Plans for artificial pitches at Crookfur Park scrapped

A report prepared for a meeting of the council's Cabinet Committee on Thursday asks elected members to note that no further work will take place on the Crookfur Park development proposals as both the council and St Cadoc's YC agree that the site will not be able to achieve the ambitions of the club.

The report also notes that the debate surrounding the football club's proposals has "drawn attention to the importance of community-based-sports clubs with ambitions for expansion" but that there is a need to think through how such endeavours can be supported without resorting to development on local greenspaces.

During the summer, Eastwood MSP Jackson Carlaw initiated a public consultation of 2094 households located nearby Crookfur Park with 1 in 5 responding and 77 percent of survey participants opposing the plans.

Mr Carlaw subsequently wrote to the leader of East Renfrewshire Council, Tony Buchanan calling on the local authority to rule out the development proposals for Crookfur Park.

He said: "It is a welcome relief that the report for the next meeting of the council's Cabinet Committee makes clear the plans for development on Crookfur Park will not be pursued any further and I hope elected members will agree to the recommendations set out in the paper.

"The results of my public consultation highlighted the significant local opposition to the proposals and people living in close proximity to Crookfur Park were rightly frustrated that the council had opened the door to the possible loss of this highly valued greenspace.

"I am pleased that the council is acting on my calls and the concerns expressed by local residents to not proceed with this development.

"Protecting much-loved local greenspaces including Broomburn Park, Shawwood Park and Huntly Park has been one of my key objectives as MSP and it is very positive news that Crookfur Park is set to be saved from development.

"It's important that all efforts now take place to determine if a suitable alternative site can be identified for the football club's proposals and I am prepared to work with the council in the development of a wider sports provision access plan that can secure widespread public support."