LINNVALE GREENSPACE
Save Linnvale Green Space (SLGS) was established in 2018 by a group of Linnvale residents concerned about the decision of West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) to change the status of the field fronting Strauss Avenue from Open Space to Residential designation. This was to enable WDC, in collaboration with a Glasgow Property Developer, Mr Joseph Logan, to build at least 100 private houses on the site. The ownership of this ground is approximately evenly divided by WDC and Joseph Logan.
SLGS set about opposing this change of designation by leafleting every house in Linnvale (about 760) to inform the residents of this situation and to ask for support in fighting to retain the Open Space status of the Strauss Avenue park. Over 400 residents objected to the WDC change of designation, and these objections were formally delivered to WDC by representatives of Linnvale and Drumry Community Council (LDCC) under whose banner SLGS operated. Despite these 400-plus objections, WDC Planning Committee pushed ahead and changed the status to Residential designation. Of the four Linnvale-area local councillors, only one, Mr John Mooney, supported the residents in opposing this undemocratic WDC decision. Indeed, the other three councillors, Baillie Denis Agnew, Councillors Jim Brown and Diane Docherty, all repeatedly ignored formal requests by LDCC to attend meetings to discuss the Strauss Avenue situation.
Because of the volume of residents’ objections, the case was submitted to arbitration in the form of the Scottish Reporter, who subsequently found in the residents’ favour, and recommended that the ground be reinstated to its original protected Open Space designation. WDC thereafter ratified this decision of the Reporter.
SLGS has achieved its objective in saving the Strauss Avenue field as Open Space for the community and has produced a draft proposals’ document suggesting possible developments of the ground which would benefit all local residents and pupils in the local primary school. These proposals will be circulated widely to encourage discussion, suggestions and the involvement of Linnvale residents and other interested parties in achieving improvements.
With the recent formation of Linnvale Community, it is now felt that Save Linnvale Green Space might be usefully subsumed within this new group under the overall banner of Linnvale and Drumry Community Council.
We welcome your comments and suggestions as to how we can move forward with our plans for Strauss Park, feel free to email us on linnvale2020gs@gmail.com
As our plans develop we will keep you updated via our website and social media platforms.