COUNCIL chiefs who spent £1m on a failed bid to demolish Clune Park housing scheme are now prepared to consider allowing the near century-old development to remain standing.

Municipal Buildings bosses lost two court battles over the privately owned estate and were told by a sheriff that their case for bulldozing it was based on ‘flawed’, ‘inadequate’ and ‘tainted’ assumptions.

Lawman Derek Hamilton slammed the evidence of a council-appointed expert — who built the case for demolition on a walk-round inspection — as ‘inherently inconsistent and confusing’.

Now a £30,000 competition launched by the local authority to find an architect to provide a masterplan for the Port Glasgow eyesore includes the possibility of it being ‘refurbished’ instead of razed to the ground.

The council — which was involved in a six-year-long dispute with Clune Park landlords — insisted today that its ‘clear and stated policy position’ of demolition remains ‘the way forward’.

However, an article published in respected trade publication The Architects’ Journal reports: “The appointed team will first review options for the site and evaluate whether refurbishment or demolition is the best way forward.”

The local authority did not dispute that the ageing tenement blocks at Clune Park — which were built in the 1920s — could remain in place, despite their intention to demolish as part of a proposed multi-million-pound regeneration project.

A council spokesman said: “As part of the masterplan process, a review of a housing options study from 2006 will be undertaken.

“This does not in any way change the council’s clear and stated policy position that demolition and regeneration of Clune Park is the way forward for this estate.”

It has been reported that the winner of the contract will complete an ‘options appraisal’ prior to drawing up a costed regeneration plan.

The council — which has described Clune Park as a ‘festering wound’ — is being partnered in the project by the Scottish Government and Inverclyde’s largest social housing provider, River Clyde Homes.

The deadline for entries into the architectural competition is noon on September 25.

Council leader Stephen McCabe told the Telegraph that there had been ‘no fundamental change of tact’ by the local authority.

Mr McCabe said: “It was always our intention to look at a masterplan for the wider Clune Park area at some point.

“In discussion with our partners in the Scottish Government and River Clyde Homes – who own properties in the locality – we feel the time is right to develop that masterplan. “Given that a number of landlords have said that they could economically refurbish the properties in Clune Park – without coming up with any definitive proposals – there is merit in the appointed consultants at least exploring the feasibility of that option.

“Personally I would be surprised if they come to any other conclusion than that demolition is the preferred option.”

A council spokesman added: “The council is absolutely committed to seeing the regeneration of the Clune Park area. 

“A key strand of that is setting out the clear vision for what the area can be and to lay the ground work for the future regeneration of the area.

“We are seeking to appoint a suitably qualified consultant to prepare a masterplan for the Clune Park area.

“The masterplan is expected to be completed by late spring 2018.”