Renfrewshire Council accused of misleading residents over playing fields development
Renfrewshire Council has been accused of lying over plans to redevelop contaminated playing fields in Paisley.Residents in Seedhill said they were assured housing would not be built on the community resource after they saw tests being carried out on soil. Friends of Seedhill Playing Fields said they were told the council only planned to upgrade pitches. They then found out plans for housing had been drawn up.
Resident George Elliot was among residents who wrote to the council to ask if there was a proposed development. He said he received a letter of assurance that only pitches would be upgraded: "Later on, through freedom of information, we secured plans that showed they had plans drawn up for houses to be built on these pitches," he said.
The local authority denied misleading people, saying that the whole area would be developed and any property developer would treat the area to prevent any risk to public safety.
A council report shows dangerous levels of toxic waste and gases under the soils.
Playing fields redevelopment row (BBC website, 17 October 2006)
Friends of Seedhill Playing Fields (website)
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2 comments:
There seems to be a lack of understanding with reference to this particlular subject maybe contacting the Council would have given you more information, try visiting my webpage and seeking out the friends of Seedhill Playing Fields postings for more up to date and accurate information
The latest on this news item can be found here (on the Friends of Seedhill Playing Fields website): http://homepage.ntlworld.com/simon.hicks3/Press%20Release%2009-11-06.htm.
It seems that Renfrewshire Council is going to sell the land for redevelopment:
"Renfrewshire Council is pressing ahead with the sale of land at Seedhill Playing Fields for residential development, despite knowing that it is dangerously contaminated.
Local campaign group, the Friends of Seedhill Playing Fields, recently revealed a scientific report, commissioned by the Council, showing that building on Seedhill Playing Fields could release high levels of toxins and dangerous levels of explosive gases. Construction workers, as well as current and future residents, would be exposed to what the report describes as “an unacceptable risk to human health”.
The Council itself has scrapped plans to build a new pavilion on the land, largely due to the excessive cost of safety measures needed to try to reduce the risk, during and after building.
The land it now proposes to sell is bordered by existing housing, children’s playgrounds and a primary school and residents are furious at the Council’s disregard for their health and safety, as well as the continuing erosion of green spaces in the region."
Rayleen Kelly is the Labour Councillor for Seedhill.
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