PLANS to build nearly 200 new homes on the former distillery site in Castle Street have been approved.

And the good news is that 150 of them will be allocated for social housing- and they should be complete within the next four years.

Councillor Jim Bollan, of the Community Party, said: “I'm delighted to see these affordable homes for rent being planned for this key site in Dumbarton.

“It is also pleasing at last to see a local housing association, Dunbritton, being given an opportunity to develop this site.

“In the longer term the aim is to develop more sites with new Council Homes and this is a policy position the Community Party will be advocating.”

Also welcoming the news was Martin Rooney, leader of West Dunbartonshire Council, who said: “The Dumbarton Harbour project is part of a £120m investment into Dumbarton that will help to transform the town, bringing jobs and new homes.

“I was delighted that the new homes received planning approval and I am particularly pleased that 150 of these will for rent and will help the council with its target of building a minimum of 1,000 social homes for rent.”

West Dunbartonshire Council’s planning committee met last week at Clydebank Town Hall and gave the proposals the green light.

The report that went before members said: “Full planning permission is sought for the erection of a primarily residential development of 195 units together with office space and associated roads, parking, landscaping and public realm.

“The housing would comprise a mixture of houses and flats of differing sizes between one and four bedrooms. The properties would either be social housing (150 in total) available for rent and private housing (45 in total) for sale.

“The office accommodation would be formed over two floors within the largest of the proposed buildings adjacent to the site of the former Elephant and Castle public house and next to the High Street.

“The offices would be occupied by Dunbritton Housing Association.”

It’s understood that the development would consist of a total of 15 buildings ranging from six storey flats down to two storey terraced and semi-detached houses and cottage flats.

The highest buildings would be to the rear of High Street/Castle Street and fronting the tidal basin, with the height of the buildings dropping to two and three storey along the River Leven frontage.

All the new buildings would be of a contemporary design with the buildings finished in a red facing brick.

In addition, three new streets would be created within the site, with one running east/west and the other two running north/south.

All vehicular access would be from Castle Street, opposite the new council offices, but there would also be pedestrian access from Riverside Lane and from the High Street – on the site of the former Elephant and Castle public house.

A waterfront path would be formed along the river frontage connecting Riverside Lane with the adjacent development site.

However, the waterfront path, which was also approved last week, is a separate application by West Dunbartonshire Council.

The report goes on to say: “Parking would consist of a mixture of on street parking and parking courts, containing a total of 259 spaces – with the option to create a further four parking spaces at a later date should this be deemed necessary.

“Open space would consist of an extensive landscape area to provide an appropriate setting for the proposed waterfront path and public realm works.”

At the meeting Councillor Jonathan McColl raised the issue of parking but the meeting was told that, after completion of the first 100 new homes, the situation would be "monitored."

One opponent was Scottish Natural Heritage who objected to the proposal until further information was submitted in order to allow the full ecological impacts of the development to be considered.

However, it was revealed at the meeting last week that their objection has been removed.

Emma Garry, of Culross Ltd, who are involved in the development, said: “We want to be seen as the go-to developer for social housing in Scotland.

“We pride ourselves in quality and we will work closely with the community to delivering something that is important and the community can be proud of.”

Although part of the development takes in the old Distillery site, the developers plan to mark the spot where the tower, which was demolished earlier this year, once stood with some kind of memorial.

John Lancaster, of Culross Ltd, said: “We are proposing them (the development) before 2021.

“Looking out to the rock, it will be an attractive place to live and that's another 700 people coming to the town centre. It's about regenerating the area.

“I don't think the general public have had access to this part of the waterfront for about 150 years.”

Councillor Rooney added: “I'm also pleased that there will be some private housing on the harbour as I am sure there will be many local residents who would welcome the opportunity to reside there with the terrific views of the castle and the river Clyde.”