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West Dunbartonshire Council · 21 February 2024
Back to Infrastructure, Regeneration & Economic Development Committee — 21 February 2024 and its agenda

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Agenda
Special Meeting of Infrastructure,
Regeneration and Economic
Development Committee
Date:  Wednesday, 21 February 2024
___________________________________________________________________
Time:  16:00 
___________________________________________________________________
Format:  Hybrid meeting
___________________________________________________________________
Contact:   Email: Nicola Moorcroft, Committee Officer
Nicola.moorcroft@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
committee.admin@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Dear Member
Please attend a Special meeting of the Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic
Development Committee as detailed above. 
Members will have the option to attend the meeting remotely or in person at the Civic
Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton.
The business is shown on the attached agenda.
Yours faithfully
PETER HESSETT
Chief Executive
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Distribution:-
Councillor David McBride (Chair)
Councillor Jonathan McColl
Councillor Michelle McGinty
Councillor John Millar 
Councillor Lawrence O’Neill (Vice Chair)
Councillor Lauren Oxley
Councillor Chris Pollock
Councillor Martin Rooney
Councillor Gordon Scanlan
Councillor Hazel Sorrell
Councillor Clare Steel
Councillor Sophie Traynor
All other Councillors for information
Chief Executive
Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration
Chief Officer – Resources
Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood
Date of Issue: 16 February 2024
Audio Streaming
Audio recordings of the meeting (including the attendance or contribution of any party
participating or making a contribution) will be published on the Council’s website and
the Council’s host’s webcast/audio stream platform.
You should be aware that the Council is a Data Controller under the General Data
Protection Regulation.  Data collected during this audio stream will be retained in
accordance with the Council’s Privacy Notice* and Retention Schedules including, but
not limited to, for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records
available via the Council’s internet site.
*http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/privacy/privacy-notice/
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INFRASTRUCTURE, REGENERATION AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 2024
AGENDA
1 STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING
The Chair will be heard in connection with the above.
2 APOLOGIES
3 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST 
Members are invited to declare if they have an interest in the item of business on
this agenda and the reasons for such a declaration. 
4 RECORDING OF VOTES
The Committee is asked to agree that all votes taken during the meeting be done
by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record.
5 LOCAL HEAT AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY STRATEGY  5 -  92
(LHEES) CONSULTATIVE DRAFT 
Submit report by Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration, seeking approval
for a draft Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) 2024-2029.
6 NET ZERO COOPERATION AGREEMENT 93 - 99 
Submit report by Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood, seeking permission
to enter a Net Zero Cooperation Agreement developed between West
Dunbartonshire Council and Glasgow City Council. The Agreement 
proposes to share expertise, skills, resources and infrastructure to help deliver
the Council’s Climate Change Action Plans to deliver Net Zero ambitions.
7/
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7 LEASE OF WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE ACTIVITY CENTRE 101 - 104 
73 ARDOCH CRESCENT, BRUCEHILL, DUMBARTON G82 4EN 
Submit report by Chief Officer – Resources seeking approval of the lease of
West Dunbartonshire Activity Centre to West Dunbartonshire Gymnastics Club.
8 LEASE OF EAST END FOOTBALL PITCH GLASGOW ROAD, 105 - 108
DUMBARTON G82 1RH
Submit report by Chief Officer – Resources seeking approval to transfer East
End Football Pitch and associated Pavilion, Glasgow Road, Dumbarton G82
1RH to St Patrick’s Former Pupils.
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL
Report by Chief Officer Regulatory & Regeneration
Infrastructure Regeneration and Economic Development Committee:
21 February 2024
Subject: Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) 2024-2029
1. Purpose
1.1  The purpose of this report is to obtain approval for a draft Local Heat and
Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) 2024-2029.
2. Recommendations
2.1  The Committee is invited to:
(i) Approve the draft Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy 2024-2029 and
delegate authority to the Chief Officer Regulatory & Regeneration to deliver
against this plan;
(ii) Authorise commencement of public consultation of draft LHEES, following
approval; and
(iii)Authorise development of Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Delivery Plan
(LHEEDP) in line with the draft LHEES.
