Riddle of railfreight park sign plan

The greenbelt proposal has been hugely contentious since it was put forward four years ago.

Peter D Stirling, which already operates in the area, says the expansion of its base would create nearly 5,000 jobs.

The project was approved by the Scottish Government, but appeared doomed last year when the Court of Sesssion ruled against it.

However, last week the Times & Speaker revealed it seems to have been revived, with a Scottish Government reporter due to visit the site next month.

Now it has emerged that a planning application for a sign advertising the railfreight park from the new M8 has been lodged with North Lanarkshire Council.

It refers to opportunities for companies to take spaces of between 100,000 and two million square feet in the development.

The application has been submitted by ID Meiklam Trust which was involved in the as yet unsuccessful railfreight park scheme.

The move, given the Court of Session ruling and the Scottish Government reporter’s imminent visit, has baffled John Devlin, a member of Bellshill Community Council.

He said: “In putting in this application are these people just being optimistic or do they know something we don’t know?

“And if North Lanarkshire Council pass the application do they also know something we don’t?”