A CAMPAIGN has been launched amid fears a greenspace in East Renfrewshire will be bulldozed to make way for a new leisure complex.

The Save Shawwood Greenspace group, which has gathered more than 1,500 members on social media, is determined to block any move to build a new Eastwood Leisure Centre at the site.

Shawwood was named on an indicative list of sites presented to councillors that highlights currently unoccupied land owned by East Renfrewshire Council.

The local authority has stressed its environmental officers are currently investigating the suitability of multiple sites, which may or may not include Shawwood.

However, campaigners have warned the loss of greenspace there would have a “catastrophic” impact on the local environment.

Kirsti McGinlay, the campaign group’s founder, said: “Not one person I have ever come into contact with thinks that building on this greenspace, right in the middle of residential Newton Mearns, is a good idea.

“People are up in arms about it and the community are coming together to fight to save our much-loved and widely-used greenspace.

“As well as providing a safe place for our families to play and explore together, it is also the natural habitat for so much wildlife.

“Now we are under threat of an enormous build that will have a catastrophic impact on our environment and those of us who live in the neighbouring streets will be forced to endure air, noise and light pollution throughout the build and after the centre’s completion.

“The detrimental impact to the health of people with lung conditions doesn’t bear thinking about.”

Early stage investigations are currently taking place into the future of Eastwood Leisure Centre after a consultation on the subject closed last month.

Findings indicated there was clear desire among residents for a larger facility to be built on a new site with a wider offering of services, with more than half of respondents favouring this of the four provided options.

Politicians have also spoken out about any potential development at Shawwood.

East Renfrewshire MP Paul Masterton and Eastwood MSP Jackson Carlaw have said they would oppose any move to develop land at either Shawwood or Broomburn Park.

However, a spokesperson for East Renfrewshire Council said: “No decision has been made on a potential site for a new leisure centre within the Eastwood area.

“A report will be brought before a future full council meeting, outlining the next steps in this process.

“The consultation, which attracted one of the highest ever response rates, was held to get the views of residents about the type of leisure facilities they wanted to see for Eastwood in the future.

“It was made extremely clear within the consultation that, if a new leisure facility was the preferred option, then extensive feasibility work would be required to identify a suitable site, with all relevant factors being taken into account at this stage.”