Lorry park decision blasted?by MSPs
A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build a lorry park at Stranraer’s waterfront has been described as a ‘hammer blow’ to regeneration efforts.
The council’s planning committee backed a recommendation by officials to vote through the application for the lorry park at the former Stena port, despite opposition and concerns it will wreck plans to turn the waterfront into a space that attracts investment, visitors, and jobs.
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South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has slammed the local authority decision and said: “This is a hammer blow to Stranraer’s future. The decision to turn the waterfront into a lorry park is short-sighted and damaging.
“We should be building a destination that brings people into the town—not make it unattractive to them. The waterfront is Stranraer’s biggest asset. Turning a chunk of it into a glorified lorry park sends out a message that we’re not serious about attracting visitors or investment.
“The council talks about regenerating the waterfront as a key visitor destination, but then gives the green light to a development that does the exact opposite.
“There are far better locations for a lorry park—like the industrial estate—without trashing the town’s prospects.
“This decision rips up the community’s vision for the waterfront and ignores the ambitions laid out in the Stranraer Place Plan. We owe it to the people of Stranraer to do better than this.”
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Galloway and West MSP Finlay Carson has also condemned the decision, branding it as ‘disgraceful’, he added: “This decision by some councillors to allow the East Pier to become a lorry park is disgraceful.
“To say it will bring jobs and boost the local economy that is without question. But this location is totally inappropriate given the town’s ambition to redevelop the waterfront. It will do nothing to revive the town’s fortunes.
“Just when things were beginning to look brighter for the town after years of neglect and under-investment, some councillors think a lorry park is the way ahead. I simply cannot fathom the reasoning behind this.”
“I will be looking into how this decision was taken and what potential there is for it to be challenged. The people of Stranraer deserve better.”
Galloway and West MSP Finlay Carson has also condemned the decision, branding it as ‘disgraceful’, he added: “This decision by some councillors to allow the East Pier to become a lorry park is disgraceful.“To say it will bring jobs and boost the local economy that is without question. But this location is totally inappropriate given the town’s ambition to redevelop the waterfront. It will do nothing to revive the town’s fortunes.
“Just when things were beginning to look brighter for the town after years of neglect and under-investment, some councillors think a lorry park is the way ahead. I simply cannot fathom the reasoning behind this.”
“I will be looking into how this decision was taken and what potential there is for it to be challenged. The people of Stranraer deserve better.”
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