We are POPPA (People Opposing Palacerigg Planning Application). We are a non-profit group of residents in Cumbernauld, Scotland objecting to North Lanarkshire Council’s proposition to build 1200+ houses and associated infrastructure on a development site which is full of protected and threatened animal species!

This isn't a few houses being built in a farmer's field... this site is a massive 83.2 hectares of land (NLC state in one communication it is 85 hectares) - that’s bigger than 52 UK football pitches!

 

 

 

We know for sure that the land is currently home to many UK and EU protected species (as per the council’s own reports and surveys). The land directly adjoins a Scottish Wildlife Trust nature reserve that is home to otters. The development site itself has several clans of badgers on it (around 16 setts have been recorded and 3 more in the wider area).

There are many amber and red-list species of birds such at Linnets, House Martins, Cuckoos and even Grasshopper Warblers that fly over from Africa every year! There are bats in some of the old farm buildings and also the possibility of water vole and Great Crested Newt...

We want the Scottish Government to step in and protect this site, because it is also part of the far end of the Slammanan Plateau -  a geographic area and already a special protection area in the Central Belt of Scotland!

If these weren't reasons enough to save and protect the area, this phase of the development is related to Mid Forest (around 1km to the east of the proposed site) which also adjoins a nature reserve and Palacerigg Country Park where there are Pine Martens! In relation to this sister site Duncan Clark of Scottish Wildlife Trust comments:

"Consideration for nature conservation and concern about contamination - large scale building sites should be well contained and managed to prevent airborne litter and debris reaching Forest Wood Wildlife Reserve. The prevailing south westerly wind direction will likely carry unwanted items into the reserve which will be unsightly and have a negative impact on wildlife. Please confirm that a protected species survey will be completed prior to start of works and cover the peripheral of the site boundary."

 

 

 

Pockets of peat have also been identified on the site, and we fear that losing these areas will negatively affect Scotland's Net Zero climate change goals.

This development is not only a conservation issue, it is a heritage and identity issue for the area. The current infrastructure cannot absorb families living in approximately 1500+ dwellings, and it is especially shocking when you learn that a local high-school was demolished in 2014 and so there is a parcel of drained, flat land ready to be built on that the council already own! They also own flat land next to the main road by Old Inns, which also adjoins a retail park and would be much better suited to housing development.

You can find out more information by visiting our Facebook page: POPPAPalacerigg/

PLEASE HELP US BRING THIS ISSUE TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SCOTTISH AND ENGLISH GOVERNMENT SO THAT WE CAN ESTABLISH PALACERIGG AS A PROTECTED NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE WHICH WILL BE GLOBALLY RECOGNISED FOR ITS PART IN CLIMATE CHANGE, ANIMAL CONSERVATION AND WELL-BEING OF LOCAL RESIDENTS!