Milngavie Heritage group's concerns over recommendations in East Dunbartonshire Council's Historic Environment Review

They include the Review’s recommendation to withdraw Local Garden and Designed Landscape status from the rural periphery of Mains Estate to the north west of Milngavie and also Tannoch Loch/ Barloch Moor area.

The MHC Group says the Review completely ignores the historical significance of these two areas to the development of Milngavie and the pleasure that these natural environments give to the local community.

The Group is also disturbed that both the Keystone Road/ Avenue area and the Ferguson Avenue/Balvie Road area are set to lose their Townscape Protection Area status ( TPA ). This was a Council designation awarded to these areas in the past because of their historical significance and distinctive architectural features.

These properties were among the first council houses to be built in Milngavie, constructed in the interwar period and were a marked improvement on earlier housing for low income families, who lived in overcrowded and insanitary conditions.

Eric Gotts Chair of MHC Group said: “We had real concerns about the way the consultants, commissioned by the Council, carried out the Review.

"While accepting that the pandemic and the resulting lockdown made face to face consultation impossible, many community groups have been very inventive in keeping in touch with their audiences and virtual sessions with community councils and heritage/residents groups.”

“It is most unusual to undertake a review, then publish the findings in advance of consultation, as opposed to to carrying out the consultations prior to publishing the findings.

"We are, however, glad that the Council has had second thoughts about the timescale for representations and extended the deadline from 26/2/21 to 31/5/21.

"We hope that this will allow most community groups the necessary time to prepare robust responses to the Review.”

The Group added that they welcomed other parts of the Review, including its recognition of the accolade awarded to the Milngavie Reservoirs by being included in the National inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes and its recommendation Dougalston Estate retain its important status as a LGDL.

The Group also supports the expansion of Milngavie Town Centre Conservation Area to include part of Clober Road and the older streets in the Barloch area of Milngavie but wants the name of that Conservation Area to remain unchanged.