Renfrew locals divided over plans to fence off community games area

Renfrew Victoria FC - known locally as the Vics - submitted a planning application on June 20 to renovate the existing MUGA at Kirklandneuk Community Centre.

As well as re-laying the surface, the plans also include the construction of a 3m fence around the currently unwalled MUGA - though the Vics insist that access would be freely granted upon request.

The application has received a considerable number of public comments, 66 of which support the plans, with 14 objections.

Lindsay Mckillop has been on the Renfrewshire Community Council for 44 years. She says that two former community councillors - Bill Cowley and John Stevenson, both now passed - “fought a valiant fight to get the MUGA built for the community” 25 years ago, using money from the Renfrew Common Good Fund.

“I’m disgusted, absolutely disgusted,” said Lindsay. “People are up in arms. It’s causing a lot of ill feeling. The MUGA was gifted to the people of Kirklandneuk, and it’s used everyday by local young people.

“You can’t tell me someone’s going to come and unlock it every time a child wants to play there. That’s what they’re trying to tell us, but we know that’s not going to happen.”

Lindsay also feels that the Vics have not properly consulted the community.

“The communication with the residents has been appalling,” she said. “But it always has been with the Vics - there’s a long history of it being appalling. It would be nice of them to get their backsides out and have a public meeting to discuss it.

“It’s absolutely despicable what they’ve done.”

Nine year old Kyle Hepburn on the MUGA (Image: Gordon Terris)

Hugh Cowley, another Renfrew resident, is the son of Bill Cowley, one of the community councillors instrumental in getting the MUGA built. He says his dad would be “raging” if he thought locals were being restricted from using the pitch.

“Dad was all for local football teams,” said Hugh. “But if he thought the community were getting done out of using the MUGA, he would be absolutely raging. He wouldn’t be happy at all.

“John Stevenson and my father spent a long time fighting for the pitch to be built for the community. These proposals are a slant on the two of them.”

Hugh agrees with Lindsay that the communication from the Vics has been “terrible,” and he shares her doubts about the pitch being unlocked upon request.

“Can you see somebody coming from the other side of Renfrew to open the pitch for some kids to play on for 15 minutes, and then come and lock up again?” he said.

Many of these claims are refuted by Stuart Wild, chairman of the Vics. He says that, contrary to the belief of some residents, the MUGA is not community owned. Rather, the Vics were granted a 25 year lease on the land from Renfrewshire Council in 2022 - as confirmed by Renfrew councillor John Shaw.

Stuart says that the Vics have reached out to a number of local schools, charities and groups offering them free use of the MUGA, and that people would be more than welcome to use the facility without charge for birthday parties and community events.

“We want to give something back to the local community,” said Stuart. “We’re just trying to improve the area, and give local kids an opportunity.

“If a resident came over and wanted to use it, we’d be happy to let them. It’s not as though it’s going to be locked all the time. But it needs a fence to prevent vandalism.”

Stuart says the Vics have been monitoring usage of the MUGA with security cameras, and that “nobody's using it at all.” He also rejects the idea that the community has not been properly consulted.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to has given their overwhelming support, because they know that we’re trying to improve the area,” he said.

A meeting between residents and the Vics has been scheduled at the Kirklandneuk Community Centre for 7pm on July 25.

Full details of the planning application can be found at: https://bit.ly/24-0423-PP

Some locals are unhappy with the idea of fencing off the MUGA (Image: Gordon Terris)