THE mammoth Clune Park legal battle between Inverclyde Council and property owners fighting to stop bulldozers moving in to the private housing estate is today heading towards a possible endgame scenario.

Agreement has been reached by lawyers for both sides to whittle matters down from more than 200 appeals to four test cases into the structural integrity of the Port scheme.

However, the local authority has indicated that it could still fight on to have the ageing development torn down – if a court ruling on the seriousness of roof cracking goes against plans to raze it to the ground.

Lawyer Jonathan Barne QC, for the council, told the latest preliminary hearing into the matter that if one test case flat in a block of eight is deemed to be sound he would not accept that the other seven properties are safe.

Sheriff Derek Hamilton remarked: “If the roof is fine then it follows that the other flats are safe.

“You can’t proceed with demolition orders for seven out of eight flats in a block.” But Mr Barne insisted: “I am not making any concessions.” The sheriff sparked laughter by replying: “No, no-one is making any concessions here.” Council bosses — who commissioned a structural report from Greenock-based consultants ATK — want to pull Clune Park down as part of a proposed £2.6 million regeneration project.

But long-standing landlords and owner occupiers say they have a rival report and expert witnesses lined up to prove that the estate is not beyond repair.

Hearings are to be held soon into the test case properties at 19 and 23 Robert Street, 8 Clune Park Street and 8 Bruce Street.

Sheriff Hamilton asked if it would be the local authority’s strategy to compulsory purchase some properties and demolish others.

QC Mr Barne replied: “That has not been considered.” He added that there were moves by the council to have appeals against demolition dismissed with court expenses to be paid by property owners.

However, despite several cases now being dropped from an original number of 273, more than 200 individual actions remain live against the council.

Sheriff Hamilton said: “I would like the experts to get together and produce a document of areas of agreement and areas of dispute.

“It is easier to move on now if we are dealing with a handful of (test) cases.” Matters are due to resume at the court on 29 May.