Plans for almost 80 new homes in Linwood will be discussed by councillors next week.

Merchant Homes Partnership Ltd has submitted proposals to build a development in place of vacant manufacturing buildings and a grass pitch at Reid Linwood in Napier Street.

Fifty-nine houses –  including a mixture of terraced, semi-detached and detached homes – would be built alongside 20 cottage flats.

There would be 51 affordable homes – to be managed by Sanctuary Housing Association – and 28 private sector properties.

To mitigate the loss of the pitch to the area, Merchant Homes Partnership Ltd will make a payment of £130,000 in compensation to Linwood Community Development Trust to be used for the creation of new facilities, according to council documents.

It is proposed the cash will be used to build a synthetic training pitch next to the main full-size 3G surface at Mossedge Village.

Planning officers have recommended the application be rubber-stamped, with councillors set to have the final say on Tuesday, October 26.

In a report to the planning board, the council’s head of economy and development Alasdair Morrison said: “The proposals would deliver a well-designed housing site within an appropriate setting and would support the objectives of Renfrewshire’s local housing strategy and strategic housing investment plan.

“The layout is considered acceptable, achieving a good level of amenity and the creation of a safe and pleasant environment.

“The northern portion of the site incorporates a former informal pitch area, which has not been in active use since the closure of the industrial operation.

“The pitch was also only initially provided for the use of employees, however over a period of time the site owners installed goal posts and it became a home pitch for one of the local teams. The local team in question now utilises alternative facilities.

“In seeking to meet the requirements of SportScotland, in relation to the loss of an outdoor sports facility, the applicant will make a payment of £130,000 compensatory monies to be used in the creation of new pitch facilities in the local area.”

The housing would be complemented by areas of open space, play facilities, a network of paths, landscaping and some woodland planting.

Of the affordable homes proposed, 20 would be two-bed cottage flats, 21 would be one-bed terraced houses and 10 would be three-bed terraced houses.

Of the private sale homes, there would be four two-bed terraced properties alongside 24 three-bed homes consisting of terraced, semi-detached and detached properties.

Access to the development would be via the existing road opening on Napier Street.

A total of 156 parking spaces are proposed for residents and visitors.