This is your opportunity to help shape the future of Helensburgh’s Waterfront.
By Ruth Crosbie
A series of community engagement events will give local groups and businesses the opportunity to help shape the future of Helensburgh’s Waterfront.
Argyll and Bute Council received nine bids to develop the site offering a range of facilities and employment opportunities. The bids include retail, food outlets, hotels, community proposals and electric vehicle charging points.
Independent facilitators, working on behalf of the council will meet with local groups and businesses to share information and gather feedback on what the Waterfront could look like.
Afternoon and evening sessions will run from Saturday 17th to 23rd June to enable people to attend. If you run or are involved in a local group or business, please email your details to Helensburghwaterfrontdevelopment@argyll-bute.gov.uk. Places for the sessions are limited.
Councillor Gary Mulvaney, right, Policy Lead for Finance and Commercial Services, said: “Ongoing investment in Helensburgh town centre will help create a number of opportunities for local residents including new facilities and jobs.
“Transforming the Waterfront into an exciting space will also provide a boost to the local economy and help keep spending local.
“We are still in the very early stages of looking at what is possible for the site. To help us identify priorities, we want to hear from a wide range of local voices and understand what matters most. This will help inform the next stage of the development. ”
The initial community engagement phase is looking at general proposals to help progress to the next stage of appointing a preferred bidder. There is no planning application at this stage and any application would include a statutory public consultation process.
New proposals to link Helensburgh and Garelochhead
Providing a safer route for walkers, cyclists and wheelers between Helensburgh and HMNB Clyde, as the first phase of the route to Garelochhead, is another step closer with new proposed plans unveiled.
Following extensive community engagement, Argyll and Bute Council has included feedback from the community and created new proposals for the active travel route.
An online public consultation is now open to gather views on the latest plans.
Take part in the consultation on the council website https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/my-community/community-planning/consultations/consultation/helensburgh-garelochhead-active-travel
As part of the consultation process, the design team is holding a pop-up Conversations on the Coast event on Tuesday 27 June in Helensburgh. See below for more details about the event.
Members of the team will also be cycling along the route in the morning, and visiting Rhu Primary School and Hermitage Academy to discuss the new route designs.
Community engagement
The latest stage three designs follows extensive community engagement and consultations over the last three years.
Initial consultations provided an understanding of community needs and expectations. Feedback from the first two phases are included in the latest designs.
This third phase focuses on more detailed community discussion to help refine the proposed route design. During this phase, a range of events will take place including an online survey, school workshops and on-site visits with the design team.
Councillor Andrew Kain, Policy Lead for Roads and Transport:
“This latest consultation is another step closer to delivering a safe active travel route for local residents, visitors and people who work in the Helensburgh area. By linking routes, we can open up opportunities for active travel and encourage more people to travel by bike, foot or wheels.
Huge thanks to everyone who has given feedback to the project so far. Please let us know what you think about the new proposed designs and if you can, join the team at the drop-in Conversations on the Coast event to find out more.”
Conversations on the Coast, 27th June
Come along and learn more about the proposed designs at our drop in event on West Clyde Street opposite Helensburgh Cycles, near the new Helensburgh Waterfront Leisure Centre. The event includes a free bike-check service from Helensburgh Cycles to make sure your bike is safe and road-worthy.
During the event, the team will present the designs and invite any feedback. For anyone who cannot attend the event, look out for the team who are cycling the route and stopping off at key locations along the way to gather feedback.
For more information about the project and the pop-up consultation event, please contact Rachael@icecreamarchitecture.com or visit the project’s website at www.helensburgh-garelochhead.info.
Schedule for Conversations on the Coast:
| Time | Location |
| Tue 27 June 12 pm – 4 pm | West Clyde Street (across from Helensburgh Cycles) |
The council is leading the project in collaboration with a design team that includes architects, engineers, planners and specialist consultants. The project is supported by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Transport Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme which is administered by Sustrans.
You can email any inquiries about the Helensburgh Waterfront Development project to Helensburghwaterfrontdevelopment@argyll-bute.gov.uk