By Democrat reporter
The draft lease is for a 25-year period and includes the four-phase development that had previously been agreed with the authority via a heads of terms document.
Bill Purdon, chairman of the Helensburgh Pier Company, said: “We are most grateful to the council and its officers for drawing up this draft lease. It is currently with our legal advisors for consideration.
“I am confident that we will reach a satisfactory outcome in the near future. This is yet another positive step forward for the charity as we seek to reopen the pier.”
Argyll and Bute Council has previously insisted that the pier’s regeneration was not viable, prompting community figures to mobilise with the aim of bringing the pier back into use.
However, in February, Helensburgh Pier Company Limited announced that a long-awaited study into the current state of the listed structure had been completed.
It has been suggested that it could cost the campaign group up to £1 million, but it is understood that these are currently only estimates.
There is still hope among many people that the pier will open before the PS Waverley, the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer, is finally retired.
Using the original structural drawings, the survey looked at each piece of wood in the pier to determine a green-amber-red rating.
Green parts are fine, amber could need work, and red must be replaced. With a contractor, this will determine how much money the group needs to raise to bring the pier back into use.
The first phase of the potential development is to restore the pier to such a condition that the closure notice can be lifted.
Phase two involves the positioning of a pontoon in the inner harbour with access to allow access for all.
Phase three is to build a near-replica of the Victorian waiting room on the pier and the final phase is to position pontoons into the bay that will allow tenders from cruise ships to call at the town.
The charity has a Facebook page at facebook.com/HelensburghPierCo where followers can stay up-to-date with any progress.