PLANNING permission is being sought to construct a multi-storey car park at Faslane as part of the expansion of HM Naval Base Clyde.
Argyll and Bute Council has received the application from the Ministry of Defence for the facility, which would provide nearly 700 spaces on four and a half parking decks.
A report supporting the application, compiled by the Mott MacDonald Group, states that the building will rise approximately 18m around ground level and take up over 15,000 square feet.
A decision from the council on whether planning permission can be granted is expected by the middle of November.
READ MORE: Plans for new Faslane multi-storey car park to go on public displayIt has been referred to the council’s ‘major applications’ planning team at Lochgilphead instead of being listed among the Helensburgh and Lomond planning applications.
Mott MacDonald’s report also says that the car park would be designed to provide charging units for electric cars in the future.
The document states: “The proposed development will comprise of a completely open-sided, steel framed structure with cladding to provide safety for cars and pedestrians.
“The proposed development will be sited on an existing car park site where no ecological constraints were identified.
“The site will be cleared of all existing surfacing and drainage channels to allow for construction of new multi-storey frame and associated ground works including new surface water drainage infrastructure.
READ MORE: Plans drawn up for new naval base car park“New infrastructure will ultimately connect into the existing surface water sewer running along the western boundary of the site.
“The existing local power on the site for lighting etc. will become redundant. It is assumed that these existing connections will all be removed.
“A new electrical supply shall be taken locally to service the electrical demand for the proposed development.
“QMSCP [Quarry Multi-Storey Car Park] shall be designed to allow for the future provision of electric vehicle charging points alongside options for providing charging points across the wider HMNB Clyde.
“Currently electric vehicles, including plug-in hybrids, account for less than one per cent of all road vehicles in the UK, however it is envisaged that due to technological advances and legislation that electric vehicles will become a predominant transport mode in the foreseeable future.”
READ MORE: Jobs and Navy links 'key for Helensburgh' in growth planA separate design and access statement, also by Mott MacDonald, says that the design of the car park has been kept simple and will require minimal maintenance if and when in operation.
The base’s current car park, on the proposed site of the new facility, currently has space for 280 vehicles.
The statement added: “To help offset the loss of car parking during construction, a temporary car park is being created at Woodlea; these works are the subject of a separate planning application.
“The proposed development is 4.5 storeys high, steel framed and features brick-clad stair cores at the front and rear.
“The building is set back slightly from the road and the apron between the building and the road is also used for parking.
READ MORE: New Faslane submarine training centre plans go public“The building has been designed to maintain access for adjacent neighbours.
“Access for all modes is achieved from the western side, as to the east the quarry face rises and to the north and south the site is bounded by neighbouring buildings.”
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