Fears have been raised that children are risking life and limb by clambering up a massive pile of rubble at the site of a former Aberdeen school.
The land on Lang Stracht, where Summerhill Academy once stood, has lain empty for more than five years since the building was torn down.
Supermarket giant Morrisons had originally planned to create a store there following the demolition, but withdrew its application following a legal wrangle with Tesco – which has a shop nearby.
Earlier this year, Aberdeen City Council raised hopes that the barren site could soon become a housing development.
But, months after the expected start date on the scheme, there remains no sign of the plot being developed and rusty fencing has proved no obstacle for children venturing inside.
Now, youngsters have been spotted playing atop a towering mound of rubble approximately the same size as adjacent tenements.
Yesterday, Aberdeen Donside MSP Mark McDonald issued a plea for more robust security measures and urged the council to move forward its housing plans.
Mr McDonald said: “I am all for children playing outside but a demoliton site is not the place for them to be.
“It is quite easy for young people to get in. Some of the fencing is riddled with holes, so the council do need to check the security of this site.”
Summerhill Academy was open between 1962 and 1990, and the building was used as council offices until being demolished in February 2012.
In 2015, council leader Jenny Laing pledged to build 375 local authority houses on the site.
And last November, it was announced that work on the £35million development would “probably” begin in March.
With that project yet to get off the ground, Mr McDonald said locals were becoming “fed up”.
A spokeswoman for Aberdeen City Council said that chief executive Angela Scott would respond to the SNP politician directly.
She said: “Mr McDonald will receive a response in due course, in line with the usual protocols.”
