A BID to consult Linnvale residents over the use of greenspace has been rejected to protect space for Duntocher residents instead.

The two parts of Clydebank were pitted against each other when the SNP repelled a Labour motion calling for a survey of views in Linnvale.

West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) sent its local development plan 2 (LDP2) to Scottish ministers earlier this year for approval. It blocked homes on Duntiglennan Fields above Duntocher, but approved them for space next to Strauss Avenue in Linnvale.

There is currently another planning application for Duntiglennan despite the bid to block it, but none as yet for Linnvale.

Councillor John Mooney put forward a motion to full council last week calling for a consultation of residents for what they wanted to do with the land in the meantime.

The SNP claimed they were told by the council’s chief legal officer that they couldn’t hold a consultation because the LDP2 was with the Scottish Government.

But the legal officer, Peter Hessett, told the meeting Cllr Mooney’s motion was “perfectly competent” because it had nothing to do with LDP2 and the council owned 50 per cent of the land.

Read more: Firm wants Duntocher fields back on the table

Council leader Jonathan McColl said Cllr Mooney was being “disingenuous” with his motion because he had the same legal advice as the SNP. He said it was highly likely the planning reporter would refuse to change the Linnvale plans, or would swap them for Duntiglennan.

He said: “I’m not willing to risk putting Duntiglennan back into consideration. That’s the whole reason we are going through this. You can’t say this is not linked to LDP. I can understand why you’re putting forward this.”

Cllr McColl said the council needed the LDP agreed by Scottish ministers for the whole of West Dunbartonshire. If and when there is a planning application for Linnvale homes, residents will be consulted.

He added: “The motion has no effect but to give people false hope.”

Cllr McColl said if they remove the Strauss Avenue site, it would have “severe consequences” for meeting their land target.

The leader said: “I have to protect the local communities and get the best local result out of this. We have been accused of not talking to people. We consulted for 18 weeks and held public meetings.

“Those views were looked at by members of the planning committee. I’m not on planning but I trust colleagues. You can’t just come back because you didn’t like the result and try to change it.“The LDP2 has been submitted and cannot be changed. There’s no point in consulting on anything else other than housing.”

But Labour councillor Lawrence O’Neill said as convener of the Clydeplan, the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Strategic Development Planning Authority, he knew the Strauss Avenue site was not needed for housing, and that there was currently no planning application or interest from developers in the Linnvale site.

And he added that despite attempts to protect Duntiglennan from housing firms, they continued to put in applications.

Read more: Residents form pressure group to ‘Save Linnvale Greenspace’

Councillor Danny Lennie questioned what was the “harm” in talking to residents.

He added: “You cannot say we are all about biodiversity, then throw housing on it when you don’t have to.”

Bailie Denis Agnew said he was not aware of the 400 objections submitted to the LDP2 process. He added: “The two groups in the area have never raised those concerns with me whatsoever. People will be heard when it goes through planning process, if it comes to that.”

Cllr Mooney added: “If consultation with the community is too much for this administration, then the residents of this area know where they stand.”

The vote against Cllr Mooney’s motion and the consultation was ten to nine.

Clydebank MSP Gil Paterson said he remained opposed to building on Duntiglennan, as have all councillors previously.

He added every second enquiry at his surgeries and every second phone call was from a resident looking for a decent home. More affordable homes were needed in the area, beyond the best efforts from the council and Scottish Government.