IT might be another 17 years before Dargavel Village is finally complete, but the largest brownfield development in the UK is really starting to take shape.

The multi-million pound project, overseen by land owners BAE Systems, will see 4,000 homes built on the outskirts of Bishopton, around 700 of which are now complete with families living in them.

BAE, along with housebuilders including Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon Homes, is seeking to create a new community with a primary school, retail park and health centre eventually developed as well as a new M8 junction.

The project has attracted some backlash from residents in Bishopton, who have been unhappy with the amount of homes proposed, but Jon Gettinby, operations manager, said he is listening to the community.

He said: “As we engage more with the community, they are starting to realise this is going to be an exciting place to be.

“We want Bishopton and Dargavel to eventually knit together. There are still people who want to tell us we are wrong but I just see them as partners. We want to work with them.

“We make sure to send out a quarterly newsletter about everything we’ve been doing in that time and a smaller monthly bulletin. Our proposed plans have been influenced by the feedback from the community and as the masterplan develops feedback will remain important to us.”

Two new play areas have already opened, and in May it was decided the primary school would be delivered four-to-five years earlier than first planned following a public consultation.

A range of properties are set to fill up the village from one-bedroom flats to five-bedroom houses.

Bishopton Community Council chairman David Woodrow is serving as a central point of contact for Mr Gettinby between residents and BAE so there is flowing communication between the two parties.

Mr Gettinby said: “Myself and David are working well together to make sure residents are getting a say. We think this development is going to be revolutionary for the west of Scotland.”