D - 25-0834-PP - Blythwood Class 6 Storage Use
Renfrewshire Council · 20 January 2026
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 20 January 2026 and its agenda
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Planning and Climate Change Policy Board: 20 January 2026 Report by Chief Planning Officer Reference No 25/0834/PP Application Type Planning Permission Proposal Use of land for open storage (Class 6), erection of fencing and associated works Location West Lodge Road, Renfrew, Ward 1 - Renfrew North and Braehead Community Council Renfrew Community Council Applicant Ewan Mackay Recommendation Grant Subject to Conditions All plans, reports, documents and representations relating to this application can be viewed in full online at https://pl-bs.renfrewshire.gov.uk/online- applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=T3V86NMWLOI00 This report fulfils the requirements of regulation 16, Schedule 2, paragraphs 3(c) and 4 of The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013. The report is presented to the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board in line with the Council's Scheme of Delegation. In this instance, Councillors Shaw, Hughes and Campbell have requested that the application be determined by the Planning and Climate Change Policy Board to ensure the proposal fully aligns with NPF4's emphasis on sustainable, well- designed places and the need to minimise adverse environmental effects. Proposal This application seeks planning permission for the use of land off West Lodge Road in Renfrew for open storage (class 6). Approximately 7,000 square metres of land would be surrounded by a green mesh fence and would be used to store caravans, campervans and similar equipment. Site Description The application site, which is located within the Meadowside Street/Blythswood Transition Area, would be accessed from West Lodge Road to the north. A retail park is found to the north, on the opposite side of West Lodge Road, while Inchinnan Road is found to the south. A similar storage facility borders the site to the west while Renfrew FC's stadium is found to the east. The nearest residential properties are located approximately 50 metres to the south. The trees found in the southern section of the site are protected by a Tree Preservation Order. The site was previously part of the adjacent retail park and housed a unit and associated car parking. The site has been derelict since the demolition of the retail unit, with only the concrete base of the unit and car park hardstanding remaining. Pre-Application Consultation with Officers The Scottish Government strongly encourages constructive pre-application discussions between prospective applicants and the planning authority. Pre-application discussions seek to identify key planning considerations at an early stage and help inform what supporting information is required to support a subsequent application.
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No pre-application discussions have taken place. Negotiated Improvements No changes have been negotiated. Site History There is no planning history for this site. Consultations ▪ Environment, Housing and Infrastructure (Environmental Protection) - No objection, subject to a condition relating to lighting. ▪ Chief Executive's (Roads Development) - Objects on the grounds that an existing footpath connection linking Inchinnan Road to West Lodge Road would be lost. Representations The application has been publicised in line with the requirements of the relevant legislation. The following representations were received: ▪ Object - 1 ▪ Support - 0 ▪ Neutral - 0 The issues raised can be summarised as follows: 1. Drawings and supporting information are incorrect or insufficient 2. The development requires an Environmental Impact Assessment 3. The proposal would be a fire and explosion risk 4. Fencing would harm tree roots 5. Additional permissions are required to implement the consent 6. The proposal would increase non-retail floorspace at the site 7. Impact on amenity 8. Impact on views 9. Impact on biodiversity 10. The ground is contaminated 11. The fencing would be overbearing 12. The cumulative impact of the storage areas is unacceptable 13. Planting is required to screen the development 14. The development would negatively impact built heritage/archaeology Policy Context In making any determination under the Planning Acts, regard is to be had to the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In this instance the Development Plan consists of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and the Renfrewshire Local Development Plan (2021) (LDP). The following provisions of the Development Plan are considered relevant to the determination of this application: National Planning Framework 4 ▪ Policy 3 - Biodiversity ▪ Policy 9 - Brownfield, vacant and derelict land and empty buildings ▪ Policy 13 - Sustainable transport ▪ Policy 23 - Health and safety ▪ Policy 26 - Business and industry
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Full details relating to the policies of the NPF4 can be found online. Renfrewshire Local Development Plan ▪ Policy C2 - Development Outwith Renfrewshire's Network of Centres ▪ Policy E3 - Transition Areas ▪ Policy ENV2 - Natural Heritage ▪ Policy I1 - Connecting Places ▪ Policy P2 - Housing Land Supply ▪ Policy P1 - Renfrewshire's Places Full details relating to the policies of the LDP can be found online. Other relevant policies and guidance ▪ Delivering the Economic Strategy - Transition Areas ▪ Delivering the Infrastructure Strategy - Connecting Places ▪ Delivering the Places Strategy - Creating Places ▪ Delivering the Places Strategy - Open Space ▪ Delivering the Environment Strategy - Trees, Woodlands and Forestry ▪ Renfrewshire Planning and Development Tree Policy ▪ Site Development Brief - Blythswood, Inchinnan Road, Renfrew ▪ Housing Land Audit 2023-2024 Submitted Reports and Assessments The following reports and assessments were submitted in support of the application: Planning Statement - sets out the applicant's justification for the proposal. Scottish Ministers Direction In determining a planning application, the Council is required to provide details of any Direction made by Scottish Ministers under Regulation 30 (Directions requiring consultation), Regulation 31 (Directions requiring information), Regulation 32 (Directions restricting the grant of planning permission) and Regulation 33 (Directions requiring consideration of condition) of The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013, or under Regulation 50 (that development is EIA development) of The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017. None. Planning Assessment Under the provisions of Policy E3 of the LDP, the application site is located within the Meadowside Street/Blythswood Transition Area. The relevant supplementary guidance lists business as well as commercial uses of a scale appropriate in relation to the Network of Centres as acceptable within this area, provided they are appropriate for the location. Similarly, Policy 26 of NPF4 provides support for business and industrial uses in areas allocated for such a use within the LDP. Policy C2 of the LDP states that proposals outwith a Centre should demonstrate that they do not have a significant negative impact on Renfrewshire's Network of Centres. Given the nature of the proposal, a Town Centre location would not be acceptable. The proposed location is therefore acceptable in relation to Policy C2 in that siting the proposal outwith a Centre would help protect the viability and vitality of nearby Centres.
