Many of the town’s residents will no doubt be delighted to hear that WRC may be relocating to a new spot in Renfrewshire.

But others are less pleased at the decision to give the green light to the facility’s potential move to Inchinnan.

WRC Recycling, which is based in Johnstone’s Floors Street, has long been the bane of the town’s residents after causing homes to be infested with flies and others to be evacuated when fierce flames tore through the property.

Disgusting black bugs crawled across children’s faces while they slept and landed on fed-up residents’ plates as they tried to dish up their dinners.

A petition was launched to try and force the plant — where plastic, paper, glass, metal and wood are cleaned, sorted and baled before being sold on — out of the town for good.

And this week Johnstone residents were another step closer to seeing their wish come true after Renfrewshire Council’s planning board signed off on a possible cross-county switch.

The council had previously stated their commitment to trying to keep WRC in Renfrewshire to preserve current jobs and increase the chances of having more jobs for residents in the future.

WRC is now seriously considering moving its operation to Inchinnan Business Park, in the village’s Newmains Avenue.

The news that Inchinnan could now be the new home for WRC has been met with disdain by many of the village’s residents.

John Ross, chairman of Inchinnan Community Council, is outraged at the prospect of the plant’s relocation.

The 68-year-old told The Gazette: “The council have decided to plunk it in Inchinnan.

“WRC only has 15 employees - five are members of the Capper family, the other 10 are casual workers.

“For the sake of 15 jobs Renfrewshire Council have put at risk 1,140 jobs.” The semi-retired joiner believes that, due to the problems WRC has experienced in Johnstone, it may only be a matter of time before neighbouring businesses in Inchinnan decide to move elsewhere.

He explained: “If one company pulls out that would be about 90 jobs gone.

“My heart goes out to all the people in Inchinnan and all the people and companies in that business park. We are going to be penalised with all the vermin and all the smells so the people of Johnstone can have an easy life.” Earlier this year The Gazette revealed that the council’s own planning experts believed Inchinnan was an unsuitable destination for WRC.

On July 30, 2013, Ken Goldie, a senior project executive in the council’s Planning and Economic Development Service, wrote to fellow council workers David Bryce and Diane Beveridge about the Inchinnan site.

In his email he said it “would not be suitable” for “the proposed use.” Despite Goldie’s concerns the council pressed ahead with plans to move WRC to Inchinnan and this week signed off on the proposal.