A national supermarket chain is bidding to open a new store in Cardross – bringing 20 new jobs to the area.

The Co-operative Group has submitted a planning application to Argyll and Bute Council to partially demolish Muirholm Hotel on the village's Main Road.

The supermarket giant plans to revamp the derelict hotel and build a new single rear extension, to turn it into a 2,000 sq ft food store.

Co-operative Food told the Reporter if planning permission is approved they envisage the shop to be open in early 2017.

The former hotel and bar has been empty for a number of years and the latest planning application could see the site being brought back into community use.

If given the green light the store would be open seven-days-a-week from 6am-11pm, and bring 15-20 full and part-time jobs to the area.

Councillor Ellen Morton of Helensburgh South ward welcomed the news as a positive investment in the town.

“It is an important location in the town, and it's quite sad that the hotel has been derelict for some time now,” councillor Morton said.

“It is welcomed as long as it doesn't have an effect on other businesses in the village, but hopefully that isn't the case.

“It was discussed at the most recent community council meeting and no on in the village has so far expressed any concern to me.”

To change it from a hotel into a shop, Co-operative Food plan to remove the conservatory extension on the front of the building and build a rear extension which will be similar in footprint and height to the existing building.

The Co-operative Group opened its latest store in Rosneath this month, and the group view the Cardross store as another investment in Argyll and Bute.

However, two Cardross business owners from the Post Office and Newsagents have expressed their concerns to the plans to the council.

Mohammed Sohail who runs the newsagents thinks it would not be “advantageous” for the area to have another supermarket when “existing businesses have already been affected negatively due to the impact of Waitrose”.

Mr Sohail has also written as a small village “it is important to retain the characted of a village with local independent shops”.

And Shahida Rasul, from Cardross Post office, is also worried about the impact on local business and traffic nuisance.

To view the application visit Argyll and Bute Council's website and search 16/00972/PP.