PROPERTY developers are interested in buying and developing the troubled Hardgate Hall building site.

A businessman from the town, who assesses investment opportunities for private clients, was yesterday (Tuesday) due to meet planning officials from West Dunbartonshire Council to discuss redeveloping the site.

Explaining it was “too early” to make his proposals public, the investor said the Glasgow Road building site had great potential as a site for luxury homes.

The news comes after the Clydebank Post revealed earlier this month that the current owners of Hardgate Hall, the Waterman Trust Company Limited, had put the listed building and surrounding land on the market.

The Waterman Trust Company Limited abandoned the site, dubbed an eyesore by locals, in September 2012 six months after commencing the build of 25 flats. The business had originally planned to build the homes for social letting.

But speaking to the Post last week, the investor said social housing may not be the only option for the residential site.

He said: “This is a really lovely area. You could build six luxury houses there.

“All the houses in Burnside Crescent are private and if you look across from Hardgate Hall all the houses are bought homes.

“Houses in this area average from £200,000 to £300,000. You could put six houses in there, you don’t need high numbers of social housing to get a good return.

“At Cochno Brae prices start at £200,000 and go up to £300,000. For me it’s simple business.” The investor spoke out at the same time residents of Burnside Crescent told of their upset that the site had been left abandoned for four years.

Sitting immediately above the grounds of Hardgate Hall, Burnside Crescent properties overlook the development site and grade C-listed building.

One resident who did not want to be named said his home had been affected by landslides which occurred when builders were laying foundations for the flats.

He said fences remain damaged on a few properties and there is a large crack across the grass in his back garden.

“Before they left they said they would come down and fix this and fix that,’ the man said, “but that’s been almost four years now.

“I wouldn’t like to see houses down there but I would like to see it cleared up. If there’s going to be another development, we can’t change that but ultimately I would like to see it tidied up in the meantime.” Planning permission was granted for a block of 25 flats to be built on the land surrounding Hardgate Hall in January 2011. The permission was granted on appeal to GK2 Developments Ltd, who later sold the site to the Waterman Trust Company Limited, which also acquired Hardgate Hall. The company began constructing the flats in March 2012 but scrapped the work six months later.

Hassan Sayani, of the Waterman Trust Company Limited said: “Waterman Trust Company Limited bought the site with a view to developing it to provide social housing for the community. Unfortunately that has not been possible. But Waterman has acted properly and responsibly throughout and hopes that the site will be developed to the advantage of all stakeholders.” Mr Sayani said he was “not aware” of any landslips on the site and that gabion baskets had been installed as a preventative measure.