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The proposed use of the land for the open storage of caravans and camper vans is therefore acceptable in principle but the impact on neighbouring properties and surrounding land uses must also be considered in line with the requirements of Policy P1 of the LDP. As the retail park has several empty units and has its own accesses and parking, the use of the land for open storage would not have a detrimental impact on the operation of the retail park or otherwise weaken retail provision in the area. The nature of the proposal means it would not have a negative impact on the Normandy Hotel or the nearby football club. The retail park as well as the football stadium and associated floodlighting would prevent the proposal from appearing as an incongruous addition to the landscape. Given the application site sits within a Transition Area that has a long history of commercial use it is not considered that the proposal would have an unacceptable impact either on its own or cumulatively when combined with existing and established sizeable storage facilities found nearby. In addition, the land has been in a degraded state since the demolition of the retail unit and detracts from the character of the area. Items stored on the land would be screened from Inchinnan Road to the south by existing mature trees. The applicant has submitted a plan that indicates that the parking zone would be set back from Inchinnan Road by at least 32 metres, helping to minimise the impact on the streetscape in this location. A condition can be added to ensure compliance while another condition can be added to ensure the fence line is also a sufficiently distance from Inchinnan Road. Given the significant setback distance no planting would be required to screen the development from Inchinnan Road. Equally, no planting is required to screen the development from West Lodge Road given it only provides access to the football stadium and retail park as well as to existing storage facilities. The nearest residential properties are located approximately 50 metres to the south, on the opposite side of Inchinnan Road. However, the nature of the proposal, surrounding land uses, the presence of mature trees that would help screen the development and the fact Inchinnan Road is a busy route to and from Renfrew Town Centre means the proposal would not have an impact on the amenity afforded to these properties. Conditions can also be added to limit when the site can be accessed and to limit the height of the items stored on site to further protect the amenity of the area. The TPO designation would prevent unauthorised works being carried out to the trees to the south while a condition can be added to ensure these trees are protected while the consent is implemented. The proposed green mesh fence that would surround the site is considered acceptable and would not appear out of place in the location. This would also tie into the existing fence that has been used by the applicant for their adjacent storage site. Environmental Protection have not raised any concerns in respect of potential land contamination. As such, the site is safe for development in line with the requirements of Policy 9 of NPF4. In addition, Environmental Protection have raised no concerns in relation to noise, smell or air pollution. Environmental Protection did request that a condition be added in respect of lighting but the applicant has confirmed that they do not plan on installing lighting. A condition can therefore be added to prevent the installation of lighting at the site. Given the nature of the development and the current condition of the land there are no concerns in respect of drainage or flood risk. No historic designations would be affected by the development and the West of Scotland Archaeology Service do not wish to comment on the proposal.