3. Background
3.1 Scottish Government has set ambitious targets that aim to ensure our homes
and buildings produce net zero carbon emissions and no longer contribute to
climate change or fuel poverty by 2045. To meet these targets almost all
homes, public buildings and businesses will need to increase their energy
efficiency and install zero emissions heating. A statutory order was passed by
the Scottish Government that requires all local authorities to develop Local
Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) and Delivery Plans. Locally-
led planning, coordination and delivery of heat transitions across public and
private sectors will ensure the specific needs of communities are met and
LHEES will be the principal mechanism to develop this approach.
3.2 The LHEES for West Dunbartonshire will underpin an area-based, local
authority wide approach to heat and energy efficiency planning and delivery.
An LHEES sets out the strategic framework for decarbonising heat and
improving energy efficiency within buildings in West Dunbartonshire. This
Strategy is the first for West Dunbartonshire, and will be required to then be
updated at intervals of no more than five years. The strategic plan has been
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developed by following Scottish Government’s LHEES methodology and is
therefore framed around the following considerations:
• Heat Networks;
• Off Gas Buildings;
• On Gas Buildings;
• Poor Building Energy Efficiency / Poor Building Energy Efficiency as a Driver
for Fuel Poverty; and
• Mixed Tenure, Mixed Use and Historic Buildings.
3.3 Delivering on their LHEESs is the principal way in which local authorities will
contribute to achieving the ambitious targets set out in Scotland's Heat in
Buildings Strategy. The Heat in Buildings Strategy (2021) sets the Scottish
Government’s vision for the future of heat in buildings, with targets for 2030
including:
• Emissions from homes and non-domestic buildings to fall by 68% (versus
2020);
• At least 22% of heat in buildings is to be directly supplied from renewable
sources;
• Where technically and legally feasible, and cost-effective, a large majority of
buildings should achieve a good level of energy efficiency; and
• Over 50,000 non-domestic buildings are converted to zero emissions heat.
3.4  LHEES Strategies should also consider how they contribute to meeting
statutory targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and fuel poverty,
including:
• Net zero emissions by 2045 and 75% reduction by 2030; and
• In 2040, as far as reasonably possible, no household in Scotland is in fuel
poverty.
3.5  West Dunbartonshire Council’s LHEES is further driven by local emissions
and fuel poverty ambitions set out in Climate Change Strategy and Climate
Change Action Plan. The Council aims to:
• Achieve ‘net-zero’ by 2045, with interim carbon reduction targets of 61% by
2030-31 and 87% by 2040-41;
• Continue to take action to reduce energy consumption and improve energy
and water efficiency in our buildings and across our operations;
• Continue to reduce energy demand and decarbonise heat supply in the
Clydebank area and Queens Quay heat network; and
• Further reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency in our
social housing and fuel poor households, ensuring fuel poverty and the
decarbonisation of housing are key to achieving a net zero carbon future.
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4. Main Issues
4.1 The aim of the LHEES document is to:
• Set out how the building stock needs to change to meet national and local
objectives, including achieving net zero carbon emissions in the building
sector, and the removing poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty;
• Identify strategic heat decarbonisation zones, and set out the principal
measures for reducing buildings emissions within each zone; and
• Prioritise areas for delivery, against national and local priorities.
4.2 West Dunbartonshire’s current building stock was modelled in terms of its
characteristics, energy efficiency and level of heat decarbonisation, split by
domestic and non-domestic properties to provide a baseline analysis.
Domestic building stock equates to a total of 93.6% of all the buildings within
the local authority, with a total count of 46,252, and a heat demand of 517.4
GWh per year (80% of the local authority’s total). Of the c.46,000 homes in
West Dunbartonshire:
• Almost half (44%) of domestic properties are small blocks of flats/converted
flats and blocks of flats; 23%, and 21% respectively, presenting greater
opportunities for more holistic energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation
interventions;
• Four in ten (40%) of all wall types remain uninsulated, including 15% cavity
wall construction, and 8% of lofts have less than 99mm of insulation, showing
potential for low regrets energy efficiency improvements (low regrets are
relatively low cost interventions, with relatively large benefits based on
projected future climate changes); and
• The vast majority of domestic properties (91%) use gas as their main heating
fuel, this is significantly higher than the national average (80%), and present a
greater heat decarbonisation challenge.
4.3  Within West Dunbartonshire the non-domestic building stock equates to a
total of 6.4% of all the buildings, with a total count of 3,147, and a heat
demand of 144.5 GWh per year (20% of the local authority total).
