Minutes of meeting
Renfrewshire Council · 17 March 2026
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 17 March 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Minute of Meeting Planning and Climate Change Policy Board Date Time Venue Tuesday, 17 March 2026 13:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Present: Councillor Jennifer Adam, Councillor Alison Ann-Dowling, Councillor Andy Doig, Councillor Chris Gilmour, Councillor Anne Hannigan, Councillor Bruce MacFarlane, Councillor Kenny MacLaren, Councillor Marie McGurk, Councillor John McNaughtan, Councillor Iain Nicolson, Councillor Jim Paterson, Councillor John Shaw, Councillor Ben Smith Chair Councillor Paterson, Convener, presided. In Attendance A Morrison, Head of Economy & Development, D Love, Chief Planning Officer, A Williamson, Strategy & Place Manager, F Knighton, Senior Planning Officer, A Brady, J McCafferty and C Murray, all Planning Officers, J Ashmore and A McGlone, Assistant Planning Officers and C Young, Trainee Planner (all Chief Executive’s); G Hannah, Head of Climate, Public Protection & Roads and C Shaw, Energy Officer (both Environment, Housing & Infrastructure); and R Graham, Lead Solicitor (Litigation & Regulatory Services), V Howie, Finance Business Partner, R Devine, Senior Committee Services Officer and D Cunningham, Committee Services & Licensing Officer (all Finance & Resources). Webcasting of Meeting Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Policy Board would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council's internet site. Apology Councillor Grady.
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Declarations of Interest and Transparency Statements There were no declarations of interest or transparency statements intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting. 1 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring 2025/26 as at 9 January 2026 There was submitted a joint revenue and capital budget monitoring report by the Chief Executive and Director of Finance & Resources for the period 1 April 2025 to 9 January 2026. DECIDED: (a) That the projected revenue outturn underspend position of £0.038 million be noted; and (b) That the projected capital outturn break-even position be noted. 2 Scottish Government Consultation: Increasing the Threshold for Applications under the Electricity Act There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the consultation paper published by the Scottish Government on potentially increasing the threshold for applications under the Electricity Act. The report advised that the consultation paper sought views on increasing the current threshold of 50MW for onshore electricity generating stations to be considered by local authorities and provided an overview of the topics covered by the consultation document. A copy of the draft response prepared on behalf of the Council was attached as Appendix 1 of the report. DECIDED: (a) That it be noted that the Scottish Government had published a consultation on the threshold and sought comments on proposed changes from planning authorities; and (b) That the proposed response, set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be agreed and submitted prior to the deadline of 27 March 2026. 3 National Planning Improvement Framework – Improvement Action Progress Update 2025 Under reference to item 3 of the Minute of the meeting of this Policy Board held on 5 November 2024 there was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to progress made in respect of the action plan, agreed as part of the National Planning Improvement Framework (NPIF). The action and improvement plan was to be implemented over a three-year period. It was highlighted that the National Planning Improvement Champion monitored the performance of planning authorities and
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provided advice to them, and other persons considered appropriate, on the steps that might be taken to help improve performance. DECIDED: (a) That it be noted that an Improvement Action Progress Update, agreed by the National Planning Improvement Champion, had been prepared; (b) That the progress made in respect of the various workstreams identified within the Action Plan of the National Planning Improvement Framework be noted; and (c) That it be noted that a further update would be submitted to a meeting of this Policy Board during 2027. 4 Scottish Government Consultation: Accelerating Home Building There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the consultation paper issued by the Scottish Government entitled ‘Accelerating home-building in Scotland’, setting out fiscal and planning measures that could be introduced to encourage the faster build-out of homes. Full details of the measures proposed were detailed in the report. The draft response prepared on behalf of the Council was set out in Appendix 1 and summarised in paragraph 4.6 of the report. It was noted that the proposed response supported some of the proposals but raised concerns about the practicalities of implementation and associated resource issues. DECIDED: That the consultation response, set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be approved. 5 Local Place Plan Validation – Bridge of Weir Local Place Plan and Houston Local Place Plan Under reference to item 8 of the Minute of the meeting of this Policy Board held on 19 March 2024 there was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the validation and registration of Local Place Plans prepared for Bridge of Weir and Houston by the Community Councils that represented those villages. It was noted that the validation process considered the requirements of legislation and was not an assessment of the proposals within the Local Place Plans, therefore no consideration could be given to the content within the submitted Local Place Plans. Appendix 1 of the report set out the validation assessment that had been completed for the Bridge of Weir Local Place Plan while Appendix 2 set out the validation assessment that had been completed for the Houston Local Place Plan. The assessments were in compliance with the requirements of the relevant legislation and regulations and it was recommended that both Local Place Plans were validated. DECIDED: That the validation of both the Bridge of Weir Local Place Plan and Houston Local Place Plan, as set out in the validation assessments in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 of the report, be approved and placed on the Council’s Register of Local Place Plans.
