PLANS for a major housing development — including nearly 50 houses — are again being proposed for the Balrossie House site in Kilmacolm.
Balrossie Homes Ltd wants to develop 64 houses and flats at the site at Blacksholm Road.
The plans were originally approved by Inverclyde Council nearly five years ago and the developer is now applying to get the planning permission renewed, along with fresh listed building consent.
The existing main building — which is Category B-listed — would be converted into 12 two to three-bedroom apartments, with three of the historic structure’s facades being retained.
An annexe building would adapted into two four-bedroom semi-detached houses and a distinctive water tower would be turned into a three-bedroom residence also.
Forty-nine houses are proposed for the grounds. These would be a mixture of three, four and five bedroom detached and semi-detached properties.
The developers say the new houses are needed “in order to provide the necessary financial input required to fully refurbish the existing buildings.”
A document submitted with the application states: “The creation of the new-build housing development will allow for the long overdue revitalisation of the existing buildings of the site, preventing their further decay and bringing them back into mainstream use.”
Balrossie, in Blacksholm Road, was built in the late 19th century as an orphanage by the Sailors´ Orphans Society of Scotland and was later used as residential school. It has been vacant for around 20 years.
The application is pending consideration by Inverclyde planning officers.
