Renfrewshire Council has launched a consultation on the proposed creation of biodiversity areas in Renfrewshire.

Because of the need to focus on essential services during the Covid-19 lockdown, grass cutting was paused during the lockdown period and this led to grassed areas growing longer than normal, while at the same time encouraging more wildflowers and wildlife. The council has received positive feedback on these changes and has identified an opportunity to develop new biodiversity areas within its communities. The council wants to create these areas to encourage wildlife to live there and for natural plants and flowers to blossom, and  will be adding to areas where required to improve the way they look and ensure that they can continue to flourish for years to come.

The council’s technical officers have identified and visited a number of proposed biodiversity areas, a maximum of ten in each community, to make assessments based on growing conditions, suitability and prominence of wildflowers and wildlife. The council now wants the local community to read these assessments and decide whether the designated areas are suitable to become biodiversity areas and to let it know any other areas the community believes would be suitable.

Any new biodiversity areas would not be left to grow out of control. They would be maintained and cut at the end of the growing season to increase the variety of insects, plants and wildflowers able to flourish. Where additional biodiversity aids, such as wildflower seeds, are required then these will be added; a number of areas suitable for this have already been identified. If a community decides that an area is not suitable for this treatment, it will be returned to the grass cutting programme.

The council is also asking the community to identify other areas where biodiversity could be encouraged, e.g. road verges, roundabouts, parks, so that it can shape future proposals that support the views of local people.

One of the proposed areas is on the east side of Penilee Road, between School Road and Atholl Crescent, and two are at the east end of Barshaw Park.

To take part in the consultation, go to Renfrewshire Council’s website. The closing date for completing the consultation survey is midnight on Sunday September 13.

An art exhibition will be held in the Barshaw Park Peace Garden on Saturday August 22, from 10 am until 1 pm. The paintings have been done by Peace Garden volunteers, and most of them will be on sale, with the proceeds going to Friends of Barshaw Park

You can see some of the paintings in the exhibition catalogue. Most of them are framed, and the prices range from £10 to £95. If you would like to reserve any of the items, please email Friends of Barshaw Park.

 

Renfrewshire Council has announced that parking charges in council-owned car parks will be reintroduced on Monday August 17.

Parking charges have been suspended since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in March. Residents were advised to stay at home wherever possible, unless they had to make an essential journey for food, medicine or work, and this also meant there were no visitors to the area. Therefore, parking within the council’s car parks was minimal and charges were removed to assist key workers to carry out their role.

In line with the Scottish Government’s route map, travel for exercise and leisure activities is now permitted and there has been a significant rise in the use of the council’s car parks as a result. Therefore, to ensure that there is a turnover of spaces for those who need them, charges will be reintroduced from Monday August 17. Anyone using a council car park will require to purchase a ticket for the length of time they plan to stay and display it clearly in their windscreen.

The parking pilot in six of Paisley town centre’s car parks remains in place and continues to offer the first three hours of parking free of charge at specific times – although a ticket must still be obtained and displayed.

The council’s enforcement officers will be advising motorists in advance of the reintroduction of charges to ensure that no one is unaware and potentially caught out.

More information on the reintroduction of charges, and the Paisley parking pilot, can be found on Renfrewshire Council’s website.

Gartmore Road, Paisley from Hawkhead Road to Alton Road. The closure will be in place on Friday 7th August 2020 between 08:00 and 18:00. This is to allow Open Reach to have crane access to replace a defective pole.

Alternative Route: Newtyle Road, Alton Road, Lanfine Road or vice versa.