PLANS have been lodged to transform a former children’s home into housing.

Inverclyde Council rubber-stamped proposals for 49 homes at Balrossie House.

The listed building will be used while most will be newbuilds at the site near Kilmacolm.

A waste treatment plan was also among the four separate applications approved by councillors yesterday (Wednesday).

David Ashman, Head of Regeneration and Planning, said: “The proposed development forms an essential part of the enabling works intended to support the re-use of the historic buildings.”

Balrossie House was built in 1899 as an orphanage by the Sailors’ Orphans Society of Scotland.

Designed by David Barclay, it was the first orphanage to be built by the society.

The Barclay brothers – Hugh died in 1892 – specialised in school design.

They were responsible for a large number of schools in and around Glasgow, such as Glasgow Academy.

Their most prominent building is, however, the Greenock Municipal Buildings.

The site was purchased by Glasgow Corporation in 1962 and turned into a residential care home for children.

It has been derelict since 1996 – but now new life will be breathed into the historic site with modern housing.

The 1.92 hectares site lies west of the village at Blacksholm Road by the B788.

Mr Ashman added: “The proposed programme is to demolish and remove all outbuildings and extensions not required; make the listed buildings safe and secure and mitigate any further damage; build the site infrastructure and the first 22 houses before carrying out the full refurbishment of the listed buildings.”

Construction works are expected to take three-and-a-half years with sales lagging six months behind construction, thus completing the whole development within four years.