THE developer behind a planned 1800-acre new town has chosen a name suggested by an eight-year-old girl – but it has sparked anger among many other local people.

Landowner BAE Systems says its 2500-home start-up community at the former Royal Ordnance Factory at Bishopton, Renfrewshire, will be called Dargavel Village.

It says the name was chosen after a competition that invited people from the existing village of Bishopton to make suggestions for a name for the site.

Bishopton Primary pupil Emma Brown suggested Dargavel Village after finding her dad's book on the history of the current village and saw a photograph of the listed Victorian building, Dargavel House, which stands in the grounds of the old ROF site.

Lynda Johnstone, BAE Systems project director, said: "The judging panel felt Emma's choice of name really celebrated the site's long-standing history within Bishopton and best captured the spirit of the new community that will develop and grow here."

Emma said: "I'm happy my name was chosen because the site has been a part of our town for a long time and we should celebrate that."

Her sister Lucy, 6, was also selected as a runner-up in the competition, along with another resident Jay McDonald. Emma will receive £250 of vouchers, while Lucy and Jay will each get £100 in vouchers.

But not all residents of Bishopton were happy with the new name.

A spokesman for the Bishopton Action Group, which has campaigned against the development on the ROF site, said: "A large number of the residents will be very disappointed.

"BAE Systems has again totally misled the existing community.

"We were assured from the start the new development would be integrated with the existing community. Clearly this is not the case.

"Even the name Dargavel Village indicates it is different from Bishopton village. The Bishopton Action Group has highlighted from the start that it is likely to be a separate community.

"The new development is clearly going to be a separate community but is going to be a significant drain on existing village resources for many years to come. If, and when, the new community becomes large enough, someone may fund new facilities, such as a health centre, but until that time we will have to cope with the additional strain on the existing facility in our village."

In response, a BAE spokeswoman, said: "This development name was about creating an identity for it, just like any other housing development.

"This is about establishing a new community as part of Bishopton. That has always been the plan and that has not changed.

"The creation of Dargavel Village is part of a 15-year commitment from BAE Systems that will establish a thriving community complete with a new primary school, library, community centre, shops and a woodland park.

"Around 4000 full and part-time employment opportunities will also be created."

Phase 1, which will cost £32million, will see 600 homes being built by three firms.

The first houses are expected to be ready by spring next year.

ewan.fergus@ eveningtimes.co.uk