DETAILS have been revealed of plans for more than 300 houses on the site of Helensburgh Golf Club after an application to build on the site was formally submitted to council chiefs.

Taylor Wimpey officially applied for planning permission at the site on East Abercromby Street in the later part of 2021, and the application has now been validated by Argyll and Bute Council and published on the authority's website.

As well as 309 residential units, the plans also include demolition of the golf club’s existing clubhouse, the building of a new clubhouse and the provision of an enhanced 18-hole golf course.

Feedback can now be given to the authority, with a decision expected from planning officers by Thursday, May 19.

A design and access statement by Taylor Wimpey states “There is a recognised need for new housing within the settlement of Helensburgh.

“During the preparation of the Local Development Plan, the council approached the golf club to discuss the possibility of relocating the golf course to provide additional housing land in a sustainable location.

“The golf club saw this as an opportunity to improve the existing golf course offer in the area whilst providing land for much needed housing.

“This ultimately led to an area of the golf course being allocated for housing in the adopted Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan (LDP

“ Following this land allocation, Helensburgh Golf Course entered into an option agreement with Taylor Wimpey West of Scotland. Taylor Wimpey, in partnership with Dunbritton Housing Association, will provide the much- needed family homes in the areas.

“Before this can take place, a fundamental component of the proposed development is the reconfiguration of the golf course to provide new holes, create a par three course and build a clubhouse and to provide first class facilities to support the future of golf at the heart of the community.”

Officials from Taylor Wimpey and the golf club held two online consultation events with the community during 2021 to set out the outline of their plans.

The statement adds: “Access to the site is currently obtained from East Abercromby Street and the site is bisected roughly north-south by the Old Luss Road footpath and cycleway.

“The proposed development will be accessed from a new priority junction on East Abercromby Street, opposite Lever Road and in the general location of an existing access track to Helensburgh Golf Course.

“To support this proposal, traffic surveys were undertaken in May 2018 and September 2019 at a number of surrounding junctions, the locations of which were agreed with Argyll and Bute Council.

“Traffic flows have been estimated for the future both with and without the traffic estimated to be generated by the proposed development of the residential element and a Transport Assessment has been submitted to support the application.

“Transport Planning Ltd concluded in the Transport Assessment that the proposed development can be comfortably integrated with the existing transport network to deliver a site that is accessible by a range of transport modes and which promotes genuine modal choice.”

Members of Helensburgh Community Council have already raised concerns about the impact of increased traffic on East Abercromby Street leading to and from the development's single access point.

The statement concludes: “As demonstrated in this design and access statement, the proposed development has been designed to create a successfully sustainable place in line with Scottish Government policy.”

The plans can be viewed on the council’s website at argyll-bute.gov.uk under the reference number 21/01879/PP.