The c.3k non-domestic building stock within West Dunbartonshire have been
summarised by various characteristics, providing counts and heating demand
for each characteristic category:
• The majority of non-domestic buildings, 68%, are comprised of retail, office
and light manufacturing and account for 51% of heat demand across the local
authority area; and
• Over one third of buildings were built before 1919, which will like make it more
challenging to significantly increase energy efficiency.
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4.4 Data on the building stock of West Dunbartonshire has been analysed to
inform the selection of LHEES Strategic Zones, which are large areas of focus
for wide-scale delivery of heat decarbonisation solutions. Strategic Zones are
useful to understand the baseline performance, the scale of potential and
initial areas of focus, which can be used to inform the identification of Delivery
Areas and follow-on engagement.
Heat Network Strategic Zones
4.5 The LHEES has developed a series of Heat Network Zones, within which a
focus will be given to developing heat networks. In order to identify Heat
Network Zones, “heat-dense” areas have been identified – that is, areas in
which a heat network would be able to deliver a lot of heat with a small length
of pipework. As an initial indication of heat network viability, a linear heat
density threshold of 4 MWh/year/m has been used. Anchor loads are
buildings in heat networks with high heat demand and that would be simple to
connect to – for example public sector buildings like leisure centres and
schools. Heat Network Zones with a higher number of anchor loads –
buildings with high heat demand and simple connection potential, such as
leisure centres and schools - have been prioritised. Through stakeholder
engagement, fuel poverty has been identified as an ongoing focus for West
Dunbartonshire. Therefore, indicators of fuel poverty and extreme fuel poverty
have been used to identify Heat Network Zones within which there is a
greater number of properties in fuel poverty. Five Heat Network Zones ranked
highest for overall viability were selected for inclusion in the Strategy. A total
of seven Heat Network Strategic Zones were identified using this analysis and
further stakeholder consultation:
• Clydebank, including existing Queens Quay Heat Network;
• Golden Jubilee Hospital;
• Dalmuir;
• Littleholm;
• Kilbowie;
• Dumbarton; and
• Alexandria.
Clydebank Combined Heat Network Strategic Zone
4.6 The three most southerly networks of the five top ranking zones (Clydebank,
Littleholm and Kilbowie) were combined into a larger Combined Heat Network
Zone. This provides a larger area in the vicinity of the existing Queens Quay
heat network in which new heat networks, or extensions of existing, may be
delivered.
4.7 In addition to the three Zones identified through the LHEES analysis and
ranking exercise, the stakeholder consultation recommended the addition of
two other Heat Network Zones within the Combined Heat Network Zone; the
Golden Jubilee Hospital, and Dalmuir Flats. Radnor Park Kilbowie is also
highlighted within the Combined Heat Network Zone as an additional potential
area of expansion.
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4.8 Expansion options for the existing Queens Quay heat network were assessed
in an Outline Business Case (OBC) in 2022, which indicated initial economic
viability of a potential for expansion of the network from Clydebank to the
Golden Jubilee Hospital (currently being actively pursued) and Dalmuir Flats.
Another future expansion to Radnor Park, Kilbowie was also identified in this
study, although not an initial priority. Further expansion potential of the
network may be possible at Exxon and Carless site and will be reviewed as
the sites progress.
4.9 A heat network in this Combined Heat Network Zone could be supplied by the
existing Queens Quay Energy Centre, which currently houses two Water
Source Heat Pumps with a heating capacity of 2.65 MW each, and two
backup boilers (7 MW each), supplying flow temperatures of approximately
75°C, and return temperatures of 45°C. A cross-boundary extension of heat
networks eastwards into Glasgow is a further possibility following engagement
with Glasgow City Council. The case is strengthened by the presence of West
Dunbartonshire’s large area of interest for heat networks north of Clydebank,
on the local authority boundary.
Dumbarton Heat Network Strategic Zone
4.10 Analysis identifies Dumbarton as an area of strategic interest for Heat
Network Zone development due to a high heat demand of 23.1GWh/year,
with 10.2GWh/year from five anchor loads within the zone (St James Retail
Park; Morrisons Superstore; Dumbarton Football Stadium; Unit 23
Skatepark; Castle Street (Local Development Plan (LDP) Site). Two Local
Development Plan sites are located within the zone with a total of 305
residential units. Potential heat sources within the zone include: River Clyde
and Leven with possibility for Water Source Heat Pumps, and potential heat
resources at Energie Fitness; and Dumbarton Primary Substation. There
are constraints at this site, namely A814 Glasgow Road isolating St James
Retail Park from other four anchor loads and limiting any expansion North.
