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Russell Steele • Published 6 Aug 2010 14:00
COUNCILLORS have given the go-ahead for an indoor sports facility at an empty industrial unit in Gourock.
Members of the Inverclyde Local Review Body have decided to overturn the earlier decision of council planning officials, who felt the development was not appropriate and kicked it into touch.
Now the cavernous 88,000 square ft premises, in the Faulds Park estate, right, could be transformed into a massive indoor football centre.
Councillor David Wilson - who chairs the Local Review Body - abstained from the vote, but his colleagues overturned the refusal by six votes to three.
This is the sixth time in three months the newly-established body has overruled planners.
Councillor Wilson said: "We had a detailed and long debate for over an hour about the proposal and the majority view was in favour of changing the use of the facility from business and commercial to leisure use. A number of factors influenced that decision.
"Firstly, this unit has lain empty since it was built eight years ago and the overall feeling was that this presents an opportunity to do
something with the building. The number of vacant commercial properties we have at the moment extends to quite a considerable list.
"Now the developers have a chance to make a go of it with this one."
Under the plans, nine pitches plus dressing rooms could be provided, alongside a gym and catering facilities.
Mr Wilson said support from the sporting community had been a factor in the approval.
He said: "The sports council were in favour. Morton supplied us with a letter in favour of the project too - at the moment they have to travel up to places like Toryglen in Glasgow to train when the weather is bad.
"I have also heard of people who have considerable difficulty booking indoor football pitches and this new facility could address that."
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 06 Aug 10
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