Development gets approval after affordable housing pledge
More than 200 new homes are set to be built in Renfrew after developers were finally given the go-ahead.
The proposal from Bellway Homes went before Renfrewshire Council’s planning board for a third time this week after concerns had been repeatedly raised about the firm’s plans for affordable housing.
But, following further debate at the latest meeting, the company was eventually given the green light to erect the 248 homes on a patch of land to the east of Clyde View Park in King’s Inch Road.
The blueprint attracted 170 objections, which included comments about a potential spike in traffic and council services becoming stretched.
Bellway is planning to build 142 houses and 106 flats and has now pledged to make a quarter of the entire development affordable housing.
But deputy council leader Jim Paterson - who is against the plans - said he still had fears about the impact of the new homes on education and criticised the developers for not promising a new play park for children.
He told the board:“This application has attracted a lot of interest in Renfrew and that’s possibly reflected by the 170 objections, many of which raise valid concerns about the proposals which I don’t think have been fully addressed.
“I think this application fails to meet the need in the Renfrew sub-housing market.
“Education provision is a concern as well. The proposals are of a large scale and the impact on the non-denominational schools will be quite significant.
“No play provision is indicated in this development to add to the provision of children’s play within the Renfrew North and Braehead area.
“We’ve spoken about this before, that when we allow planning applications, let’s make sure children are not an afterthought. I’d like to propose we reject this application.”
Council leader Iain Nicolson added he was worried about how the homes would remain affordable once the first buyers had left.
He added:“How do you ensure these properties remain affordable in the long-term? As soon as they are in the open market, they are back to what their values would be in the open market.
“There is also a clear issue in that Bellway has ignored the policy about providing play facilities.
“They’ve pointed over the fence to other facilities nearby.
“I think it’s incumbent on the council to make sure applications of this scale do provide play facilities for children living in those houses.”
Councillors eventually opted to approve the plans by nine votes to six.
Bellway intends to erect a mixture of terraced, semidetached, and detached properties alongside townhouses, with flats - which would have a maximum height of four storeys - planned to the north and south of the site.
Documents also state the developer has said there will be incentives and opportunities offered to prospective purchasers to assist them with buying the properties.