Plans are in place to demolish old factory buildings in Neilston.

Clyde Leather Co, which first acquired the Broadlie Works site in 1963, has applied to East Renfrewshire Council for approval to replace a former bleach mill with a new steel building.

The plans have been lodged on behalf of the third-generation firm by MG Architectural Services, which specialises in creating modern rural buildings.

The new 912m² building would be built on the exact location of the existing factory, which is Scotland’s only suede tannery.

Suede produced for clients at the Neilston site is used in various products, including shoes, belts, handbags and furniture.

No change of use or altered vehicular access from the road is included in the proposals for the site, which is currently accessible from Lochlibo Road.

A previous planning application was submitted in 2016 by another agent for a similar project, which was approved subject to conditions.

According to the latest planning application, the updated proposals have been “simplified to reduce the cost of the build.”

Clyde Leather Co hit the headlines last year when Scottish Water issued it with a warning after it was fined for depositing dangerous chemicals into the public sewerage system.

The firm was charged with committing pollution offences between March 4 and November 25 last year.

It uses chromium in the manufacture of leather products and the waste water is then drained off into the sewer system, which is supposed to comply with safe environmental standards.

However, a tannery worker responsible for monitoring the discharges of effluent had been furloughed during the Covid pandemic and his job was taken on by a company director.

Scottish Water then visited the plant to carry out inspections and discovered the pollution law breaches.

Inspectors found that bosses had been dumping excessive levels of the toxic metal residue into the public sewerage.

A total of 46 samples were taken and only 11 were within the permitted limits.

The firm was ordered to pay £10,000 at Paisley Sheriff Court after it admitted contravening the Sewerage Scotland Act.