘Walkers Are Welcome’ town, would be destroyed and the plethora of wildlife - otters, bats, kingfishers, herons and plant life would disappear.”