DETAILED plans for the £34million redevelopment of the former Dunglass oil terminal at Bowling will go before councillors next week.

The proposals for the former Esso/ExxonMobil site, West Dunbartonshire’s contribution to the Glasgow City Region’s City Deal project, include a new 1.95km road as an alternative to the A82, along with a major industrial and commercial development.

Officials from West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) have recommended that a planning application for the 138-acre site should be approved when it goes before the authority’s planning committee on January 13 – subject to no fewer than 31 separate conditions.

The plans have attracted 227 objections from members of the public.

A deal to transfer ownership of the site from ExxonMobil to WDC for free, as well as a £1m payment to WDC, was announced in October.

A report for next week’s committee meeting states: “This ambitious development proposal will bring about a real change for the area, by bringing a large waterfront former industrial site back into productive use, by supporting extra jobs, and by providing much needed alternative road routes.”

The principle of the development is supported by Clydeplan and local planning policies and it represents a significant step forward for the future of the site and West Dunbartonshire.

Councillor Jim Bollan has repeatedly questioned the dealings with Exxon over the site, and there have also been disputes with private landowners whose land will be needed to fully realise the plans.

The level of pollution at the former oil terminal would prevent it ever being used for housing, even after clean-up.

Council bosses report “all consultees are supportive of the development proposals”.