Inverclyde Council Clash With Holyrood Over New Development

Villagers who described the approval of the planning application for land west of Quarry Drive as a 'betrayal' have welcomed the government's move to call in the matter for further scrutiny. 

But Inverclyde Council is preparing for a hard-fought scrap to defend its stance and has not ruled out hiring legal representation at QC level.

At a specially convened meeting of the Planning Board, chair David Wilson said: "I think we should be robust." The council's interim director of environment and economic recovery, Stuart Jamieson, agreed: "As do I."

The application by developers MacTaggart and Mickel sparked 487 public objections but it was passed at a meeting of the full council in May, after receiving Planning Board approval.

But council leader Stephen McCabe — whose ward includes Kilmacolm — argued against the development and said it was significantly contrary to the council's adopted 2019 local development plan.

Mr McCabe said the identification of a shortfall of 100 houses was 'not significant justification to build on greenbelt'.

Following the council's approval of the application, Kilmacolm Residents' Association declared that they had fought off volume housebuilders for years and 'never thought that we'd be beaten by our own council'.

A report to councillors stated: "Scottish Ministers consider the case raises issues of national significance with regard to the interpretation and application of Scottish Planning Policy, and in view of Inverclyde Council's interest in the proposed development, to allow further scrutiny of the reasons for proposing to approve it as a significant departure from the development plan."