FRESH plans to build four houses at the home of murdered Inverkip teenager Margaret Fleming and her killers have been drawn up.
A quartet of modern, eco-friendly homes have been proposed at the Seacroft site on the A78 between Inverkip and Wemyss Bay.
Nicholson McShane Architects have submitted the plans to Inverclyde Council on behalf of Coventry-based developers Slam Transport, who acquired the site for £120,000 in 2017.
READ MORE: Serious failures exposed by Margaret Fleming report
Margaret, who was 19 when she was last seen alive, lived at Seacroft with her wicked killers Avril Jones and Eddie Cairney, who murdered the vulnerable young woman and went undetected for a staggering 16 years while claiming more than £180,000 worth of benefits intended for her.
Evil 82-year-old Cairney died in prison after developing a chest infection last year, after he and Jones were finally jailed in 2019.
A Significant Case Review into the relevant authorities’ handling of Margaret’s cast was published last year and identified serious shortcomings on the part of the agencies involved.
The twisted pair killed Margaret between December 18, 1999 and January 5, 2000 and police suspect the murder took place at the duo’s filthy, ramshackle home which was demolished in 2018.
Planning permission was given in 2020 for two homes at the site, but the permission expired in January 2023.
Documents submitted alongside the new proposals state that Slam Transport assessed the financial viability of the two large dwellings to be unsustainable and instead opted for a scheme of four smaller dwellings.
In a comment provided as part of the application, Slam Transport said: “Our comprehensive review of local house prices, rental rates, and prevailing market demand has shown that construction of four units is required to ensure economic feasibility of the project.
“Four units will ensure optimised land use, leverage economies of scale, and ensure a return that justifies the project's progression, making it both viable and beneficial for the community.
“Given current market conditions and future forecasts, the development would inevitably not proceed if approval is for less than four units.”
If permission is granted, the striking new homes would have open plan living, dining and kitchen space, two bedrooms and infinity window features, designed to give stunning views of the Clyde.
The dwellings would also have private parking, gardens and external seating areas.
In their design statement, Nicholson McShane acknowledge the site’s tragic history but add that redevelopment of the area would help the site move forward in a positive direction.
They state: “The site has a sustained recent melancholy and negative history, which has been reinforced in recent years by timber boarding, erected to provide an element of security, but it remains visually insensitive to the locality and it is a constant reminder of the horrific events that took place.
“Unfortunately, the recent history is now a stigma associated with this site.
“A redevelopment of the site would be a positive step forward and would help lift the mood associated with its history.”
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