New Tesco store

Several residents have asked for further information about the proposed new Tesco store in Milngavie.

Jo Swinson, MP, has set up a webpage with information and a questionnaire at www.joswinson.org.uk/tesco. It includes the original Tesco brochure and links to other relevant sites.

Further details of the plan can be found in a series of pdf files on the council website.

A construction method statement is also available of the council website.

There is still time to make your comments about this proposed development.

Mains Estate Water Feature

We have been asked to post the following on behalf of representatives of the 357 owners affected by the current developments.

Been pondering about the water feature?
Are you concerned about the amount of water vanishing?
Are you one of the 357 owners footing the bill?

A few residents are so concerned about the escalating maintenance and running costs that they have decided it is time to work along side Hacking & Patterson to investigate all of the possible options in greater detail. This will allow the 357 to make an informed choice and vote for the most sustainable strategy.

If you don’t want to go with the current flow, then share your thoughts and ideas with Alan Fraser via the email address on the MERA contacts page.

Alan will provide updates by email to all 357 owners who provide their email address and contact details.

Park Update

We have been given a grant by Tarmac in the sum of £5000 towards our park project and we are very grateful to Tarmac for this.

EDC Grant Committee has recommended that we get a grant of £3000.

Milngavie Community Council has given funds of £1000 towards our park project.

In addition we have been successful in obtaining funds in the sum of £10,000 from Awards for All.

We have also received donations from residents totalling £665.

This currently means we have £19,665 towards our park project. We have one further application to WREN outstanding and hope to hear from them soon regarding our application. We shall then commence our consultations with regard to the play equipment in the New Year.

East Dunbartonshire Council budgetary consultation

East Dunbartonshire Council is undertaking a budgetary consultation programme and survey during November – December 2009 to help identify ways in which it can achieve the substantial level of savings required during 2010/11 and in subsequent years.

Residents have the option to give their opinions on priorities within the budget. Please take this opportunity to make your views known to the council by reading the briefing note and completing the questionnaire at
http://www.ibp.eu.com/edcbudgetconsultation/
There is a link to the questionnaire at the bottom of the above webpage.

Please note that this questionnaire will only be available until 18th December.

Bird list, November 2009

Birds seen in the Mains Estate during November

Blackbird Black-headed gull Bluetit Carrion crow Chaffinch Coal tit Dunnock Goldfinch Great tit Greenfinch

House sparrow Jackdaw Long-tailed tit Magpie Mallard Robin Rook Starling Wood pigeon Wren

Craigton Woods response

Although it's now too late to submit comments to East Dunbartonshire Council, more submissions to us could still be useful in any future discussions on the future of Craigton Woods. So please keep them coming via the online form.

We would like to thank all those of you who have already contacted us. The response has been overwhelming!

Craigton Woods bird list

The following species have been seen in the woods:

Blackbird
Bluetit
Chaffinch
Chiff Chaff
Dunnock
Great spotted woodpecker
Jay
Long Tailed Tit
Pheasant
Robin
Rook
Tawny owl (live permanently in woods)
Tree creeper

nearby - Dipper

Please let us know if you spot any further species

Second Craigton Woods flyer

Many residents will have received a second flyer through their door recently. The Residents' Association would like to point out that this most recent flyer is from James Barr, representing the owners of Craigton Woods. This leaflet has not been issued or contributed to by Mains Estate Residents' Association. Residents should note that at the very bottom of this flyer the contact details are those of James Barr Ltd who are acting on behalf of the owners of the wood.

The Residents' Association would like to thank all those who have taken the time to contact us, and also those residents who are writing to the Council regarding the local plan

Craigton Woods in pictures

Craigton Wood contains some very large, mature trees including a Wellingtonia, which can be seen on the left.

Other tree species include Sycamore, Goat Willow, Yew, Scots Pine, Oak, Large-leaved Lime, Beech, Ash, Silver Birch, Larch, Holly, Horse Chestnut, Sweet Chestnut, Norway Spruce, Elder, Hawthorn, Hazel, and a variety of more ornamental species.

A number of different fern species can be found, particularly in the vicinity of the boundary wall. They include Wall Rue, Lady Fern, Male fern, Maidenhair Spleenwort, Broad Buckler Fern and Brittle Bladder Fern.

More pictures can be seen in the

Craigton Woods gallery

Craigton Woods potential development

The final draft of the East Dunbartonshire Local Plan 2 is now available for public comment.

It is important that residents realise there has been an approach from the owners of Craigton Woods to change the status of this area from an area of green belt and local conservation site with tree preservation orders and an important wildlife corridor and open space. Should the designation of this area change, this would then allow them to sell the land to developers, which would eventually lead to planning applications being submitted to build housing in this area.

This area is designated as an area of local interest and has an abundance of important trees and wildlife and many residents have indicated that they would like the status of the area maintained.


A map of what could be proposed in the area.

The areas surrounded in red are the areas which the owners of the wood indicated could be developed.

The location of the woods can be viewed on Streetmap

We would ask for your comments and ask that you make your feelings known by 23rd November (note changed date), by writing to:

The Planning Dept.
East Dunbartonshire Council
The Triangle
Kirkintilloch Road
Bishopbriggs
G64 2TR.

The letters must be individual, as a standard letter with a list of names in the form of a petition is only considered as one letter.

