TWO millionaire transport tycoons have asked for the go-ahead to bulldoze a house at the centre of an Inverkip murder trial and build new homes at the site.

Minaz Rajabali, 57, and business partner Harinder Singh Kohli, 51, have applied for permission to knock down Seacroft and build four homes on the site.

The businessmen, who run English-based haulage and recycling firm Slam Transport, bought the cottage for £120,000 last year after Inverclyde Council ruled it unfit for habitation.

Eddie Cairney and Avril Jones, who previously lived at the property, are accused of murdering missing woman Margaret Fleming at the Inverkip home at some point between December 1999 and January 2000 and fraudulently obtaining more than £180,000 in benefit payments she was due, knowing she was dead.

Cairney, 76, and Jones, 58, who are both currently remanded in prison, have pleaded not guilty to a series of charges and face trial in September.

Planning bosses at Inverclyde Council are currently considering Mr Rajabali  and Mr Kohli’s proposals to demolish the cottage and build two four-bed properties beside the A78 road and two three-bedroom houses on the Clyde shore side.

New road access would be created under the plans lodged at the Municipal Buildings.