Concerns have been raised that a “forgotten woodland” in Moray’s biggest town could become an eyesore feature of a major housing development.
For more than a decade, Maggot Wood, on the southern edge of Elgin, has been earmarked for transformation into a public park or gardens.
But now, Moray Council has proposed changing the future use of the land to “amenity” – which would see the woodland remain as it is.
Councillor John Divers revealed last night that several projects for the grassy area near the woods had been abandoned due to the green vision for the site, including football pitches and allotments.
And the Elgin City South member fears the unsightly trees could be a blot on the landscape in the area, which will be next to an access road for a 2,500-home development, if they are allowed to grow out of control.
He said: “If it becomes amenity ground, then it’s just going to remain as it is – which is an unsightly area of ground.
“Linkwood Road is going to become a major gateway into the new Elgin South housing with lots of vehicles using it for access.
“It doesn’t make sense to have an ugly area like that sitting in among several housing schemes.
“There was an area at the top of New Elgin Road at the roundabout that was designated as amenity and it just got worse and worse and more untidy – I can see the same thing happening here.”
Proposals for a crematorium near the woodland at the corner of Reiket Lane and Linkwood Road were thrown out by the council 15 years ago, because the land was being reserved for parkland as part of the Elgin South masterplan.
Elgin Community Council chairman Alistair Kennedy said: “It’s fine having green spaces in towns, but they have to be nice, not just for the sake of it.
“The trees are already big brutes of things and, if they’re left [standing], our concern would be they could start to impact on the look of the area.”
The changes are part of a Moray Council consultation about open spaces in Elgin, Forres, Buckie, Keith, Lossiemouth, Aberlour and Dufftown that begins on Monday and runs for eight weeks.
A Moray Council spokesman added: “The strategy will be used by the council when making planning decisions which impact on open space and by developers to guide the provision of open space in new developments.”
A Springfield spokeswoman confirmed they owned the woodland and had no plans for future developments there.
