PLANNING permission for a controversial £34million major industrial and commercial development near Bowling has been granted, taking ambitious proposals one step further.

International oil giants ExxonMobil handed over the land, which stretches between Bowling and Dumbarton to West Dunbartonshire Council for free, as well as a £1m payment.

The site is currently undergoing treatment for decades of chemicals on site and plans have repeatedly been delayed getting to this point.

Councillor Jim Bollan repeatedly questioned the council's dealings with Exxon over the site, and there have also been disputes with private landowners whose land will be needed to fully realise the plans.

The final application was considered by members of West Dunbartonshire Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, January 13 and permission was granted.

Councillor Jim Finn, chair of the committee, said: “This is one of the largest brownfield sites in West Dunbartonshire and along the Clyde waterfront and these proposals offer real opportunities to transform the area and bring it back into use.

“Not only will it reinstate public access to the waterfront and create significant economic, environmental, infrastructure, recreational and placemaking benefits to the site and the wider West Dunbartonshire area, it will bring much-needed full time jobs to the area.”

The land will be transformed into a mixed-used development which will include storage, distribution, industrial and business facilities as well as office space.

It is also expected that the 150-acre site, which is currently undergoing extensive remediation by ExxonMobil to prepare it, will deliver up to 980 full-time jobs for the area, as well as an additional 670 jobs during the construction stage.

Councillor Diane Docherty, vice chair of the planning committee, added: “I welcome the progression of this development, which will provide a platform for major industrial and commercial development within West Dunbartonshire, while also providing road and infrastructure improvements to relieve pressure and provide an alternative route to the A82.”

Funding for the development is part of the City Deal, supported by the Scottish and UK governments.

Scotland's cabinet secretary for transport, infrastructure and connectivity, Michael Matheson, said: “I am delighted to see that this transformative project has made such significant progress of late.”

UK Government Minister Iain Stewart said: “This is an important project that will create hundreds of new jobs for the region and help us build back better from Covid-19.