HELENSBURGH’S waterfront site is not considered a suitable long-term location for the town’s skate park, according to a council official. 

A new report says that the waterfront development site is not large enough to accommodate a permanent facility of the scale envisaged by local campaigners.

However, the same report says a skate park will be reinstated at the waterfront on a temporary basis, with facilities due to be installed in the autumn.

A study to find an alternative site for the skate park has now begun, with options listed including Hermitage Park, Kidston Park, East Bay Park and Iona Stables.

Councillors will be advised of progress at a later date.

The details are given in a report to go before Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee, which meets on Tuesday, September 12.

Executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: “As part of the planning consent for the new Helensburgh Leisure Centre, there was a condition that the temporary skate park facilities on the site were to be reinstated following the completion of the leisure centre.

“This was to ensure the continued provision of a skate park until a permanent facility was approved on a suitable site.

"Due to the age and condition of the old equipment, this required the ordering of new ramps which are due to be installed autumn 2023, depending on manufacturing time.

“Helensburgh Skatepark Group have aspirations to construct a larger permanent concrete skate park facility both for local users and to attract visitors from across the country to the area, which is unlikely to be able to be accommodated on the waterfront site as it is primarily proposed for commercial development.

“Accordingly officers are keen to support the Helensburgh Skatepark Group to secure a site that is capable of meeting their aspirations and becoming a facility which will encourage visitors to the area, and the council has recently committed £80,000 to support this project to provide a permanent solution.”

Ms Flanagan's report asks councillors to agree "that the waterfront site is not considered to be a suitable long term location for the skate park as initial marketing of the site has highlighted that the site is not large enough to accommodate a larger scale skate park which the group are seeking as well as a viable commercial development”.

Councillors are also asked to “note that a further report will be brought before the H&L area committee outlining a list of potential permanent locations for the skate park, and a preferred option will be recommended to be taken forward."

The report says that officers will "continue to engage with the skatepark group as part of that process.”

Ms Flanagan added: “The site at Iona Stables, Colgrain (next to Morrisons supermarket) is in private ownership. However, the council is in discussions with the land owner to promote the development of a business park at this location.

“During the early site investigations it was discovered that the ground next to Morrisons is potentially subject to flooding, so can’t be used for the development of business space. Therefore this site could be available for other uses which are allowed such as a skate park.

“Some other locations were also considered, such as Helensburgh Rugby Club and East End Park, but it was considered that the existing use and proposals from the teams using these areas didn’t allow sufficient space/parking to support further development.

“For any proposed location, there will be positives and challenges to overcome and it is apparent that while there is general support for a new skatepark this does tend to be less enthusiastic when the development is proposed near people’s own house/business/community activity.”