Plans for a new car park at Royal Gourock Yacht Club have been put on hold after more than 20 objections were received from the neighbouring community.

The club on Ashton Road wants to create a car park and boat marshalling area around the length of the foreshore which they own.

However, there have been 22 objections to the proposals and council planning officials have recommended the refusal of the application.

The council has therefore deferred any developments until a site visit can be carried out.

Commodore of Royal Gourock Yacht Club, Ian Mackenzie, told s1gourock that the club would greatly benefit from better parking facilities and the development of the foreshore.

He said: “I can understand if you were to object to something that is going to be adjacent to your home but some of the arguments I don’t understand.

“To quote one comment that there is sufficient car parking here is just not true.

“At weekends and on summer evenings it’s just not possible to park anywhere.

“There’s severe congestion.”

Among the objections lodged by locals included that it would be detrimental to the environment and disturb wildlife habitats, that there are already ample parking opportunities and that it would be of no benefit to the community.

Mr Mackenzie said: “The development is primarily for the youngsters to give them street access to the water.

“It would enhance our ability to run dinghy events from the club if we could transport sailing dinghies up and down to the shore.

“At the moment we don’t have street access - we need wheeled vehicles access to the shore so that dinghies can be wheeled on trailers.

“The foreshore that we own could also do with being tidied.

“At the moment it’s a mess and it could look a lot better.”

When s1gourock spoke to Inverclyde Council, they would not comment on why the plans had been put on hold, however, a spokesman for the authority said that it will be discussed at the next board meeting, scheduled for March 7.

He said: “It [the decision] was deferred for a site visit, which will take place before the next board meeting on March 7.

“It will be looked at again at this meeting.”

Do you live near the Royal Gourock Yacht Club? What do you think about the proposed developments? Or perhaps you are a regular user of the club facilities and can see the benefits of the plans? Let us know your views here at s1gourock.