This site would require initial preliminary feasibility studies to determine
financial viability and identify low carbon heat opportunities in the area.
Alexandria Heat Network Strategic Zone
4.11 Due to a high proportion of publicly owned anchor loads, Alexandria has also
been identified as an area of strategic interest for Heat Network Zone
development. Four identified anchor loads (Vale of Leven District Hospital;
The Vale Centre GP Practice; Vale Of Leven Swimming Pool; Lomond
Galleries Shopping Centre) have a combined heat demand of 5.1 GWh/year;
8.8GWh/year total heat demand for the strategic zone. A Biomass Boiler is
present within the Vale of Leven District Hospital with greenspace South in
Christie Park potential for Ground Source Heat Pump boreholes. The zone is
also within an area of “Hot Sedimentary Aquifers”, which are potential good
sources of geothermal energy. Balloch Primary Substation is also a potential
heat resource. There are no major infrastructure constraints for heat network
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deployment within the identified zone. As with Dumbarton Heat Network
Strategic Zone, this site would require preliminary feasibility studies to
determine financial viability and certainty of low carbon heat opportunities.
Heat Network Strategic Zones Summary
4.12 The LHEES has identified a total of 7 Heat Network Strategic Zones, with a
combined heat demand of 162.6 GWh/year. Delivering these heat networks
could therefore deliver 19% of the total heat demand for West Dunbartonshire,
exceeding the 8% target for heat networks set nationally in the Heat Networks
(Scotland) Act.
Off Gas and On Gas Grid Strategic Zones
4.13 The LHEES Off Gas Grid and On Gas Grid Considerations focus on how to
decarbonise homes by installing heat pumps. Heat pumps operate most
efficiently in buildings that are well insulated and therefore can operate
heating systems at lower temperatures. For this reason, analysis of the impact
of the Off Gas Grid and On Gas Grid Considerations include energy efficiency
interventions that may need to be carried out to properties to be able to install
heat pumps. The analysis separates buildings into four different categories
depending on their “heat pump readiness” based on several different
characteristics of the building fabric:
• Heritage – listed buildings and those in conservation areas can be more
difficult to install heat pumps due to affordability of energy efficiency retrofit
and visual amenity of the Heat Pump unit;
• Building fabric - properties with insulated walls, loft insulation and double
glazing already installed are more readily suitable for heat pump retrofit; and
• Current heating fuel – properties already heated with low carbon systems are
excluded from the analysis. Properties heated by solid fuels, LPG and oil
indicate more immediate potential for heat pump retrofit.
4.14 Each Off Gas and On Gas Data Zone undergoes a second weighted ranking
process encompassing additional indicators relating to Fuel Poverty and the
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) which impact West
Dunbartonshire’s roll-out of retrofitting within the local authority. This analysis
indicates five top ranking Off Gas Strategic Zones where heat pump
installation could be considered:
• Singer and Clydebank South;
• Drumry;
• Leven;
• Drumry; and
• Clydebank East.
A further five On Gas Strategic Zones are also indicated as potentially suitable
areas to focus heat pump installation:
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• Lomond;
• Alexandria;
• Dumbarton;
• Bonhill; and
• Dalreoch.
Poor Building Energy Efficiency and Poor Building Energy Efficiency as
a Driver of Fuel Poverty Strategic Zones
4.15 These LHEES considerations aim to tackle poor building energy efficiency in
West Dunbartonshire by identifying Strategic Zones to focus rolling out retrofit
programmes that bring homes up to a higher standard. For properties in fuel
poverty, additional consideration is given to how poor energy efficiency may
be impacting the ability of occupants to afford heating their homes. Some
simple indicators of poor building energy efficiency and fuel poverty have
been used to identify properties with poor energy efficiency and poor energy
efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty in West Dunbartonshire:
• Uninsulated walls;
• Loft insulation <100mm;
• Fuel poverty: estimated fuel bill is >10% of income after housing costs;
• Extreme fuel poverty estimated fuel bill is >20% of income after housing costs;
and
• SIMD is also used to identify areas with other causes of deprivation.
