Unexpected Excavation on Private Land
A woman was left shocked when her local council began excavating her land, creating what she described as a "crater," just months after an agreement was made to transfer ownership to her.
Susan Dick only became aware that West Dunbartonshire Council was conducting redevelopment work in the Littlemill area near Bowling when bulldozers arrived on site.
The council had previously agreed to purchase 5.5 acres (2.2 hectares) of land from Susan to support redevelopment at the nearby former Exxon oil terminal.
As part of this arrangement, Susan was given a parcel of land at Littlemill, which she planned to use to re-bury the remains of two ponies.
West Dunbartonshire Council acknowledged her frustration and stated that efforts are underway to restore the land.
Communication Breakdown
Susan told BBC Scotland News that she was not consulted or informed prior to the commencement of the work.
"No-one notified us, no-one said anything at all to us - there wasn't even anything hinted at through the grapevine.
Someone I know had driven by Littlemill, and phoned me to say 'Susan, there's now bulldozers on your land and the old wall is gone.' That's a shock to hear."
Negotiations regarding the purchase of Susan's previous land had spanned over a decade before reaching an agreement.
Redevelopment Plans and Land Ownership
West Dunbartonshire Council plans to transform the former Exxon site into a mixed-use industrial and commercial area, incorporating enhanced transport infrastructure.
Susan owned a small portion of nearby land and an access road, which she used for her non-profit pony therapy business, Patchwork Ponies, until she finalized a deal with the council in summer 2024.
The council is converting that site into a relief road as part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal project.
Susan explained her intentions for the land:
"We had a couple of the ponies buried there, and I wasn't prepared to leave them there to be dug up as part of the development.
As part of the negotiation I was given the land at Littlemill, so I could bury the ponies there and they could be safe."
Unexpected Developments and Land Use Concerns
Approximately six months later, Susan noticed red and white tape marking the grounds. Initially, she assumed this was related to fallen trees and partial wall removal for safety.
However, bulldozers soon appeared on the site.
Susan recounted:
"The council came back to me weeks later and said they needed a bit of the land - they didn't say to me what they were doing, just that it was needed.
From March until this month there was no access to parts of my land, the wall has been half removed, all the trees have been removed and they have dug what can be best described as a crater there.
I can't rebury the ponies until I know exactly what is planned. Eventually my lawyers got details this month, which says they've taken a narrow strip of land at the side of the road from me, and replaced it with another strip opposite there.
I never signed anything or agreed to them doing anything, and I have the deeds for the land."
The ponies' remains are currently in storage pending proper reburial.
Susan expressed a desire to understand why the council did not consult her before starting the work but has yet to receive an explanation.
Council Response and Project Context
BBC Scotland News understands that the work at Littlemill is connected to the extensive redevelopment of the former Exxon site, which will include storage, distribution, industrial, business, and office spaces.
A spokesperson for West Dunbartonshire Council stated:
"The council is in direct contact with Ms Dick and her agents and we remain committed to working with her to ensure she has use of land which is appropriate to her needs.
We appreciate her frustrations and are sorry she is not currently able to use the land at Littlemill however access is now available and we are working to restore the wall as soon as practicably possible."
