CARE charity Quarriers has joined forces with a major UK housing developer in a bid to build up to 50 new homes.

The social care providers are seeking planning permission for more housing in Quarrier's Village in partnership with the company Gladman.

A bid by the same developers to build houses in a nearby beauty spot in Kilmacolm was knocked back by the planning board last month.

Quarriers have hailed the new application, for the land at Carsemeadow, saying that income from it would be ploughed back into the charity.

Their finance director Niall Macpherson said: “It is our ambition to re-invest all income from the sale in the charity, allowing us to continue to provide the much-needed practical care and support for thousands of vulnerable children, adults and families as well as fund important local projects.

"Consultation with local residents and community has been invaluable and this has helped shape our proposed development."

Gladman had previously tried to secure planning permission for greenbelt land in the Knapps and North Denniston along Bridge of Weir Road in Kilmacolm.

The application went to a planning hearing and was unanimously rejected by councillors.

Inverclyde Council later ratified that decision at a full meeting of the local authority.

Following the planning hearing for the Knapps and North , Kilmacolm Community Council had vowed to oppose a number of proposed housing developments.

The Quarrier's Village plan is for 50 residential homes with a mix of homes and a quarter of them described as affordable housing.

The proposed site, which is currently used for agricultural pasture, lies close to the centre of the village.

The charity argue the plans are sympathetic to the local area.

They say landscaping improvements will be made, including a new footpath, while a pedestrian crossing point would be installed.

Quarriers is one of Scotland’s leading social care charities employing around 1,700 staff, approximately 500 of which work in Inverclyde.

It provides practical care and support for thousands of vulnerable children, adults and families.

Planning officials are now considering the application and say that if it gets the go-ahead they hope to start work early in 2020.