4.16 Poor building energy efficiency is a recognised factor that can contribute to
fuel poverty, thus the removal of poor energy efficiency measures will impact
and contribute to Scotland’s statutory target of no households being in fuel
poverty as far as reasonably possible by 2040. The top ranking Poor Building
Energy Efficiency Strategic Zones where energy efficiency retrofit
programmes should be focused are:
• Singer and Clydebank South;
• Drumry;
• Alexandria;
• Clydebank; and
• Balloch;
Mixed tenure, mixed use and buildings in Conservation Areas Strategic
Zones
4.17 This LHEES consideration aims to highlight areas in which heat
decarbonisation may be difficult to deliver, due to ownership and tenure of the
properties, or the potential heritage impacts of installing heat pumps and
retrofitting buildings to higher levels of energy efficiency. This analysis covers
four main focus areas:
• Mixed tenure buildings;
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• Mixed use buildings;
• Listed buildings; and
• Conservation areas.
4.18 To enable the identification of the top five Data Zones for integration and
further interrogation within an LHEES Delivery Plan, all 121 Data Zones within
West Dunbartonshire have been ranked based upon aggregated counts of
properties within each indicators, with a weighting per indicator rank also
applied to generate an overall ranking. The Strategic Zones for Mixed Tenure,
Mixed Use and Conservation Areas are:
• Dumbarton;
• Dalreoch;
• Kilpatrick;
• Dumbarton; and
• Dumbarton.
Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Delivery Plan
4.19 Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Delivery Plan (LHEEDP) for West
Dunbartonshire will be developed over the coming months. This Delivery Plan
will cover the first five-year period of heat decarbonisation and energy
efficiency interventions, based on the priorities set out in the Strategy. This will
focus on projects at a more granular scale and Delivery Areas, which includes
smaller clusters of buildings and individual streets. Stakeholder engagement
is a key theme through LHEES, and as part of the Delivery Plan a Monitoring
and Evaluation Plan will be developed. This will set out how the Council will
approach engagement with stakeholder groups and may also include more
targeted awareness and engagement campaigns in the prioritised Strategic
Zones and Delivery Areas. The Council will ensure Delivery Areas and actions
set out in the LHEEDP will align with existing heat decarbonisation and energy
efficiency programmes and plans in the local authority, and can draw on
existing funding programmes and schemes. LHEEDP will be subject to a
further report to Committee prior to publication.
Challenges
4.20 The delivery of heat network zones and energy efficiency retrofit across the
entire local authority area is a vast undertaking and there are many
challenges that West Dunbartonshire Council and our businesses and
communities will have to address:
• Funding gap – financing large scale infrastructure and energy efficiency
interventions is expected to have colossal costs. Funding from Scottish
Government and other public funding sources needs to be maximised, private
sector funding needs to be leveraged in, and support is required for local
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businesses and communities to ensure they access available funding
streams;
• Viability – heat networks require electricity for operation, irrespective of the
renewable heat source, and many potential developments will only be viable
if electricity can be supplied directly from a renewable source;
• Retrofit – progress is being made in the retrofit of energy efficiency
measures, however a more holistic ‘whole home’ approach is needed to
maximise available funding and ensure a no regrets delivery;
• Skills gap – both within the Council and across the market there is a
significant gap in skills and knowledge. We need to consider training for staff
internally to ensure concerns about renewable technologies and procedures
for retrofit heat and energy efficiency measures are addressed. There is a
significant lack of skilled workforce within the green jobs sector and this
requires our influence to boost education and training in green industries
within the local authority area;
• Behaviour change – heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency retrofit can
change the way that homes and buildings operate to ensure efficiency. Public
acceptance of new technologies and behaviour change towards heating
controls and operating systems will need a clear focus; and
• Just Transition – when making evidence based decisions on the delivery of
LHEES, there needs to be an assurance that we do not adversely affect our
communities and businesses; the cost to achieve net zero should not burden
those least able to pay.
5. People Implications
5.1 There are no additional people implications related to this Strategy.
6. Financial and Procurement Implications
6.1 Scottish Government funding of £75,000 per year has been allocated to the
development of LHEES and has enabled the appointment of an LHEES
Officer and Consultancy for data analysis. There is scope to use this funding
for further engagement and feasibility studies to inform the development of the
Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Delivery Plan. More detailed costings will be
provided for specific projects in the LHEEDP, alongside plans to access
Scottish Government, private sector and external funding mechanisms.
6.2 There are no procurement issues in relation to the Strategy within this paper;
however each potential project identified during the development of the
Delivery Plan will require an appropriate procurement process.
