Residents of a Cornton housing estate want the decade-long stalemate around maintenance of their local playpark and football pitch to finally end.
“This is a long-running saga where many heads need to be banged together,” said Crispin Bennett, vice-chair of a community group pushing for a resolution.
The play area and football field are located on a piece of Stirling land owned by a private local landowner, the Brewster family, as well as administrators acting on behalf of housebuilder Stewart Milne Group, which folded in January.
Stirling Council says these parties are responsible for the upkeep of the play facilities, and that it cannot take on the maintenance until ownership of the land is properly transferred to the council.
According to Mr Bennett, the building of the housing estate began in 2003, with the playpark added eight years later, as per the Section 75 agreement signed in 1998.
Thirteen years on from its construction, however, the park is showing its age.
Families living nearby are concerned about the safety of their children when they use the play equipment.
“The playpark has not been maintained since 2011,” said Mr Bennett.
He claims the Stewart Milne Group had been “very obstructive” regarding the land ownership transfer before the firm went into administration at the beginning of this year.
In September, Mark Ruskell MSP wrote on behalf of residents to Stewart Milne’s administrators, Teneo, who said they were waiting to hear from landowners the Brewsters.
‘This has gone on far too long’
Mr Ruskell said: “This has gone on far too long. The inability of Stirling Council, Stewart Milne and Brewsters over many years to put in place proper management of the park and football pitch have left Westhaugh residents and the wider Cornton community without the facilities they were promised.
“Teneo, the administrators for Stewart Milne must pass their land over to Stirling Council and Brewsters must also make good on their responsibilities to the community.”
“It’s absolutely ridiculous that we’ve got this rotting playpark that the council have said they will maintain if the land is transferred,” said Mr Bennett.
“And, now, Brewsters are sitting on it and being difficult.”
Stirling councillor Rachel Nunn, who has worked closely with locals to try to resolve the play park issue, said: “There is now no maintenance being undertaken of the park and this is clearly a risk to children.
“Residents have even had to borrow flail mowers to cut the long grass so that local children can use the football pitch – this situation is ridiculous.
“It is my understanding that the ball now rests with the Brewster family, and I strongly urge them to come to the table and work out a resolution with the Stewart Milne Group administrators so that we can get this over the line.”
Other Scottish playparks facing same issue
Mr Bennett says Cornton isn’t the only community in Stirling navigating this frustrating land ownership obstacle.
“Plean playpark is in exactly the same situation,” he said.
“They haven’t got Brewsters landowner stuck in the middle.
“But [administrators for] Stewart Milne should really transfer that playpark [in Plean].
“Stewart Milne should transfer all of the land assets to all of the councils for all of the playparks.
“Because they’re just going to sit there, and a child is going to get injured.
“And whose is the legal responsibility?”
Land ownership transfer negotiations reportedly ongoing
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “We understand and share the frustration of residents on this long-running issue.
“The play area and football pitch are owned by a private landowner in addition to administrators acting on behalf of Stewart Milne Homes and maintenance is not the responsibility of Stirling Council.
“Negotiations are ongoing regarding the process of transferring land ownership to the council.
“It would be inappropriate to accept liability for maintenance of ground that isn’t owned by the council as this would place additional burden on already hard-pressed budgets.”
The Courier approached both the Brewsters and the administrators for Stewart Milne Group for comment, but received no response.
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