Huntly Park

Huntly Park is a park in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, Scotland.

The park is divided in several areas and features playing fields for football, a woodland area and a small playpark.

Before becoming a park, the ground was used for mining.

In the summer of 2007, local residents were alarmed to see drilling taking place in the park. On further investigation, it emerged that a private house building company had been given permission by East Renfrewshire Council to see if the land was suitable for housing.

Within days, more than 200 local people had attended a public meeting to voice their concern at any building going ahead. They called themselves HOHAG (Hands Off Huntly Action Group) and were soon to win a significant victory. The council pulled back and announced that no house building would be allowed on the park.

HOHAG organisers say a meeting will be held in early 2008 to create a small body with a watching brief on any unusual activity at Huntly, with the power to recall other HOHAG members at any time.

Park under threat

The park is under threat of closure due to a planning application currently before East Renfrewshire Council. Under the proposals from MacDonald Estates, Huntly will be off-limits to the public for two years to allow them to create a housing development on nearby Braidbar Quarry. The firm's own Environmental Impact study has admitted it will remove the habitat of badgers, bats and other wildlife. Hundreds of trees will be cut down. There is no other park for miles around, robbing kids of football pitches and dog walkers of one of the loveliest wilderness areas in the west of Scotland.

However, there are a small number of residents who wish to see the project proceed because it will improve the stability of the ground under their homes.

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