7. Risk Analysis
7.1 The consultation process with partners and key stakeholders ensured that the
content of the strategy is appropriate, and through development of the
Delivery Plan risk will be assessed and managed.
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8. Environmental Sustainability
8.1 The Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 sets a statutory
requirement for Scottish public bodies to carry out a Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA) of the expected environmental impacts of strategies
expected to have a significant environmental impact. At this stage, the
Strategy is in Draft and following consultation, a screening assessment will be
completed to determine the need for an SEA.
9 Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)
9.1 The Strategy has been impact assessed and is relevant to the general
equality duty. The Strategy will assist with reducing inequality and has
potential to produce positive impacts. A range of actions in support of this are
noted in the EIA which is available as Appendix 2 to this report.
10. Consultation
10.1 An internal stakeholder consultation process across Council services was
undertaken to obtain feedback the baselining data and proposed Strategic
Zones. Finalised Delivery Areas were interrogated at an external stakeholder
consultation with key contributors including: RSLs; NHS; Police Scotland;
Scottish Water; and low carbon heating specialists. The draft Strategy was
also presented to Chief Officers for initial comment.
10.2 Following the approval of the draft Strategy, a full public consultation will
commence over a six week period. The Consultation plan will be developed to
ensure meaningful and targeted engagement with groups and organisations
of interest through surveys and social media. Comments from the consultation
will be included in revisions to the final Strategy.
11. Strategic Assessment
11.1 The Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy 2024-2029 provides a clear
strategic area-based, local authority wide approach to heat and energy
efficiency planning and delivery. The Strategy will help determine how and
where we focus our resources and to achieve our ambitious net zero and fuel
poverty aims. It responds to various local, regional and national policies and
strategies. These include:
• West Dunbartonshire - Council Strategic Plan;
• West Dunbartonshire - Climate Change Strategy;
• Scottish Government - Heat in Buildings Strategy (2021);
• Scottish Government – Tackling Fuel Poverty in Scotland: A Strategic
Approach (2021); and
• Scottish Government – Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021.
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Alan Douglas
Chief Officer, Regulatory & Regeneration
Date: 14 February 2024
Person to Contact: Gillian McNamara, Economic Development Manager,
Council Offices, Church Street, Dumbarton, G82 1QL.
T: 07815705769
Email: Gillian.mcnamara@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Appendices: Appendix 1 - Glossary
Appendix 2 - EIA- Local Heat and Energy Efficiency
Strategy (LHEES) 2024-2029
Appendix 3 - Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy
(LHEES) 2024-2029 Draft
Wards Affected: All Wards
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Glossary
EPC Energy Performance Certificate
DZ Data Zone
GSHP Ground Source Heat Pump
HN Heat Network
HNZ Heat Network Zone
IZ Intermediate Zone
LDP Local Development Plan
LHEES Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy
LHEEDP Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Deli
LPG Liquified Petroleum Gas
MW Mega Watt
MWh Mega Watt Hour
OBC Outline Business Case
SIMD Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
WSHP Water Source Heat Pump
ITEM 5 -
APPENDIX 1
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AssessmentNo 875 Owner amanda.kean
Resource
Regeneration,
Environment
and Growth
Service/Establishment Regeneration
First Name Surname Job title
Head Officer Amanda Kean Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy
(LHEES) Officer
(include job titles/organisation)
Members Rachel Moir, Climate Change and Energy Coordinator; Ricardo Rea, P
and S Officer
(Please note: the word 'policy' is used as shorthand for stategy
policy function or financial decision)
Policy Title Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) 2024-2029
The aim, objective,purpose and intended out come of policy
Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) are at the heart of
a place based, locally led and tailored approach to the heat transition.
The LHEES Strategy for West Dunbartonshire will underpin an area-
based approach to heat and energy efficiency planning and delivery. An
LHEES Strategy sets out the strategic framework for decarbonising heat
and improving energy efficiency within buildings in West
Dunbartonshire. The LHEES and LHEEDP will affect buildings in the
local authority – both domestic and non-domestic, for example by
targeting areas in which energy efficiency projects and heat pump
rollouts may be carried out. This Strategy is the first for West
Dunbartonshire, and will be required to then be updated at intervals of
no more than five years.
Service/Partners/Stakeholders/service users involved in the
development and/or implementation of policy.
