Proposals to sell off land next to a popular football park in Paisley have been branded as “scandalous” by councillors.
The area of land next to Moredun Park in the town’s Stanley Road was put on the table at the recent Infrastructure, Land & Environment Policy Board, much to the anger of a number of councillors at the meeting.
The proposals called on the council to give up the lease of the land - which is currently leased by Renfrewshire Leisure - and declare it as surplus.
This would allow it to be sold to Pacific Care Limited - which operates nearby Stanley Park Care Home - for a “modest” amount and allow plans to build a 16-space car park on the site to be used by the the public and the care home to go ahead.
The proposals also state another 12-space car park will be built on the site currently leased by Renfrewshire Leisure to provide “dedicated parking for the playing fields”.
However, the plans were met with nothing but anger by councillors, who raised concerns regarding safety, the potential impact on those who use the playing fields if the land was given away, and the future of the surrounding land.
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Labour leader Eddie Devine branded the plans as “ridiculous” and called for it to be scrapped entirely.
He said: “I have spoken to football teams in the area and they are all strongly against it.
“It is not anywhere near the care home and the land of the house that used to stand there is up for sale.
“There was a planning application for lots of flats on that land and I see this as them trying to creep in on our land.
“This is a football pitch and it will stay a football pitch.
“If they are looking for an argument, football teams will oppose this and they will win.
“They want to buy it and we should not be selling it.”
Other concerns were raised regarding road safety in the area if the parking facilities were jeopardised.
Labour councillor Karen Kennedy labelled Stanley Road as a “speed trap” while Audrey Doig said if the proposals went ahead it would be an accident waiting to happen.
The SNP councillor added: “My major concern is that this car park is busy at the weekend when children are playing football on the park right next to it and we have problems when that happens and if the spaces are taken away the way that this proposal suggests then we will just be waiting on something bad happening on that road.
“I think there are safety concerns on Stanley Road as it is as it is without taking these spaces away.”
Councillor Cathy McEwan, chair of the meeting, added that there were too many unanswered questions surrounding the plans and that it would be continued for enquiries to take place.
She said:“I am taking on board what everyone is saying.
“It’s a natural wildlife park and it’s a flood risk as well.
“Has SEPA been consulted? We don’t know that answer and we need to know that.
“I also want to know if the original proposal for this was rejected by the planning department as over development.
“Only recently a new car park and changing facility were built there.”
“There is a whole load of issues here and I am surprised to see it here right now.
“It should not be here.”
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