Villagers plan rally against threat to greenbelt

Bellway Homes wants to build 80 houses on ground at 
Redmoss Farm in Milton of Campsie.

According to members of the Greenbelt Preservation Campaign, approval is also sought for a further 350 homes on greenbelt land around Milton of Campsie and 70 houses on a site near Lennoxtown.

The plans are included in East Dunbartonshire Council’s Local Development Plan which is on the agenda at a meeting of the full council in Kirkintilloch on Thursday, November 12.

Campaigners are urging people against the housing plans to join them outside the council offices at Southbank Marina before the meeting begins at 5.30pm.

On Facebook site “Save Our Greenbelt Protest Rally”, Ross McKenzie posted: “Please join the protest. The local development plan is expected to be 
approved at this meeting.

“This is our last opportunity to make our feelings known to East Dunbartonshire Council before it is passed to the Scottish Government for a final decision.

“Please lend your support, join us and bring the kids. After all it’s their future we are fighting to protect.”

A fighting fund was set up earlier this year by the preservation campaign group. Within five weeks, local people had donated over £2,200.

Alan Harris, secretary of the campaign, said: “Almost 120 individuals from more than 50 streets in the village have donated to the fund, demonstrating the scale of opposition to the proposed plan to build homes on this popular and ecologically significant local greenbelt area.”

A council spokesman confirmed to the Herald that elected members will be asked to decide whether to continue progress towards the adoption of the LDP at Thursday’s meeting.