Group comes out against wildflower plan for park

Friends of Magdalen Green say area should remain ‘well-cut’

Residents overlooking Dundee’s oldest park have spoken out against proposals to leave parts of it uncut to support wildlife.

Catherine Fairweather, chairwoman of the Friends of Magdalen Green, has asked for the organisation’s name to be removed from the public consultation on plans to create wildflower meadows in the park.

Despite initially offering a “cautious” welcome to the plans, the group believes they will not work on Magdalen Green.

Mrs Fairweather has written to consultation organisers the West End Community Council “clarifying” the group’s position.

She said: “Biodiversity will work in many of the proposed areas in Dundee, but not on Magdalen Green.

“It should remain a well-cut, safe, accessible open space for people to enjoy as it has done for many years.”

She said the group was not against biodiversity, but it should be located in other parts of the city.

“We are so lucky to have a huge area of biodiversity just over the railway bridge to the west of the changing rooms. It has been this way for years. It’s beautiful, full of insects, birds and plants. It has natural paths through it and it changes every season.

“I feel this should have been mentioned as part of the survey because by letting the public know this area is just 30 seconds over the bridge, it may have greatly changed the survey outcome.”

The Friends of Magdalen Green is a community group that exists to protect and enhance the green for the benefit of present and future generations.

She suggested West End Community Council had been misleading in the way it presented the consultation.

“As the survey is by West End Community Council and not Friends of Magdalen Green, as suggested on your Facebook page, I would like to take this opportunity to politely ask that you do not use our name without our permission,” she added.

The West End Community Council is consulting on plans to create biodiversity zones in the city’s oldest park.

The conversation comes as part of local authority plans to create similar areas in at least 26 parks across the city under its biodiversity action plan published earlier this year.

The areas that have grown up during lockdown will remain uncut until the community consultation exercises are complete.

Park users report enjoying increased plant and insect life in and around the uncut zones during lockdown.

Critics of the plan, including those living close to the park, feel the areas are untidy.

One park user, who did not wish to be named, said: “We were happy for a small area of the green to be planted with wildflowers but are dismayed that at the moment it is just a case of letting the grass grow.

“Today, the areas left to grow are untidy, full of rubbish, including bottles and cans, and dog walkers are having difficulty picking up dog mess.

“Ticks are also still in the long grass, and this is difficult for people wishing to sit on the benches, as they are surrounded by the long grass.”

Natalie Mackland, a Dundee City Council communities officer working with West End Community Council on the consultation, said it would not be appropriate for the group to comment at this time.

Biodiversity will work in many of the proposed areas in Dundee, but not on Magdalen Green. CATHERINE FAIRWEATHER

Picture: Kim Cessford. Some park users are enjoying the increased plant and insect life, but critics say the uncut areas are untidy.