DALMUIR residents compared looking out of their front window to “looking out of a prison cell” after West Dunbartonshire Council put up a number of fences.

A green space area at Auckland and Kingston Place has been covered in black railings in order to stop kids playing on it.

One neighbour who asked not to be named, told the Post: “What’s happened here is the council have taken complaints on board from two neighbours regarding a couple of young kids playing football. This was last year – they don’t play there any more.

“So they have put up black fence railings. I can now see five different rows of fences from my window.

“It used to be a beautiful grass area and now it’s a mess – it’s absolutely ridiculous.

“I got an estimated figure from the contractors, and by the time they’re done it’s going to cost in the region of £10,000. It’s all a bit much to stop kids playing football.”

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The work is currently still in progress and is due to be completed by mid-summer.

West Dunbartonshire Council said the budget for the work, which is funded by the HRA Capital Investment Programme, is around £6,000.

The neighbour, who is an owner-occupier, doesn’t have kids and said he “keeps himself to himself.”

He added that, last week, the contractor started redoing some of its work.

He said: “The first shape was a mistake, so now the workers are out to do it properly. That was the reason they were digging fencing back up.

“They are now creating an ‘X’ shape, with gates in the middle. It looks a total monstrosity. The grass space has turned into railings.

“There was a councillor telling me they were trying to get fencing in Whitecrook and they’re down here in Dalmuir throwing fencing all over the place.”

A petition signed by residents opposed to the fences has been handed in to the council. Local MP Martin Docherty-Hughes has also been made aware of the situation.

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Another neighbour also contacted the Post to say: “My kids have grown up now but it was a blessing for them to play on this area. All the work that is going on to fence this off is unbelievable – and they say the council is making cut backs.”

A spokeswoman for WDC said: “The low level fences were introduced in consultation with residents following a number of complaints about damage to property caused by ball games on the grassed area.

“The design was chosen to discourage use of the location as a play area, and encourage use of existing full-size pitches nearby.”