Housing, Planning, Asset Management, Roads, Communities
Does the proposals involve the procurement of any goods or
services? Yes
If yes please confirm that you have contacted our
procurement services to discuss your requirements. No
SCREENING
You must indicate if there is any relevance to the four areas
Duty to eliminate discrimination (E), advance equal
opportunities (A) or foster good relations (F) Yes
Relevance to Human Rights (HR) Yes
Relevance to Health Impacts (H) Yes
Relevance to Social Economic Impacts (SE) Yes
Who will be affected by this policy?
Members of the public, community planning partners, businesses in WDC, Council staff,
community organizations
Who will be/has been involved in the consultation process?
An internal stakeholder consultation process across Council services was undertaken to
obtain feedback the baselining data and proposed Strategic Zones. Finalised Delivery
Areas were interrogated at an external stakeholder consultation with key contributors
ITEM 5 - APPENDIX 2
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including: RSLs; NHS; Police Scotland; Scottish Water; and low carbon heating
specialists. The draft Strategy was also presented to Chief Officers for initial comment.
Following the approval of the draft Strategy, a full public consultation will commence
over a six week period. The Consultation plan will be developed to ensure meaningful
and targeted engagement with groups and organisations of interest through surveys
and social media. Comments from the consultation will be included in revisions to the
final Strategy.
Please outline any particular need/barriers which equality groups may have in
relation to this policy list evidence you are using to support this and whether
there is any negative impact on particular groups.
 
Needs Evidence Impact
Age
Young people should
be engaged in the
Strategy. The needs
of older people and
their carers should
be addressed.
In the UK in 21/22,
Working age people
are slight more
likely (1 in 5) to be
in poverty compared
to pensioners (1 in
6).
A key driver for
LHEES is our
statutory target for
fuel poverty, that in
2040, as far as
reasonably possible,
no household in
Scotland is in fuel
poverty. LHEES will
have a particular
focus on
understanding
where poor energy
efficiency is a driver
of fuel poverty,
facilitating the
targeting of support
to help alleviate fuel
poverty.
Cross Cutting
We should examine
Intersectional
impacts.
For examples,
poverty and fuel
poverty higher for
women, BME,
disabled people
multiples negative
impacts for people
who are members of
more than one of
these groups.
Potentially beneficial
if fuel poverty is
reduced.
Disability
Disabled people are
a priority group of
tackling child
poverty
Disabled people are
more likely to be
income deprived/be
in relative poverty.
This is partly driven
by higher costs
correlated with
being disabled
A key driver for
LHEES is our
statutory target for
fuel poverty, that in
2040, as far as
reasonably possible,
no household in
Scotland is in fuel
poverty. LHEES will
have a particular
focus on
understanding
where poor energy
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efficiency is a driver
of fuel poverty,
facilitating the
targeting of support
to help alleviate fuel
poverty.
Social & Economic
Impact
We have a globally
competitive,
entrepreneurial,
inclusive and
sustainable
economy. We live in
communities that
are inclusive,
empowered,
resilient and safe
Businesses are
struggling to meet
rising fuel costs and
still recovering from
impact of the
pandemic. More
than 1 in 5 people in
the UK (22%) were
in poverty in
2021/22 – 14.4
million people. This
included: 8.1 million
(or around 2 in 10)
working-age adults
4.2 million (or
nearly 3 in 10)
children 2.1 million
(or around 1 in 6)
pensioners. Poverty
rates have returned
to around their pre-
pandemic levels, as
middle-income
household incomes
rose at the same
time as a range of
temporary
coronavirus-related
support was
withdrawn.
The LHEES
Strategies and
Delivery Plans will
help target public
and private funding
and finance into
local heat
decarbonisation and
energy efficiency
projects. LHEES will
provide a platform
for local community
engagement in the
heat transition,
creating
opportunities for
communities to help
shape the net zero
heat transition in
their locality.
Sex
Women who
comprise 90% of
single parents for
example, are a
propriety in terms of
tackling child
poverty
Women are more
likely to be income
deprived/be in
relative poverty.
A key driver for
LHEES is our
statutory target for
fuel poverty, that in
2040, as far as
reasonably possible,
no household in
Scotland is in fuel
poverty. LHEES will
have a particular
focus on
understanding
where poor energy
efficiency is a driver
of fuel poverty,
facilitating the
targeting of support
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to help alleviate fuel
poverty.
Gender Reassign
All homes and
buildings need to be
safe and accessible
for all people
No evidence there
would be any impact
Unlikely to be any
differential impact
Health
Physical activity and
social interactions
are required to
improve health and
wellbeing for all, and
specifically for
young and older
people.
