Practical Footpath Day, Mains Estate

We have received the following from the Ramblers:

VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED

Practical Footpath Day
Mains Estate, Milngavie, Saturday 27th Sept 2014

Following the work we started in Mains Estate in Milngavie earlier this
year, Ramblers Scotland is organising a second practical footpath
maintenance day in Milngavie providing a great opportunity for volunteers
to learn some outdoor skills and gain practical experience in dealing with
minor path problems.

We will be installing waymarkers designed by children from the local
school (Clober Primary), improving drainage and cutting back vegetation.
No previous experience is required.  All tools and equipment will be
provided but you should bring suitable clothing for outdoor work.  Please
let us know in advance if you’d like to come by emailing Jeannie
Cranfield, jeannie.cranfield@ramblers.org.uk or call the Ramblers Scotland
office on 01577 867744.

Open Spaces consultation meeting

Milngavie Community Council are holding a consultation meeting with EDC regarding Open Spaces. This meeting is open to the public and will be held at 7 p.m. within the Fraser Centre on Wednesday 20th August 2014.

This gives the public an opportunity to highlight the areas that they value which includes, parks, even Mugdock Country Park, green areas, core paths, flower beds, grass cutting and many more.  Whilst it does not include proposed housebuilding, as that is a different department, it will give the public an opportunity to identify and protect areas important to them, no matter how big or small.

This input will then form what is included into the Local Development Plan by this section of EDC.

Access to Douglas Academy

MERA has been advised by Mactaggart Mickel that the Falloch Road access to Douglas Academy will be open for pupils returning this week.  This is a pedestrian access to the school only, as is Douglasmuir Drive.

The main entrance to the school is off Craigton Road and this provides both vehicle and pedestrian access together with a drop off point. The Association would recommend that only these three identified routes should be used by pupils.

Watch out for wildlife

During the past two weeks there have been several sightings of colourful Cinnabar caterpillars in Milngavie, one of which was in the Mains Estate.

The brightly coloured Cinnabar moth is mostly a southern species in Britain but is also found near the coast in Scotland and more rarely inland. Its usual food plant is the much maligned Ragwort, which is also the primary food plant for several other moth species.

Kingfishers are rarely seen in the area, but I happened to see one of these brightly coloured but normally shy birds fly under the bridges between the Tesco store and car park, despite the presence of numerous shoppers.

The river outside Tesco's is also a good place to see Dippers. These white-chested birds are as happy in the water as on land.

Local Development Plan newsletters

Local Development Plan Newsletter 22 has now been released and can be viewed via the Emerging Local Development Plan page on the Council website.

Newsletters 1 to 21 are also available via the same link, so we will be removing them from the MERA website.