E-Mails can also be sent to: planning@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Contact can also be made through the interactive website: www.maps.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/edclp

Any other updates regarding our activities and our recent acquisition of funds to upgrade the park can be found on this blog and our website. You can also contact some of the committee by email. See details on the website - http://www.mera-milngavie.co.uk/

Residents, please complete the form on the flyer you will be receiving from us. The committee have put out this flyer without prejudice and will abide by any majority decision as a result of this consultation. You can also complete the form on the web (but please complete the form on the web or the flyer, not both)

Some facts to bring to your attention are as follows:
In 2003, when a previous proposal was made to develop the woods, Scottish Natural Heritage lodged an objection and revealed that the Craigton Wood was included in the inventory of Ancient and long established semi-natural woodland with a proven cover for at least 250Years. They said that woodland of such antiquity is scarce in the East Dunbartonshire area and forms a distinctive and important feature and as such represents a significant part of our cultural heritage locally.

Generally, the longer woodland has existed on a site the greater its natural heritage value. Look at the map. You can then visualise volume in relation to existing houses. The owners have presented this first draft. However they may be willing to enter discussions to amend this. In addition, there could be planning gain to be had for the area, for example funding for other projects, a community trust for the remaining woodland, etc.

WE NEED YOUR VIEWS ON THIS.
Please let us know them by using the form on the flyer or via the online form.

Any comments will also be noted.

Bird list, October 2009

Birds seen in the Mains Estate during October

Blackbird Black-headed gull Bluetit Carrion crow Chaffinch Coal tit Collared dove Dunnock Goldfinch Great tit Greenfinch

House sparrow Jackdaw Lesser black-backed gull Magpie Mallard Robin Rook Starling Wood pigeon Wren

Bird list, September 2009

Blackbird Black-headed gull Bluetit Carrion crow Chaffinch Coal tit Dunnock Great tit Greenfinch House sparrow

Jackdaw Lesser black-backed gull Magpie Mallard Robin Rook Starling Wood pigeon Wren

Craigton Woods

We would advise that we were approached on 10 September 2009 by representatives of the owners of Craigton Woods. As you will probably be aware this area is designated as Green Belt Land.

The final consultation on the Council Local Plan will be due in a couple of weeks and the owners of Craigton Woods would like the designation of this area altered. As a result, the area would be changed to a mixture of housing and woodland.

The Residents’ Association have had an initial discussion with the representatives and would like to have your views on the matter. As there is only a short time to respond to this we would be happy to discuss the subject with you or a group of neighbours and show you what information the Association have at the present time. We look forward to hearing from you.

Please email us via our website if you would like more information.

Kilmardinny Westpark Action Group

Please help to support the important work being undertaken by this group which is fighting the CALA/Stewart Milne proposals for the development at Kilmardinny.

For more information, see their website at http://www.kwag.info.Please also read their fact sheet on the developments.

Hunter Road improvements

We continue to stress the importance of improvements to Hunter Road, particularly at the junction of Castlemains Road.

Whilst East Dunbartonshire Council is going down the route of compulsory purchase, progress is extremely slow.

Bird lists, February to August 2009

This is an archive of the bird lists published on the website for the past 6 months. In future, these will be published monthly. Please contact us with any additions to these lists.

Birds seen in February

Blackbird Black-headed gull Bluetit Bullfinch Carrion crow Chaffinch Coal tit Dunnock Goldfinch Goose Great tit Greenfinch Heron

Herring gull House sparrow Jackdaw Long-tailed tit Magpie Mallard Robin Rook Snipe Song thrush Starling Wood pigeon

Birds seen in March

Blackbird Bluetit Carrion crow Chaffinch Coal tit Dunnock Goldfinch Great spotted woodpecker Great tit Greenfinch House sparrow

Jackdaw Long-tailed tit Magpie Redpoll Robin Rook Siskin Song thrush Starling Wood pigeon

Birds seen in April

Blackbird Bluetit Carrion crow Chaffinch Coal tit Dunnock Goldfinch Great tit Greenfinch House sparrow Jackdaw

Lesser black-backed gull Magpie Mallard Redpoll Robin Rook Siskin Song thrush Starling Wood pigeon

Birds seen in May

Blackbird Bluetit Carrion crow Chaffinch Coal tit Dunnock Goldfinch Great tit Greenfinch House sparrow

Jackdaw Lesser black-backed gull Magpie Mallard Redpoll Robin Rook Siskin Starling Wood pigeon

Birds seen in June

Blackbird Bluetit Buzzard Carrion crow Chaffinch Chiff-chaff Coal tit Collared dove Dunnock Goldfinch Great tit Greenfinch Heron House martin

House sparrow Jackdaw Lesser black-backed gull Magpie Mallard Oystercatcher Robin Rook Siskin Starling Tree creeper Willow warbler Wood pigeon Wren

Birds seen in July

Blackbird Bluetit Buzzard Carrion crow Chaffinch Chiff-chaff Coal tit Collared dove Dunnock Goldfinch Great tit Great spotted woodpecker Greenfinch Heron

House sparrow Jackdaw Lesser black-backed gull Magpie Mallard Oystercatcher Pied wagtail Siskin Starling Tawny owl (heard) Tree creeper Willow warbler Wood pigeon Wren

Birds seen in August

Black-headed gull Bluetit Buzzard Carrion crow Chaffinch Coal tit Dunnock Goldfinch Great tit Greenfinch Greylag goose Heron House martin

Jackdaw Lesser black-backed gull Magpie Mallard Robin Sparrowhawk Starling Swift Tree creeper Willow warbler Wood pigeon Wren

Welcome to our blog

Welcome to the blog for the Mains Estate Residents' Association in Milngavie, Scotland.

For more information about the association, please see our website at
http://www.mera-milngavie.co.uk/

We will hope to post news items here, with the opportunity for readers to comment. Please note that these comments will always be read and passed on to the appropriate committee member(s) as required, but we reserve the right not to publish them on the blog.