Published: Monday, 12th May, 2008 16:30
Flat scheme to go ahead
By Ewan Fergus
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NINETY-eight new flats will be build on land next to Gourock Ropeworks in Port Glasgow — despite objections from an environment watchdog.
The matter was decided by the Scottish Government after the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) objected to an initial decision by Inverclyde Council to approve the project.
Councillors on the planning board had already backed plans for the construction of the flats at a meeting on 5 March.
SEPA then lodged an objection, saying they were worried there was a ‘one-in-200-year-chance’ the access roads leading to the flats — the A8 and Bay Street — could be subject to flooding.
But Inverclyde Council says it has now received confirmation the Government will not interfere in the application and will allow the council to deal with the matter itself.
Planning board chairman, Councillor David Wilson, said: “I am delighted at this decision from the Scottish Government to allow the council to progress with these flats, which are integral to the ongoing regeneration of Port Glasgow.
“This is a common sense decision from ministers because the board felt refusing an application for houses based on such long odds was inappropriate and bureaucratic.
“I want to pay tribute to the hard work of our head of planning, Fraser Williamson, and his team, who had been happy with the plans from day one. Mr Williamson felt SEPA was taking an overly-cautious approach and I agreed with that.”
The proposed flats, which will boast 211 parking spaces, will be in four blocks, each seven floors high, with three blocks on land to the west of the Ropeworks and one to the east.
The flats would have balconies and each block would have a penthouse-style apartment on the top floor with roof deck.
No members of the public had objected to the application.
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