A proposed £27m relief road and industrial development of the A82 at Bowling – which backers hope will pave the way for further regeneration of the area – is to be discussed at a full council meeting today.

The proposals – mostly funded by West Dunbartonshire Council’s (WDC) share of the UK Government’s £1.13bn Clyde Valley City Deal project – would see a road built through the site providing an alternative route in and out of West Dunbartonshire in the event of any problems with the A82.

It would also create at least 20,000m2 of industrial and commercial development space, supporting up to 690 full time jobs, with the site potentially generating an additional £31.9 million each year for the local economy.

At the meeting today councillors will be asked to approve the Strategic Business Case, which would then be presented to the Clyde Valley City Deal Cabinet for final approval on August 18. Once this has happened consultations with the local community can begin.

Supporters say the deal will open West Dunbartonshire up to ‘large-scale’ industrial development and attracting business and employment and bringing ‘huge’ financial benefits for the community.

Initial discussions have also taken place with Network Rail, as the current proposed road development requires access across a rail line near Milton and Bowling where the road would run alongside, and join up with, the A82.

The land currently belongs to oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil, as part of its former Bowling Oil Terminal and Scott’s Yard, and moves are being made to transfer the site into council ownership.

The report reads: “Positive initial discussion took place with the Exxon site owners at the end of February 2015 and officers are seeking to agree initial Heads of Terms with Exxon Mobil related to the transfer of the site into Council ownership. This was expected by the end of June 2015, we are hopeful that it can be rescheduled for the end of summer 2015.” Consultation on the project is currently under way involving council leaders and chief executive officers across the Clyde Valley.

The hope is that the new road and the industrial overhaul would bring much-needed investment and employment to the area.

The report continues: “There is a clear need to stimulate greater economic activity in West Dunbartonshire as there is a high degree of dependency on the public sector in the local economy and on out-commuting to the wider Glasgow city region.” West Dunbartonshire’s employment rate currently sits at 8.4 per cent, two per cent higher than the Scottish average.

However, critics fear that if the deal does not go according to plan, WDC could be left out of pocket.

Potential risks include West Dunbartonshire failing to reach its target of growing the local economy by £19.976m each year, over a period of 20 years, which could result in the UK Government withholding funds to area as the council would have to pay back what it owes.

However, officers predict the area could grow the economy by more than £30m for the same period — which supporters say gives the council ‘a huge margin of error’.

There is also a recognised risk of flooding on some parts of the proposed site, as the report states: “The site and adjacent Scott’s Yard are identified as being ‘at significant risk from flooding’ in the LDP (Local Development Plan). Further work is required to establish the exact nature of the flood risk and the impact that any new development, infrastructure and flood management may have. Some uses may not be suitable on certain parts of the site due to flood risk.” The local community will only be consulted following acceptance of the project by the Cabinet in August 2015.

Jim McAloon, WDC’s head of Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “This site offers real potential to West Dunbartonshire’s future economic development, and would make a significant contribution to economic growth across the Clyde Valley. The proposed development could provide high quality employment opportunities and make a positive contribution to increasing the prosperity and wealth across the area. It is now up to councillors to decide if the recommendations are approved.” A consultant commissioned at a cost of £92,000 has stated in the report: “At this stage it is not possible to quantify all benefits”.

George Black, independent councillor for Dumbarton, told the Reporter: “The proposal is aspirational rather than real. It involves land which has access problems and is heavily contaminated, and doesn’t belong to us.

“There is absolutely no question that this is vital to the regeneration prospects of this area, but as we have already spent £92,000 on consultants for the work up alone, it is obviously out with the ability of the authority to deliver and should be passed to the Scottish Government for delivery.” However, opposition group leader Cllr Jonathan McColl is behind the proposals. He said: “In every venture there are risks and it’s our job as councillors to ensure that officers are doing everything possible to mitigate those risks. In this case, while the figures are significant, the potential for failure is low with our required economic growth targets set at a level one third less than our projected growth results.

“With the prospect of opening up a huge site for industrial use, bringing good quality jobs to the area in a way that’s sustainable, and the added benefits from the extra road access at what is currently a severe bottleneck, it would be madness not to seize this opportunity and do everything in our power make it work to its full potential for the benefit of the whole area.” If the recommendations are approved, a further progress report would be provided at the next full council meeting on August 26.

Any subsequent infrastructure work would be unlikely to start until late in 2018 and the first plots would not be available until 2021 at the earliest.