MEMBERS of West Dunbartonshire Council will this week be asked to approve plans that will enable the authority to submit an outline business case for a multi-million pound redevelopment of the former Exxon site.

The Exxon site project is part of the Glasgow City Region: City Deal which would see the council contribute around £3.9m to the overall £28m regeneration project.

The council wants to transform the site near Bowling with a major industrial and commercial development, and create a road to provide an alternative route in and out of West Dunbartonshire.

It is anticipated that when complete the regeneration of the site will provide almost 700 new jobs with 44,200m2 of occupied industrial and commercial floorspace. The project will also consist of a new 1.95km spine road, an upgrade of the A814, a new junction on the A82 at Dumbuck, a remodelled junction on the A82 at Dunglass, enhanced routing of 475m of the National Cycle Network Route 7 near the site, a new underpass of the Glasgow to Dumbarton Railway at the western access to the site and a remodelled railway overbridge at the eastern access to the site.

However, West Dunbartonshire Council must first approve their outline business case (OBC) locally, then submit it to the City Deal Cabinet.

Councillor will also be asked to approve the release of £150,000 so that the various site studies and design works at the Exxon site can continue and progress.

And a further £2,948,000 will be sought from the City Deal fund to progress WDC’s plans to a final business case by December 2019.

The Glasgow City Region: City Deal is an agreement between the UK Government, the Scottish Government and eight local authorities across Glasgow and the Clyde Valley.

The City Deal cabinet will meet on April 11 and the local authority is keen to forge ahead with their proposals.

A report which will go before council members at tomorrow’s full council meeting says: “The Outline Business Case highlights the next stage of the project development and seeks City Deal funding to support the infrastructure investment to realise the development potential of the Exxon site at Bowling.

“The site is crucial to West Dunbartonshire’s future economic development and will make a significant contribution to economic growth across the City Region.

“The council aims to capture, in its development, higher value economic activities, building on its strategic accessibility, riverside location and unique environmental assets.”

The report also states: “To ensure the project progresses as currently planned there is a need to progress the various studies and design elements of works associated with the development of the masterplan.

“The funding to date of £0.500m has been fully committed and a shortfall of approximately £0.150m is required in advance of the approval from the Cabinet on April 11, 2017, to continue these important phases of work.

“This expenditure will form part of the funding being sought through the OBC.” (outline business case.)

The report goes on to reveal how council officials have met with representatives of Exxon so that an agreement can be struck over the acquisition of the land.

The report says: “A meeting took place on December 15, 2016, with Exxon to progress the heads of terms in relation to the site acquisition.

“Discussions have also taken place with SEPA regarding an appropriate solution to flooding for the site, these discussions are continuing.

“Initial discussions have now taken place with the owners of adjacent sites whose land might potentially be required for the delivery of the project.

“The precise implications of this will not be known until technical studies into the options for accessing the site from both west and east are completed.

“This work is expected to be completed by the end of April 2017.

“Once technical options are finalised these will be discussed with the relevant landowners.”

It’s hoped that infrastructure work at the Exxon site will start in 2021.