A DUBAI-BASED land owner has unveiled plans to build a new block of flats in Greenock’s west end.
Proposals for the three-storey development on overgrown land near Greenock Cricket Club have been lodged with Inverclyde Council officials.
The application for "planning permission in principle", which was validated by council officials on May 19, has already attracted four objections.
Land owners Hubert Fol, of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, and Mrs C Alexander want to build the "ecologically innovative" development on a "disused and overgrown" site in Fox Street, next door to Glenpark Court and opposite the cricket club’s Glenpark ground.
“Our clients seek consent in principle for the erection of a small block of environmentally innovative flats on their site.
"In support of this intended application, we have prepared a notional proposal for information purposes to demonstrate how the development might be accommodated on the site and the limited but positive impact that this will have in the public realm.
“We recognise that Greenock's west end is a characterful and significant historical environment. That said, like every other area it is subject to changing patterns of living and tenure and the constantly evolving demands of current and would-be residents.
“A significant factor in its history has been the tendency for properties to be sub-divided as income disparity decreases over time.
“We understand that the preservation and enhancement of the historic fabric is important and that Greenock's west end is under more development pressure than many other areas of Inverclyde due to its attractive environment.
“Our proposal seeks to reconcile the high demand for easily accessible, high quality ‘downsize friendly’ housing in this sought-after location with the sensitivity and historical importance of the west end.”
The development would consist of two flats with one bedroom and three flats with two bedrooms, including a penthouse taking up the whole top floor.
The supporting statement adds: “Inverclyde has long sought to promote the suitability of the area for high-quality housing in an effort to attract people to the area and to stem population decline.
"This is a modest opportunity to provide a small scale, sympathetic, energy efficient housing development in a highly sought after location.
"We have sought to demonstrate that this development is in line with national planning legislation and local guidance and also supports Inverclyde Council's strategy and ambitions for housing generally."
The application has an expiry date of Friday, June 20.
