DERELICT industrial land in Alexandria will remain unused after councillors rejected a bid to open a car wash and sales business.

In the face of significant opposition and several unanswered questions, West Dunbartonshire Council’s planning committee went against the authority’s planning department advice in rejecting the business plan on 90-92 North Street.

Activists told councillors they hoped to eventually buy out the council-owned property for the benefit of the community.

Those backing the car wash plan – which had originally included tyre sales business – argued the site had been empty for five years and a commercial venture was better than past industrial businesses.

But opponents said there had not been a proper environmental assessment of what pollutants might be in the ground or consideration of disruption to residents.

And then the applicant, Hemen Mohamadi, admitted he would be the only employee, compared to the total nine staff outlined in his proposal.

Resident Susan Maxwell told the committee the taxpayer-owned land had begun to return to nature and could be a site for a variety of projects for the area.

She said: “It’s very difficult for you to appreciate what the community feels about this development.

“This is a public piece of ground and we own it and should be able to decide what happens to it. We would like to create a proper wildlife garden here. The [Victorian buildings] are loved by the community and could form an important part of an industrial heritage trail along the River Leven.

“There’s no locational need for a car wash here. Neighbourhood notification was inadequate – 90 per cent don’t want this development.”

“Other communities get speed bumps and we get cars.”

Council leader Jonathan McColl applauded her remarks from the public gallery.

CATRA (Central Alexandria Tenants and Residents Association) also voiced opposition and said it was “not compatible” with nearby housing.

Residents are not currently constituted into a group to make a community buy-out proposal on the land.

The site extends to 0.35 hectares and neighbours North Street, Lennox Street, Alexander Street and to the east is the Balloch-to-Glasgow railway line.

Councillors on the committee, all from Clydebank, asked planning officers who would be responsible if pollution was found on site and why there were no details of lighting or signage., and other questions.

Cllr Lawrence O’Neill said: “There are too many unknowns.

“It concerns me when we have something raised that we don’t have someone from estates, from environmental health.”

Bailie Denis Agnew said he was sympathetic to residents but felt their landownership ambitions could be focused on a better site. than the former industrial land.

An amendment to reject the plan won by four votes to three.

Cllr Ian Dickson said after the meeting: “I think the committee made the right decision to refuse permission for the car wash.

“There were too many unanswered questions, and the final revelation that it would employ just the owner and not the eight staff originally reported was another suggested benefit that wouldn’t be realised.

“The residents in central Alexandria have a strong desire to improve their area, and as we heard in Susan’s plea are now planning to use the community empowerment act to take control of Blacks yard and run some fantastic community benefit enterprises.”

“This grassroots movement has my full support to achieve their ambitions for central Alexandria.”