Plans for 10 properties on the site of a former children’s home in Howwood have been given the green light after a vote.
AS Homes Scotland wants to build the small development where Carsewood Home was once located in Hillfoot Drive.
The brownfield land, which is now unoccupied, has been earmarked for a series of detached two-storey houses.
The application for planning permission returned to the board on Tuesday after a decision was put on hold in January for a site visit, which was held last week.
Councillors Andy Doig and Chris Gilmour previously raised concerns about the impact an increased number of vehicles from a residential development could have on road safety in the village they represent.
This time around, the pair pushed back against a recommendation to grant the application – putting forward an amendment which called for a refusal on the basis that it could prove “detrimental to pedestrian and traffic safety”.
Renfrewshire Council’s roads team had raised concerns over the potential effect of more traffic on the junction of Bowfield Road and Hill Road, where vehicles would drive up to reach Hillfoot Drive.
But these fears were allayed after the applicant offered to introduce a series of preventative measures including a raised table, reduction of the width of Bowfield Road to reduce speeds, footway extensions and signage.
However, Councillor Doig told the planning board: “My contention is this, even with these mitigations, the topography of Bowfield Road is such – it was a residential development built in the 1930s – it doesn’t have a footpath on one side of the road.
“The gradient is very challenging, the junction, especially into Hill Road, the line of sight is extremely poor and the nub of that here is that I don’t think even with the mitigations, that the applicant fairly wants to provide to improve the situation, give me enough confidence as a local ward member with knowledge of Howwod and Bowfield Road and that area that this would be safe.
“Another 10 dwellinghouses would effectively mean up to another 25 cars trying to access this on a daily basis.”
Despite this, Councillor Jim Paterson, board convener, moved to grant the application and was seconded by Councillor Iain Nicolson. Eight elected members voted in favour of the plans, with six against them.
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