A £135million enterprise zone plan will not be reconsidered by the Scottish Parliament.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has ruled out revisiting the axed multi-million pound project which would have created 3000 jobs, providing a massive boost to the economy around Glasgow Airport.

It comes despite a freedom of information request which revealed Scottish Ministers went against an official recommendation to back the project to develop the 'enterprise zone' as a major hub for the renewable energy manufacturing sector.

The decision to turn it down prompted fury from both Renfrewshire Council and Glasgow Airport, who submitted a bid to access the public-private finance initiative known as 'tax increment financing' (TIF) to kickstart the project.

Instead the Scottish Government selected a rival bid for a project in Aberdeen which was ranked 10th out of 16 proposals submitted by Scottish councils.

The Aberdeen plan eventually fell through when it was scrapped by the council.

The Renfrewshire bid, which had the support of Renfrewshire Council and business figures, was ranked fourth by the Scottish Futures Trust, the independent company responsible for delivering value for money across all public sector infrastructure investment.

But in a meeting with senior business figures from across Renfrewshire, Ms Sturgeon said the Government would not be changing its mind.

Renfrewshire Council Leader, Labour's Mark Macmillan, said: "The rushed decision shows yet again the contempt for Renfrewshire's needs and aspirations at the heart of the Scottish Government.

"All Renfrewshire wanted from the Government was the backing to put in place £17m to lever in £135m of private investment.

"Despite being independently rated as worthy of support, Renfrewshire's bid was rejected."

ewan.fergus@ eveningtimes.co.uk