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Roads Development have objected on the grounds that the development would block access from Inchinnan Road through to West Lodge Road along an existing informal path that was created to provide access to the retail unit. However, the path is narrow, is poorly maintained and does not provide a continuous route between the two roads, with pedestrians having to walk across the derelict car park to complete their journey. In addition, a post and wire fence erected under permitted development rights already severs the connection and there is no formal Council strategy that requires this link or the delivery of a link in this location. Given the nearby signalised crossing on Inchinnan Road and active travel upgrades along Argyll Avenue (such as improved crossing points and the provision of a 3 metre wide shared footway and cycleway) that were delivered as part of the Renfrew Bridge project it is not considered that the loss of the informal path would have an unacceptable impact on active travel provision in the area or unacceptably restrict those who live to the south of Inchinnan Road and wish to travel to the retail park. The proposal is therefore consistent with the aims of Policy 13 of NPF4 and Policy I1 of the LDP. Given the above, the proposal would not have a detrimental impact on the amenity of neighbouring properties in line with the requirements of Policy P1 of the LDP and would comply with both Policy E3 of the LDP and Policy 26 of NPF4. While the main designation of the site is as a Transition Area, the site is also an allocated Policy P2 housing site within the LDP. A Proposal of Application Notice relating to the possible erection of a residential development was submitted in 2017 but was never progressed. In the most recent Housing Land Audit the site is within the established land supply, but not the effective land supply, due to the lack of interest. In addition, the limited alterations to the site required to implement the consent means the possibility of the land being brought forward for housing at some point in the future would not be precluded by the granting of this consent. Therefore, the loss of the site as housing land would not impact on the overall 5-year effective housing land and the proposal would not be contrary to Policy P2. A development brief has been prepared for the site. Given its status as a Housing Land Supply site the brief sets out the parameters for a possible residential development. Given the nature of the development, many of the details set out in the brief are not relevant. However, the wider themes contained in the brief, such as the retention of trees, are relevant and the proposal does not conflict with any of these criteria. Policy 9 of NPF4 supports the reuse of vacant brownfield land, provided the biodiversity value of the land is considered. Most of the site is covered in concrete hardstanding that has no value to wildlife. The trees to the south of the site, which are of higher value to biodiversity, would remain and would be protected by both the TPO designation and the aforementioned condition. The proposal therefore complies with Policies 3 and 9 of NPF4 as well as Policy ENV2 of the LDP in that the ecological value of the site in its current condition is low, trees of higher ecological value would be retained and the proposal would result in the reuse of a brownfield site in an urban area. Although the unit sits within the vicinity of a major accident hazard site, the Health and Safety Executive do not advise against the granting of planning permission given the nature of the proposed development. As such, the proposal complies with Policy 23 of NPF4. Representations In respect of the claim that the proposal should be the subject of an Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion, the proposal was screened and it was not considered that the storage of equipment such as campervans at the site would have a significant effect on the environment. As such, an Environmental Impact Assessment is not required.
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The drawings and supporting information are considered adequate to assess the application in line with both The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013 and the Development Plan. In respect of the claim the proposal would increase the amount of non-retail floorspace at the site, the proposal would involve the change of use of existing land and would not increase the amount of land available for commercial purposes. The risk of fire and impact on views are not material planning considerations. The possibility that the landowner may also have to obtain additional consents before operating the business is also not a material planning consideration. All other issues have been addressed in the above report. Planning Obligations The Council is required to provide a summary of the terms of any planning obligation(s) and any associated legal agreement(s) and/or mechanism(s) required to secure them including those provisions under The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act in relation to the grant of permission for the proposed development. None. Conclusion In view of the above, it is considered that the proposal would accord with the relevant provisions of the Development Plan. There are no other material considerations. Planning permission should therefore be granted subject to conditions. Recommendation Grant Subject to Conditions. Reason(s) for Recommendation 1. The proposal accords with the provisions of the Development Plan and there were no material considerations which outweighed the presumption in favour of development according with the Development Plan. Condition(s) 1. That the development hereby permitted must be begun within three years of the date of this permission. Reason: To be in compliance with Section 58 of The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by Section 32 of The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. 2. Storage shall only take place within the indicative parking zone shown on approved plan BP-PZ-001, unless otherwise agreed in writing with Renfrewshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason: To define the terms of the consent. 3. Prior to the commencement of development, a plan demonstrating the alignment of the proposed fence line around the perimeter of the site shall be submitted to, and approved in writing by, Renfrewshire Council as Planning Authority. For the avoidance of doubt, the fence line shall follow the indicative parking zone shown on approved plan BP-PZ-001. Thereafter, the fencing shall be implemented in
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line with the approved plan and shall be maintained to the satisfaction of Renfrewshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason: These details have not been submitted. 4. Prior to the commencement of development, the developer shall submit for the written approval of Renfrewshire Council as Planning Authority, a management plan covering the open storage area, including maintenance of its appearance. The plan shall set out how this area will be managed and maintained including the items that will be stored, and how long they will be stored for. The open storage area shall thereafter be managed in strict accordance with the approved management plan unless otherwise agreed in writing by Renfrewshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason: To ensure the open storage area is managed appropriately in the interests of visual amenity. 5. The development and use hereby approved shall only operate between 7am and 8pm Monday to Friday and between 10am and 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. Reason: To control operating hours in the interests of residential amenity. 6. No lighting shall be installed within the site, unless otherwise first agreed in writing by Renfrewshire Council as the Planning Authority. Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the area. 7. The maximum height of any vehicles, structures or other items stored within the site shall not exceed 4 metres, unless otherwise agreed in writing by Renfrewshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason: In the interests of the amenity of the area. 8. All trees within the application site and adjacent to its boundary shall be fully protected in accordance with BS 5837: 2012 Trees in Relation to Design, Demolition and Construction and BS 3998: 2010 Recommendations for Tree Work. Reason: In the interests of the protection of existing trees. Advisory Note(s) 1. None required. For further information please contact James McCafferty, Development Standards Team, Email: james.mccafferty@renfrewshire.gov.uk mailto: