Planners have given the green light to the construction of a car park and drop off area next to a Barrhead school.

The facility, which has been approved subject to conditions, is set to be built on the site of the former Arthurlie Family Centre on Roebank Drive and would serve St Mark’s Primary.

The approved plan includes 28 car-parking spaces and a turning area along with a footpath link to a point further south on Roebank Drive.

The works will also include the installation of a surface water drainage system and the construction of street lighting within the car park area.

The site has been vacant since the family centre buildings were demolished and cleared.

Planning permission subject to conditions was previously approved for the formation of a car park with 31 spaces and new vehicular access, drop-off areas  and a footpath following the demolition of nursery school  in July 2021.

A reduced proposal for the formation of a car-park with 14 spaces using the existing access, was granted subject to conditions in September 2023.

A new planning application was required for the proposed layout which was approved this week.

One of the conditions of approval is that visibility splays of 2 metres by 20 metres shall be provided in both directions at the junction of the access to the car-park with the existing road. 

East Renfrewshire Council's roads service said they had no objection to the plans "subject to a condition in respect of visibility at the access to the site".

Also commenting on the proposals ahead of the decision, the council's environmental health service made reference to the active travel plan’s aim to encourage vehicles to stay away from school gates and to encourage active travel and noted that this proposal may conflict with this aim.

The service nevertheless said it did not object to the proposal and recommended conditions to be attached to any planning permission granted.

Two representations were received objecting to the proposal.