A NEW £3m nursery for 100 children will be built in Greenock after planning bosses gave the proposal the go-ahead.

Despite initial concerns it did not fall in line with the Local Development Plan (LDP), the early years centre will be constructed in Stafford Road in Larkfield after members of Inverclyde Council’s planning board unanimously agreed.

Part of the site – which sits south of Inverclyde Royal Hospital – lies within a spot identified as a residential development opportunity for 40 units.

However, as the new nursery will accommodate the Larkfield Children’s Centre, all existing buildings at the former Sacred Heart Primary School base will be removed, creating a new area for potential residential development in its  place.

With this in mind, planning chiefs were satisfied the application was an 'acceptable departure' from the LDP.

The site has in recent years been used as a school bus drop-off area.

A 23-space car park will be provided to the front of the building with access from Stafford Road and there are plans for a cycle park.

A new access lane will be developed which will allow vehicular access to be retained to the rear of homes on Stafford Road.

Two small steel playground equipment stores, a bin store and boiler housing are also proposed, but these would be screened so as not to affect the appearance of the centre.

While some trees are to be felled, the majority will be retained as a wildlife area within the grounds.

Planning bosses said they were happy there would not be additional noise coming from the development and the design was considered appropriate.

In their assessment of the application, the head of planning said:  “While the area is primarily residential, the adjacent site has a long-established primary school use and part of the site was previously used as a social club.

“More recently, much of the site has been utilised as a school bus drop-off area.

"There is already an established level of activity.

“I consider the early years centre is compatible with the wider area.

“The proposal is contrary to the 2019 LDP.

"However, the development of this small section of this allocation would not inhibit development on the remainder of the allocation.

“The future removal of buildings currently housing Larkfield Children’s Centre will also potentially augment and expand the adjacent residential development opportunity.

“The provision of the early years centre will be to the significant benefit of the local community.”