Outcry at plans to close
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AN angry response from the public to a proposal to close off a car park next to contaminated woodland has forced a change of heart from a landward councillor.
Willie Mackay originally supported plans by Highland Council to shut the car park at Newtonhill community woodland, near Wick, due to the amount of people breaking fences to enter the former landfill site.
His views led to 12 residents contacting him directly disagreeing with his support for the closure saying it is popular with locals who only walk around the site and use the picnic tables in the car park.
Now, after speaking to concerned members of the public, Mr Mackay – along with fellow councillor David Bremner – is calling for the council to keep the car park open and improve security measures to prevent people entering.
Retired Highland Council enforcement officer William Murray, along with other opponents to the closure, met Mr Mackay to discuss their concerns.
He feels that if the plans were to go ahead, it would be punishing those who enjoy the area but don’t enter the woodland.
Mr Murray (72), of Newtonhill, described the proposals as “grossly unfair” and said the authority needs to reconsider its course of action.
“The action that is being proposed is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut,” he said. “There are many different people who use the car park every day at Newtonhill and use the picnic tables.
“It is especially popular with elderly people and dog walkers who come from as far afield as Thurso to see the views of Wick Bay and Sinclair Bay.
“These people do not go walking into the woodland and only walk around the edge of the site and if the council goes ahead and closes it, they will be depriving a lot of people of a popular walk.
“There are other reasons that people use the car park than going into the forest, it’s just a question of putting a proper fence around the site to deny entry.
“Highland Council needs to find a new way of making these fences people proof but closing the car park is not the answer.”
Mr Mackay said after listening to the concerns of the public about the loss of the site, which was more popular than he first thought, he is now asking Highland Council to erect a better standard of fencing that will prevent entry into the wood.
“I have contacted Highland Council to let them know of this renewed concern among users of the car park,” he said.
“There could be a cost saving here – instead of erecting expensive crash barriers and a high security gate, a strong heightened chain link fence would be all that is required to secure the contaminated woodland.”
The woodland was closed off in 2008 when elevated levels of contaminants such as heavy metals, arsenic and asbestos were found within the site soils and surface waters.
Over the past five years, fences have been vandalised by members of the public in attempts to access the area.
Highland Council plans to install crash barriers immediately adjacent to the roadside with a central security gate that will be locked at all times.
A spokeswoman for Highland Council said no final decision has been made on the future of the car park and the proposal is only being considered at present.
She said: “No decision had been made, local councillors have been informed and the next step is to speak with the local community council to ask what their feelings are.”
Landward councillor Alex Macleod supported Mr Mackay’s U-turn and asked that the issue is included in the agenda for the next Caithness ward business meeting.
“There are a great many variables to consider when it comes to making a decision on the future of Newtonhill car park,” he said. “Councillors will hopefully come to a settled decision after that meeting.”
