CAMPAIGNERS claim council bosses have ignored residents and wildlife concerns as they prepare to develop the greenfield site at Sighthill Park.

Elaine Ellis, who is part of the campaign to save the park and the famous stone circle, said the presence of bats, starlings, deer and badgers - species which are protected under European Law - is not being taken into account.

She said: “We’ve asked for an updated environmental impact study, which has not been forthcoming.

“The latest one is from 2011. We’ve heard nothing. The council is sidestepping us completely.”

According to Ms Ellis repeated attempts to talk with Glasgow City Council had failed.

She also claimed plans to relocate the standing stones were made without any consultation with the community and the proposals failed to meet the environmental commitments before they were finalised.

Council plans to build on the greenfield site, which includes student accommodation and private housing, were approved despite a petition containing more than 5000 signatures.

Local Green city councillor Kieran Wild said there had been no complaints when the plans were first submitted.

He said: “The park is quite an important route to the city centre. It’s not a nice place to walk through, especially at night.

“There will be a consultation to decide where the stones will be put. There is quite serious ground contamination in the area.

“Sighthill has quite a lot of problems and the new build housing is a good example of what social housing can be.

“I understand that people feel they are not being consulted, for them to be excluded from any working groups is unacceptable.

“I would have liked to have seen more green space in the plans, but on balance the developments are for the best.”

Councillor Wild said there would be further surveys of the area prior to any work. He also said he attempted to meet with campaigners on two occasions, but they failed to attend.

A council spokesman said: “There is no foundation to these claims. A key part of any masterplanning exercise is the consideration of the likely impact on the local environment and ecology.

"An Environmental Impact Assessment was undertaken in support of the Planning Permission in Principle application for the regeneration of Sighthill, which was approved in April 2014.

"This independent assessment concluded: ‘Positive significant residual impacts are predicted in the long term due to the provision of wetland habitat associated with the SuDS proposals and the enhancement of green corridors around the boundaries of the site.

"These are also expected to result in long-term positive residual impacts for bats (foraging habitat and commuting routes), water vole, amphibians and aquatic macrophytes.

"The facts are that at the end of the proposed regeneration of the area, there will be higher quality parkland and general open space in Sighthill than ever before and that vastly improved connections to the city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods will mean more people will be able to easily visit Sighthill Park, overall providing a better, safer environment."