Save Our Shelterbelt! Proposed Industrial Development by Scottish Enterprise & Scania

The Trust is seeking to secure a 9.76-acre site beside India of Inchinnan for community and ecological benefit. The land, held by Scottish Enterprise (a publicly funded national agency), has been marketed for development for close to two decades with no uptake. During this time, the woodland and scrub habitat onsite has flourished - transforming it into a young broadleaf woodland which acts as a wildlife habitat, green corridor, and functional shelterbelt. Following an initial expression of interest by the Trust in 2022, Scottish Enterprise has now found a private developer and we now risk losing the the ecological, landscape, and community benefits of the site to unsustainable industrial development. ​

Background & Discussions with Scottish Enterprise

Following discussion with our Board of Directors and Volunteer Wildlife Consultant, which highlighted the ecological importance of the site locally, the Trust first contacted Scottish Enterprise in December 2022. The Trust requested any information held on the land and raised the possibility of a community buyout or asset transfer. In January 2023, Scottish Enterprise advised that they were open to “progress matters and enable ourselves to have a meaningful discussion (regarding a Community Asset Transfer)” upon receipt of further information. However, once this information was provided, the Trust was informed that Scottish Enterprise “would prefer to see [the site] retained for economic development use.”

The Trust responded, outlining our interest in the land and its importance to both the community and the wider landscape. We also submitted a further request for any environmental information held on the site, to better understand what had been formally recorded and to support a formal Community Asset Transfer request. Over the following months, communication from Scottish Enterprise was limited and lacked transparency, despite multiple follow‑ups by the Trust. In May 2024 (more than a year after our initial approach) we observed geotechnical land surveys being undertaken on the site. When we enquired about this activity, we were advised that a developer is currently considering the site but that details could not be disclosed.

In July 2025, a planning application (25/0551/PP) was submitted for the erection of an industrial unit for Scania Ltd on the site, with associated yard space for HGVs, access and landscaping. The proposed development would remove the majority of the existing woodland, confirming the Trust’s concerns that the land is being advanced for private development despite community interest and assurances of meaningful dialogue by Scottish Enterprise.

The Value of The Land

Ecological Value & Wildlife Habitat Functioning as a key part of the wider green corridors across Inchinnan, the site plays a crucial role in supporting local biodiversity, maintaining habitat connectivity, and enhancing the resilience of our wildlife populations.The land comprises a mixture of young (mainly broadleaved) woodland, scrub, hedgerow, and wildflower-rich grassland that supports a rich and diverse range of locally and nationally important wildlife (including various red-listed species) with it’s close proximity to the Black Cart SPA/SSSI further enhancing its ecological significance.

The site serves as important habitat and breeding ground for numerous bird species, including farmland specialists such as Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, and Lapwing, alongside raptors like Buzzard, Kestrel, and Barn Owl which benefit from the healthy small mammal populations present. The site is also of importance to local bat populations, with Common Pipistrelle and Soprano Pipistrelle using it as a key flyway between nearby roost sites, taking advantage of the rich insect life for feeding.

IDT's full report on the habitat and wildlife species on site can be found here:

Inchinnan Roundabout Land & Wildlife Survey.pdf

Download PDF • 367KB

Environmental Buffering & Functional Amenity 

The primary function of a woodland shelterbelt, particularly in agricultural settings, is wind breaking. With the wooded area helping to protect livestock from the elements while increasing soil resilience against water and wind erosion. Shelterbelts not only protect land quality, livestock, and wildlife through this function but also contribute to the wider environmental health and climate resilience of an area. In particular, this shelterbelt woodland helps to reduce airborne pollutants and dampen noise disturbance associated with heavy traffic along Greenock Road and industrial activity within Inchinnan Business Park.

Visual Amenity & Landscape Character 

This shelterbelt woodland is also a prominent landscape feature and important component of Inchinnan’s green infrastructure. The woodland is highly visible from the village’s main public road (Greenock Road) and residential settlements, acting as a visual buffer and softening the transition between Inchinnan’s distinctive agricultural landscape and the built-up industrial environment of Inchinnan Business Park. Damage to the woodland and felling of its trees would only work to increase the visual impact of Inchinnan’s industrial growth and further degradation of its natural heritage and landscape character.