Concerns have been raised ahead of the sale of a valued plot of land which gives a window into Renfrewshire’s prehistoric past.
The site up for grabs incorporates a large part of the Fereneze Braes and Boylestone Quarry, and borders Gleniffer Braes Country Park on one end and the Fereneze Golf Course in Barrhead on the other.
The quarry was once used for the extraction of metal but has not been used for this purpose in decades.
Quarrying revealed exposures of the Clyde Plateau Lavas, which were formed around 360 million years ago, during the early part of the Carboniferous period. This led to the area being made a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).
The area is also beloved by local residents as a place of recreation for activities such as dog walking.
However, the future of the site is uncertain with the plot of land going up for auction on Thursday.
Sales information provided by Future Property Auctions, who are marketing the site, suggest the area is ripe for housing development or for use as a “waste transfer” site.
This has sparked fear among local residents who do not wish to lose the biodiverse corner of their community.
Kirsty Menzies, who runs the Fereneze Braes of Barrhead Twitter account, said the potential sale was concerning.
She said: “The ecological value of the area is amazing and local people walk a lot around the area. So, the fact that it's going up for sale is quite worrying.
“And what's even more worrying is the fact that this advert went up on Friday, and the auction is this coming Thursday. It's not even been up for the week – and it makes no mention of the SSSI status or that it's a local biodiversity site.
“They’re suggesting on the auction website that it could be used for waste transfer potentially, which to me says they're talking about using it for landfill.
“There's a primary school next to it, and people's houses, so the amount of traffic and noise and pollution that that would bring in is obviously not a good thing.”
Kirsty says if she was given more notice of the sale, she would have tried to organise a community buyout of the land in order to preserve its status as a recreational space for local people.
Whoever purchases the area will likely look for some return on their investment so a planning application is likely to be submitted to East Renfrewshire Council at some point. Kirsty says she will fight any plans to convert the area.
East Renfrewshire MP Kirsten Oswald has written to the relevant local authorities to enquire about what the future holds for the site.
A spokesperson for her office said: "Kirsten has heard from a number of constituents who are concerned at any potential changes which could impact on the wildlife and biodiversity on this site, and has made enquiries to try and establish some much needed clarity."
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