New stadium at city park will be a massive environmental own goal

Sir, – Dundee hates nature, or at least seems to have little respect or understanding of it.

If the council tax band of a property were to rise for each square metre of soil destroyed and concrete laid in a private garden, then perhaps this would give pause for thought.

Healthy soil is home to a myriad of bacteria, microbes, mycelium, insects, spiders, beetles – the list goes on.

All this life is destroyed when water and air cannot reach them.

These creatures maintain soil health and allow plants to flourish, which in turn nourishes mammals including humans.

No more healthy soil means a great loss of life in small mammals, insects and birds, and of course the climate emergency is hastened on by constructing with concrete.

But there is more to soil and plant life than this. Most humans know that walking among trees and other plants gives them a feeling of wellbeing. Parents take children to parks, woodlands and moors for this reason.

Even in a city families can enjoy parks such as Camperdown with its specimen trees, woodland paths and green expanses.

I do understand that a small number of humans are besotted with petroldriven machines and riding at speed. Where will the quad bike riders go once a concrete stadium is under development?

We have all seen traffic disruption when a show is on at Slessor Gardens. How much more so with hundreds of cars entering Camperdown from the Kingsway for a football match, a pop concert, or a boozy night out?

Where will we find peace and quiet then?

So why are we having a large concrete development thrust on the city when much of the world is flooded, on fire or facing hurricane wind storms? Who has audited the carbon emissions entailed in constructing a new football stadium?

Despite the fact that Dundee City Council has signed up to pledges on sustainable food growing, biodiversity preservation and the climate emergency, it is considering allowing a hotel, alcohol outlets, a housing development, a football stadium and training pitches to be built at the edge of this park. There is no realistic protection for mature trees, even beautiful specimens, in Dundee. Developers cut them down first and answer questions later.

The less green space in a city, the more disturbed young people become.

The recent desperate behaviour in Kirkton has been perceived as giving the city a bad reputation. This new football pitch and its concrete accompaniments will do very little for disaffected young people.

Desecrating green space is far more destructive than one night of crazy youthful behaviour. I am thinking it is a far worse criminal offence to inflict this development on the good folk of Dundee.

Leslie Martin. Glenmarkie Terrace, Dundee.