THE developers behind the regeneration of the former Ravenscraig steel plant site believe they are now close to getting the green light to start on the scheme.

There were concerns earlier this year that with the rationalisation of Scottish Enterprise and many of its responsibilities passing to local authorities, the expertise for handling major strategic projects could be lost.

Not just developers, but senior local authority figures and the former First Minister, Jack McConnell, who is MSP for the area, have expressed concern about the time being taken to resolve the issue involving one of Europe's biggest brownfield projects.

The clean-up of the Ravenscraig site should be followed by up to 12,000 jobs and 3500 new homes over a 20-year period.

Developers of major projects such as Ravenscraig and Irvine Bay in Ayrshire are pressing for the retention of a core of expertise within Scottish Enterprise headquarters which would retain an input into developments that were deemed too big for smaller local authorities to handle.

Jim Fitzsimons, director at Wilson Bowden, one of the developers behind the Ravenscraig site, is encouraged by the fact that the Scottish Enterprise restructuring is now very close to completion and that he is to have a meeting soon with Jim Mather, the Enterprise Minister.

He said: "The Enterprise Minister Jim Mather has agreed to meet us in a few weeks' time and we hope we will get further clarity then on who our public sector partner will be and whether the funding Ravenscraig requires will be forthcoming.

"We are ready to move forward with a £600m programme which will deliver over a million square feet of new retail, leisure, restaurant and community facilities, as well as a further 1500 housing units, and the first phase of offices and units for small businesses."

Mr Fitzsimons is encouraged by the latest moves, but stressed: "The project requires significant public sector support to help fund vital infrastructure both on and off the site."

Scottish Enterprise sources speak of "positive progress" and a resolution "very soon" about which projects will transfer to local authorities.

A spokeswoman said: "We are making good progress in our discussions with Cosla and the Scottish Government and remain committed toimplementing the outcome of the enterprise networks review as smoothly as possible.

"We expect to transfer the responsibility for local regeneration activities to local authorities in the near future."