Industrial unit and yard at Inchinnan Drive, Inchinnan

“Proposal This application seeks consent for the erection of an industrial unit to accommodate use classes 5 and 6 with associated yard space, access, and landscaping.”

“The purpose-built vehicle workshop and office facility would be located to the centre of the site, with 51 parking spaces found to the south of the building. The proposal also includes 40 HGV spaces.”

“Site Description The application site is situated on a space of vacant land which is characterised by an area of woodland and vegetation and is bound by Greenock Road to the north and Inchinnan Drive to the west. The site is located on the boundary between an area of Inchinnan Industrial Estate to the west, including the Category A listed India of Inchinnan offices with an industrial unit to the southwest.”

“The site is located to the west of the Site of Importance for Nature Conservation: Black Cart Water, and natural habitat.”

“Pre-Application Consultation with Officers The Scottish Government strongly encourages constructive pre-application discussions between prospective applicants and the Planning Authority. Pre-application discussions seek to identify key planning considerations at an early stage and help inform what supporting information is required to support a subsequent application.”

“Pre-application discussions have taken place, focusing on the below: ▪ The scale of the development. ▪ The allocation of the site as a "Development Opportunity Site" within the Inchinnan Business Park Strategic Economic Investment Location under Policy E1 of the Local Development Plan (LDP 2021). ▪ Inchinnan Business Park forming part of the AMIDS.”

“As the site is allocated for development and is supported by the policies in the LDP it is considered to be acceptable and in accordance with the strategy and spirit of the wider development plan. Moreover, this proposal would bring an industrial use to an area which is characterised by its industrial past and present.”

“Policy 26 supports proposals for business and industry on LDP allocated sites where compatible with business function and character on LDP allocated sites. As the proposal is located on a Development Opportunity Site, it is considered to comply with the policy in this regard. The policy outlines that development proposals for business and industry must take into account the impact on surrounding residential amenity, sensitive uses and the natural and historic environment.”

“Proposals in E1 locations must demonstrate that the development does not have an adverse effect on the integrity of any European sites. Regarding European Sites, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) have been undertaken, and mitigation in the form of planning conditions are required to ensure the qualifying interests of the Black Cart SPA are protected. The conditions would restrict construction works to the summer months.”

“However, as the application site is allocated for industry, and as supported by the external audit of the documents submitted with the application, the development is considered to be in alignment with National and Local policies. The tree survey identifies 36 trees with no Category A trees and 3 individual trees and 1 group recorded as Category B.”

“Chief Executive's (Roads Development) - No objections subject to conditions relating to provision of an adoptable 3m wide shared cycleway with 0.5m verge separation across the frontage of the site, details of improvements proposed to pedestrian facilities on Inchinnan Road, a Travel Plan and cycle parking.”

“NatureScot – No objections subject to mitigation secured by conditions to protect the interests of the internationally important natural heritage. ▪ Councils External Ecology and Biodiversity Advisor (Ironside Farrar) - Consulted to review the submitted Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, Tree Survey and Landscape Plans. Did not raise any objections and concluded that the documents were considered to demonstrate adherence to relevant policies and guidance.”

“The issues raised can be summarised as follows: The submitted plans fail to meet the correct criteria for validation. Concerns on lack of clarify on use classes and omissions from the description of the application. Concerns of loss of biodiversity and adverse impacts on locally important habitats and species. Concerns of clearance of unmanaged woodland and loss of trees removing carbon sequestration and cooling. 5.”

“Concerns of lack of substantive assessment in relation to the energy performance, use of renewable or low-carbon technologies or alignment with requirements of NPF policy. Concerns that the proposal does not meet the requirements of a 'successful place' set out by Policy 14 of NPF4. Concerns that the drainage strategy is heavily reliant on engineered infrastructure and does not represent a fully integrated, above ground blue-green solution. 14.”

“25/0551/PP - Erection of industrial unit to accommodate use classes 5 and 6 with associated yard space, access, and landscaping at Land to Southeast of Roundabout Junction with Greenock Road, Inchinnan Drive, Inchinnan by Michael McDowall West Ranga Property Group A McGlone, Assistant Planner, delivered a presentation relative to the proposal.”

“DECIDED: That the planning application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report, that the development be subject to a legal agreement which secured the commensurate and compensatory replacement of the habitat and tree loss in the local area to improve and retain the tree cover and habitat levels and that members be informed of the detail of the legal agreement detail in due course. (d)”