Big money battle over green belt ... Football legend Graeme Souness behind EuroPark plans to build thousands of houses on Lanarkshire land owned by daughters of ex-Home Secretary Willie Whitelaw ... MSP and campaigners plea for Souness to back down as application lodged with council
FORMER Rangers and Scotland player Graeme Souness has been asked to reconsider plans to build thousands of houses on green belt land. The ex-Liverpool star and five of his family members own shares in a company behind the massive EuroPark development beside the M8 motorway in Lanarkshire. But an MSP wants Souness, 65, to abandon the multi-million pound project after the company submitted plans to build 2,600 homes on the sprawling site. In a letter to former Ibrox boss, Scottish Conservative MSP Graham Simpson, said: “ I urge you to reconsider destroying this protected piece of green space .” Campaign group Save Woodhall and Faskine say the massive development will ruin ‘ irreplaceable ’ countryside, harm wildlife and cause pollution. But Simpson also believes preserving the site is important for the health of local residents. In his letter to Souness, Simpson adds: “ You will be aware of the site and its importance both environmentally and culturally. “What