People power forced East Renfrewshire Council to think again on plans for a new Carlibar Primary School in 2003.

Education chiefs dramatically withdrew notification that the Carlibar Community Centre would be their “preferred site” for the development.

Pressure from livid residents of Carlibar Road who objected to the plans had intensified, with planning bosses deciding to set up a steering group before starting the process again.

Dawn Quinn, who was among those who opposed the plans, said at the time: “We were not consulted. The education department said they had no responsibility to consult with residents – just parents and pupils.”

A council spokesman explained that naming a preferred site had been part of the first of three consultation processes.

He added that, to start the process of finding cash for the project, the council had to choose a site – even if it wasn’t the final one.

The spokesman continued: “We cannot consult without an option to consult on.”