New era for the
Joyascommunitygroupsucceedsinsaving historicestate
A Viewpark community group has clinched a deal to buy a historic estate after a 19-year fight to save it.
Campaigners have purchased 160 acres of woodland and fields with the help of a £435,000 grant from the Scottish Land Fund.
It follows years of protests against the loss of green space and means the land will be protected from further industrial development.
Viewpark Conservation Group spearheaded the bid to save the remaining part of Douglas Support Estate, also known as Viewpark Glen.
The glen is popular with walkers, cyclists and anglers, but the group wants to make it more accessible to schools and other groups.
The expansion of nearby Strathclyde Business Park into the glen prompted a massive public protest in 2004 which resulted in a successful petition to the Scottish Parliament to halt development. More recently the estate has been eroded by an extension of the M8.
The Scottish Land Fund indicated last year that the six-figure grant would be available and now the group has raised the additional £22,000 needed to clinch the deal.
A ceremony to mark the achievement was held on Sunday (July 12), with a piper leading group members and supporters on a short procession.
This was followed by a formal turf cutting.
Grace Mcneill, group chairperson, said: “We have a big project in front of us to turn this into a beautiful landscape and keep it greenbelt.
“But even with the problems caused by COVID-19, we plan to steam ahead and will do the best we can.
“Anyone who wants to volunteer to help us will be made most welcome.”
Grace and husband Tam began efforts to save the glen 19 years ago. They live in the area and were dismayed at the amount of ground being lost to industrial development.
She added: “We soon realised that if the area was to be saved the community would have to buy it.
“Then legislation allowing communities to buy land was introduced by the Government.
“The Blythswood Trust indicated it would sell the land to us if we got the funding together and they have been true to their word. We’d like to thank them for that and thank everyone else who has helped us achieve this.”
The estate dates back to the 17th century and the foundations of Rosehall House are still visible.
Evidence of activity dating back to Roman times has been found in the estate.
Ambitious plans include converting a disused farmhouse to a visitor and interpretation centre.