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6 Planning Applications There were submitted reports by the Chief Planning Officer relative to the following applications for planning permission that required to be determined by the Board. (a) 22/0178/PP - Residential development comprising fifty-seven dwellinghouses and eighteen flats, including access, drainage, landscaping and associated works at site between Sandieland Wood and Florish Road, Erskine by Trustees of the Blyswood 1969 Trusts and Stewart Milne Group Ltd Under reference to Item 8(b) of the Minute of the meeting of this Policy Board held on 26 January 2026 the Policy Board considered the above application. In response to enquiries, assurances were provided regarding the resurfacing of the Florish Road roundabout, proposed fencing requirements for the development and the desirability of incorporating a timescale for delivery of the elderly accommodation on site within the Section 75 agreement. In terms of Standing Order 59 Councillor Paterson moved that the planning application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report and the applicants entering into Legal Agreements to secure financial contributions towards Park Mains High School and Trinity High School and the provision of 18 flats for use by Bridgewater Housing Association as elderly accommodation. This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: That the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report and the applicants entering into Legal Agreements to secure financial contributions towards Park Mains High School and Trinity High School and the provision of 18 flats for use by Bridgewater Housing Association as elderly accommodation. (b) 24/0516/PP - Erection of residential development comprising 10 dwellinghouses and 23 flats with associated infrastructure and landscaping at site on Western Boundary of No 24, Thriplee Road, Bridge of Weir by James (Glasgow) Ltd J McCafferty, Planner, delivered a presentation relative to the proposal. Councillor Nicolson, seconded by Councillor Paterson moved that consideration of the application be continued to the next meeting of this Policy Board pending a site visit. This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: That consideration of the application be continued to the next meeting of this Policy Board pending a site visit. (c) 25/0361/PP - Erection of a petrol filling station (Sui Generis) with kiosk (Class 1A retail), electric vehicle charging station, restaurant/cafe (Class 3) with drive-thru facilities, access, parking and associated works at Land to North West of Junction with A726, West March Road, Paisley b7 EG On The Move Ltd F Knighton, Senior Planner, delivered a presentation relative to the proposal. Councillor K MacLaren indicated that he was of the view that the application should
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be refused, outlining the main reasons for adopting this position. Councillor K MacLaren, seconded by Councillor Andy Doig, moved that the application be refused as it contravened the following Local Development Plan Policies for the reasons detailed below:- P1 - Renfrewshire’s Places: in that it would cause unacceptable impacts on the environment and biodiversity and would result in the loss of amenity within the surrounding area. The proposed development would have an significant adverse impact on neighbouring properties with respect to use, scale noise and disturbance and statutory air quality objectives; E3 - Transition Areas: in that it would not be able to co-exist with existing uses and would have a significant effect on the character and amenity of the surrounding area; and C2 - Development outwith Renfrewshire’s Network of Centres; in that it is not of an appropriate scale and would significantly impact the function, character and amenity of the surrounding area. This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: That the application be refused as it contravened Policies P1, E3 and C2 of the Local Development Plan for the reasons detailed below:- P1 - Renfrewshire’s Places: in that it would cause unacceptable impacts on the environment and biodiversity and would result in the loss of amenity within the surrounding area. The proposed development would have an significant adverse impact on neighbouring properties with respect to use, scale noise and disturbance and statutory air quality objectives; E3 - Transition Areas: in that it would not be able to co-exist with existing uses and would have a significant effect on the character and amenity of the surrounding area; and C2 - Development outwith Renfrewshire’s Network of Centres; in that it is not of an appropriate scale and would significantly impact the function, character and amenity of the surrounding area. (d) 25/0706/PP - Change of use to site self-storage containers(Class 6) and associated administration hut, external yard, access, parking, lighting, and landscaping at Arkleston Road, Renfrew by Sterling Sinclair Removals Limited The Convener advised that intimation had been received from the applicants, following the publication of the agenda, that the application had been withdrawn. DECIDED: That it be noted that the application had been withdrawn by the applicants. (e) 25/0834/PP - Use of land for open storage (Class 6), erection of fencing and associated works at West Lodge Road, Renfrew by Euan Mackay Councillor Shaw indicated that he was of the view that additional planning conditions, to those detailed in the report, required to be imposed should the Board be minded to approve the application, outlining the main reasons for adopting this position. Councillor Shaw, seconded by Councillor Paterson moved that the planning application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report and the inclusion of additional specific conditions relating to (i) the provision of effective visual screening of the development via fast-growing hedge/bushes/tree planting along the front of the perimeter fence to protect the visual amenity from
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Inchinnan Road, and Main Road, Renfrew, enhance the appearance of the site and deliver bio-diversity benefits in accordance with the relevant policy and (ii) diversion of the public path, which currently crossed through the storage site, to either side of the site, that this path be appropriately laid, paved or tarmaced, and maintained to ensure safe, accessible and attractive connectivity. It was agreed that authority be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer to formulate suitable appropriate conditions in this regard. This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: (a) That the application be granted subject to the conditions and reasons detailed within the report and the inclusion of additional specific conditions relating to (i) the provision of effective visual screening of the development via fast-growing hedge/bushes/tree planting along the front of the perimeter fence to protect the visual amenity from Inchinnan Road, and Main Road, Renfrew, enhance the appearance of the site and deliver bio-diversity benefits in accordance with the relevant policy and (ii) diversion of the public path, which currently crossed through the storage site, to either side of the site, that this path be appropriately laid, paved or tarmaced, and maintained to ensure safe, accessible and attractive connectivity; and (b) That it be agreed that authority be delegated to the Chief Planning Officer to formulate suitable appropriate conditions in this regard.