Taylor Wimpey West Scotland, one of the largest residential developers in the UK, is bringing forward proposals for a residential development of new homes plus associated infrastructure and open space on a site situated to the northern edge of Kilmacolm, west of Finlaystone Road.

The housebuilder wants to initially consult with the community on their vision and aspirations for potential development, as well as their concerns, before coming back at a second event with proposals.

This initial event is arranged for Thursday 21st June from 3pm – 8pm at Kilmacolm Community Centre, forming part of a programme of pre-application consultation.

It will culminate in a second community engagement event to be held on Thursday 23rd August, when proposals will be presented, based on the outcomes of the consultation process.

The events will give Taylor Wimpey West Scotland the opportunity to share its proposals for the development with members of the public, and to listen to their views as the plans for this key development evolve over the coming months.

The provision of land for new private and affordable family homes in Kilmacolm is generally recognised, and proposals include a mix of new homes including semi-detached and detached styles to appeal to a wide range of potential buyers, as well as the associated open space and infrastructure that is needed for a development of this nature.

The 5.93 hectare site is immediately adjacent to an established residential area, bounded to the East by Finlaystone Road and to the south by Quarry Road. This is the most natural area to be considered for the growth of Kilmacolm, avoiding the key issues which constrain most potential expansion areas for the village, such as ground conditions and flooding.

Planetreeyetts is also close to the village centre, allowing sustainable access and would have minimal impact on the village setting. It has also not been identified as internationally, nationally or locally important for nature conservation reasons.

The proposed land for development is also well-located to link to the established footway network on the West side of Finlaystone Road which leads to the village centre. The area also benefits from established local bus services and is well located to access the strategic road network.

Lesley McVeigh, strategic land and planning manager for Taylor Wimpey West Scotland, said: “We have given our proposals for this development careful consideration and we are now beginning the very important process of community engagement to discuss our development proposals for the area.

“We are fully committed to a detailed programme of engagement with local communities throughout the lifetime of our developments, and we would like to take this opportunity to listen to the wider community, and to understand what they might like us to consider in our proposals.

“For large-scale development projects like this one, we are especially keen to fully engage as early as possible in the overall process in order to understand and consider the views from as many stakeholders as possible as we develop our proposal.

“We believe there is a shortage of new homes across the market in Inverclyde, and especially Kilmacolm, which is an incredibly attractive place to live in.

“There is also considerable pent-up demand from those in Kilmacolm who want to stay in the village but are currently unable to buy a house.”