Architects submit fresh proposals which could see Northern Vans site in Linwood Road extend into woodland behind it.
The Northern Vans site in Linwood Road, Paisley(Image: Andrew Neil)
Controversial plans to tear down trees and expand a van and sales centre in Paisley are back on the table in a different form after a backlash from residents last year.
Architects have submitted fresh proposals on behalf of Classic Land Property which, if approved, would see the Northern Vans site in Linwood Road extend into a small woodland behind it.
The blueprint for an office, workshop and valet shed, porta-cabins and approximately 100 storage containers represents a scaled back version of an application withdrawn around a year ago.
But the revised bid has still been the subject of dozens of objections from concerned neighbours and others, who are insistent the redesign would be ill-suited to the area.
A resident of Whitesbridge Avenue said: “The proposed development is located in the heart of a residential area.
“There are undoubtedly more suitable locations about that would not disrupt the lives of my neighbours and me.
“This proposed development will lead to a significant loss of privacy and security for the surrounding properties.”
A resident of Baronscourt Road said: “The visual impact of the site is not in keeping with the residential area and will seriously add to congestion on [an] already very busy road.”
Another resident of Whitesbridge Avenue said: “This will devalue the area with the loss of privacy and increased noise.
“I feel this will negatively impact traffic on the surrounding roads which can already be quite bad at peak times.
“This will also cause increased pollution to the area and impact the wildlife.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Iain McMillan, a Labour representative for Johnstone South and Elderslie, also expressed reservations about the plans.
In an email, he said he felt they were “out of character” with the area, adding: “The proposal includes porta-cabins and prefabricated units which although close to an already industrial area would take away from the mainly residential aspect of the area.
“I am concerned also by the loss of trees in the area. These trees add an attractiveness to the area which would be lost if they were to be taken away.
“The units could impinge on the nearby properties resulting in a loss of privacy.”
A letter from Thomas Bradley, director of Northern Vans, outlined the steps that have been taken to adjust the proposals after the initial opposition from residents last year.
It said: “The loss of scrub vegetation to accommodate the central hardstanding area has been compensated with a landscape proposal incorporating planting specifically to increase native species and to promote biodiversity.
“We have appointed an ecological consultant who has carried out a detailed wildlife and fauna survey and demonstrated to the council that there will be no impact on protected species, whilst also employing a specialist tree consultant who has assessed the existing trees and considers the existing vegetation to be of low woodland value.”
The letter confirmed the proposed workshop and valet shed had been relocated to the southern boundary to avoid any “overshadowing or acoustic disturbance.”
It added: “The proposed stacked containers have been reduced to single containers from the northern, eastern and central areas to avoid any perceived overlooking of the proposals onto existing gardens.
“The proposed containers have been stepped away from the boundaries through the widened landscape buffer strip.
“As a consequence of the changes, there has been a reduction of the overall numbers of containers by 45 per cent, which will serve to reduce the access and egress traffic accordingly.”
A decision on the application for planning permission – expected at the planning and climate change policy board – will be made at a later date.
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