Planning Permission Sought For Shops And Takeaway

A new neighbourhood shops development is being proposed for a site in Greenock.

Plans by Rebecchi Architectural have been drawn up for a convenience store and three small commercial units at the former Scottish Water site in Kilmacolm Road, opposite Burnhead Street.

It is proposed that one of the smaller units would be a hot food takeaway. The others would be available for shop or cafe use or for businesses such as a hairdresser. Fifteen parking spaces would be provided.

Inverclyde Council gave permission for a convenience store on a part of the site in 2016. Market conditions meant that didn’t go ahead and consent expired in October 2019.

A supporting statement submitted with the new planning application explains:

“There is now market interest in the convenience store floor space. There is also market interest in small shop units.

“The applicant [ TB Properties (West) Limited] has managed to acquire control of additional land at the site.

"This can allow for the development of the vacant brownfield site with a more logical approach, supporting the proposed convenience store with a number of small units, suitable for local businesses.”

The document continues:

“The proposals contained within the current application are unusual. They seek to remedy a deficiency in the provision of genuine neighbourhood shops and related facilities.

“Such facilities are more normally incorporated within new master-planned developments either on greenfield or brownfield locations.

“In this case, a neighbourhood centre is proposed to be retrofitted into a residential area which has been in existence for many decades, but which is currently undergoing significant regeneration and renewal.

“These regeneration and renewal activities did not plan for the inclusion of modern neighbourhood facilities. Had the entire area been a greenfield development, or had it been the subject of complete demolition and redevelopment as a brownfield site, it is likely that a requirement for modern neighbourhood facilities would have been included.

“[The development] would redevelop a challenging brownfield site, bring it back into beneficial use, and by doing that improve the amenity (both visual and functional) of the area.”

The application is pending assessment by council planners.

This article appeared in Inverclyde Now.