All clear given after no munitions found at Elgin play park

Area had a long history of military activity including this ‘Area Control’ building on the edge of the former army camp.

The play park on an Elgin housing estate has been given an all-clear from experts undertaking a study for discarded world war two munitions.

Moray Council called in the experts to an area around Pinefield Crescent after discovering that the area had been used by the military in the 1940’s.

It was the latest in a series of such alerts as long-lost aerial photography gave evidence to the extensive military activity in the area. That sparked fears that munitions may have been left buried under land that had subsequently been developed for housing.

However, fears have now been allayed as the survey team discovered only two practice bullets dating back to 1943 in their search. The team had used digging equipment and metal detectors with parents in the area keeping their children away from the playpark area until it had been given the all-clear.

A Moray Council spokesman said: “While the likelihood of encountering unexploded ordinance at the site was considered to be relatively low, we required the survey to give us confidence that there was no ordinance related items at a depth that people could encounter.

“We hope that this will give the residents assurance regarding the level of risk as a result of the area’s historic military use.”

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