Celebrations as town centre plan gets green light

Dec 20 2008 by Alison Rennie, Paisley Daily Express

FAMILIES who have spent years campaigning for their run-down shopping centreto be transformed are celebrating after multi-million pound improvement plans were finally given the thumbs-up.

Campaigners will be glad to see the back of Linwood’s dilapidated town centre, which will now be demolished.

In its place will be a large supermarket and community space for a new police station, Tweedie Hall, library, petrol station and health centre.

The ambitious proposals put forward by supermarket giants Tesco were approved by nine votes to five at a meeting of Renfrewshire Council’s planning and economic development policy board.

SNP councillor Audrey Doig, one of four members who represent Linwood, said she is “totally cock-a-hoop” that such a crucial application has been approved.

She added: “I grew up in East Fulton in the early 1970s and went to Linwood High and this is a bigger day for Linwood than when the Rootes car factory came in the 1960s.

“Immediately after the vote went through, I had a further meeting with Tesco representatives and they were keen to stress that they will be looking to prioritise the several hundred or so jobs available for local people.

“This will be a great jobs boost to my constituents across the Linwood, Houston, and Crosslee ward as the credit crunch bites ever harder.”

Renfrewshire Council leader, Councillor Derek Mackay, added: “I welcome this truly historic decision for Linwood and its residents.

“This is a community which has suffered neglect for a great many years and I am delighted for Councillor Doig as well as she has worked extremely hard to make this happen.”

Labour councillor Iain McMillan, who represents the Johnstone South, Elderslie and Howwood ward, voted against approval of Tesco’s plans because of the potential impact on Johnstone town centre.

Surveys carried out by Tesco and the council’s own retail experts showed the new supermarket would impact on shops in Johnstone.

Councillor McMillan and four other councillors voted against the plans but the majority of councillors on the board decided that the positives outweighed the negatives.

Tesco’s corporate affairs manager Jennifer Duncan said: “The support we have had for this project locally has been well documented and we are absolutely delighted with this decision, which brings us another step closer to making the redevelopment a reality.

“I would like to thank all the individuals and community groups that took the time to engage with us during the consultation process.

“The redevelopment of the town centre will provide much-needed community services, as well as improved retail for Linwood. Our plans will deliver replacement retail units and a new library, new Tweedie Hall, new police station and community health centre.

“We hope that local people agree that this will be a new start for Linwood and we can’t wait to get started on this exciting regeneration project.”

Following the council’s decision to approve the proposals, Tesco’s application will now be considered by Scottish Ministers as part of the formal planning process.