NEARLY 1,000 homes, a hotel at Craigendoran and mixed use leisure and tourism developments at Rhu Marina and Rosneath all feature in Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond ‘wish list’ for the next decade.

The local authority has started consulting on its proposed 'Local Development Plan 2', which sets out how the whole area might evolve in the next 10 years.

The plan includes provision for 971 new houses are earmarked for Helensburgh and Lomond, 300 of them at the town’s golf club.

The full list of sites identified for housing development in Helensburgh and Lomond also features ‘Kirkton Farm 1’ in Cardross (158 homes), Sawmill Field on Cardross Road in Helensburgh (145), two sites at Blairvadach in Shandon (112 in total), ‘The Hermitage 2’ in Helensburgh (87), Rosneath Waterfront (40), land off Argyll Road (26) and School Road (20) in Kilcreggan, and Garelochhead – Smithfield (7).

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The plan also includes six ‘areas for action’ – two in Cardross (at Kilmahew and the Geilston Estate), three in Helensburgh (the town centre and waterfront, Craigendoran, and the town’s reservoirs), and one in Kilcreggan, with priorities including environmental improvements, safeguarding historic properties, and transport interchange.

A single 3.8-hectare ‘business and industry’ site is located in Craigendoran, identified for ‘business, hotel and ancillary employment-related uses’, while the Helensburgh pierhead is also included in the plan, though it has already been earmarked as the home of the town’s new swimming pool and leisure centre, along with car parking and ‘public realm’ works.

Outside of Helensburgh, two ‘potential development areas’ are also included in the plan – for leisure, tourism, business and retail at Rhu Marina and at Rosneath Waterfront, where housing is also included in the scope of the site.

Residents can have their say on the plans, which can be viewed at argyll-bute.gov.uk, until midday on Thursday, January 23.

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The council said in a statement: “The Proposed Local Development Plan 2 plays a key role in promoting a successful future for Argyll and Bute by helping to deliver a prosperous and inclusive economy, safeguarding our environmental assets and planning for the future growth of our communities.

“In this time of economic uncertainty and faced with the challenges presented by climate change and a falling population, it is increasingly important for us to work together to achieve our shared objectives.

“Accordingly, the Proposed Local Development Plan 2 contains a strategy that is closely aligned to the Single Outcome Improvement Plan and with other key plans for the area.

“It sets out a land use framework for the next 10 years to promote, guide and manage development in Argyll and Bute.

“It also aims to support the delivery of new homes, create new employment opportunities and protect our natural and built environment through a suite of policies, proposals and deliverable development sites.

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“The Proposed Local Development Plan 2 has been drawn up following a comprehensive engagement process with communities, developers, key government agencies and other stakeholders at the Main Issues stage.

“Once adopted it will provide a simpler and more flexible approach to delivering sustainable development across Argyll and Bute.”

“Argyll and Bute is an incredibly diverse area with an outstanding natural environment, more inhabited islands than any other council in Scotland, miles of amazing coastline, small communities in remote rural areas and larger towns close to the central belt.

“The area is the second largest council area in Scotland and home to numerous award-winning businesses and services.

Councillor David Kinniburgh, the authority’s policy lead for planning, added: “The scale and diversity of our region presents great opportunities as well as major challenges in planning for the future development of the area.

“The local development plan plays a key role in promoting a successful future for Argyll and Bute by helping to deliver a prosperous and inclusive economy, safeguarding our environmental assets and planning for the future growth of our communities.”

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