LHEES will have a
particular focus on
understanding
where poor energy
efficiency is a driver
of fuel poverty
within a local
authority area. By
supporting planning
for net zero in the
context of alleviation
of fuel poverty and
facilitating planning
for investment in
more energy
efficient homes,
LHEES will
contribute to
warmer, healthier
environments for
people to live in.
The strategy will
help to deliver
energy efficiency
improvements and
heat decarbonisation
across all building
sectors
Human Rights
In line with the UN
Convention on
Rights of the Child
children and young
people should be
able to participate in
the Strategy Process.
The human rights
act gives people the
right to freedom of
expression, freedom
from discrimination,
and freedom to
enjoy property.
Article 8 also
protects
participation.
Children and young
people tend to be an
under represented
group in
consultation and
engagement.
In line with the
statutory duty to
engage with the
public at large and
certain under
represented groups,
including children
and young people,
we will enable
people to express
their views on
LHEES.
Marriage & Civil
Partnership
All homes and
buildings need to be
safe and accessible
for all people
No evidence there
would be any impact
Unlikely to be any
differential impact
Pregnancy &
Maternity
Women tend to be
impacted financially
by pregnancy and
maternity, and are
often more involved
in care for children
Women more likely
to be income
deprived/be in
relative poverty.
A key driver for
LHEES is our
statutory target for
fuel poverty, that in
2040, as far as
reasonably possible,
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no household in
Scotland is in fuel
poverty. LHEES will
have a particular
focus on
understanding
where poor energy
efficiency is a driver
of fuel poverty,
facilitating the
targeting of support
to help alleviate fuel
poverty.
Race
BME Groups are a
propriety in terms of
tackling child
poverty
People from most
Black Minority
Ethnic groups, and
Gypsy/Travellers
are more likely to be
income deprived/be
in relative poverty
A key driver for
LHEES is our
statutory target for
fuel poverty, that in
2040, as far as
reasonably possible,
no household in
Scotland is in fuel
poverty. LHEES will
have a particular
focus on
understanding
where poor energy
efficiency is a driver
of fuel poverty,
facilitating the
targeting of support
to help alleviate fuel
poverty.
Religion and Belief
All homes and
buildings in WDC
need to be safe and
accessible for all
people
No evidence there
would be any impact
Unlikely to be any
differential impact
Sexual Orientation
All homes and
buildings in WDC
need to be safe and
accessible for all
people
No evidence there
would be any impact
Unlikely to be any
differential impact
Actions
Policy has a negative impact on an equality group,but is still to be implemented,
please provide justification for this.
Will the impact of the policy be monitored and reported on an ongoing bases?
The outcomes and impacts of LHEES will be reported to and monitored by the Climate
Change Action Group on a monthly basis. The Strategy will be reviewed and updated at
least every five years.
Q7 What is you recommendation for this policy?
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Intoduce
Please provide a meaningful summary of how you have reached the
recommendation
EIA 875 has identified a range of positive impacts for equality groups. There are likely
to be significant positive Health and Socio-Economic Impacts. We will consult with a
wide range of community organisations including the West Dunbartonshire Equality
forum on the draft LHEES and update EIA 875 accordingly, based on the outputs of the
consultation.
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Local Heat and Energy
Efficiency Strategy
Strategy                 
ITEM 5 - APPENDIX 3
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Contents
Overview of LHEES ........................................................................................................................................ 4
The role of Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies ........................................................................... 5
Policy and Strategy .................................................................................................................................... 6
Engagement and consultation .................................................................................................................... 10
Stakeholder identification ....................................................................................................................... 10
Primary stakeholders .......................................................................................................................... 10
Secondary stakeholders ...................................................................................................................... 10
LHEES Engagement ................................................................................................................................. 11
Stage 3 – 4: Strategic Zoning and Pathways, Generation of Initial Delivery Areas ............................. 11
Stage 6: Finalisation of Delivery Areas ................................................................................................ 12
Project governance ................................................................................................................................. 14
Consultation ............................................................................................................................................ 14
Future engagement ................................................................................................................................ 15
Local authority progress ................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Considerations, Targets and Indicators ...................................................................................................... 16
Heat networks ......................................................................................................................................... 17
Targets ................................................................................................................................................ 17
Indicators ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Detailed summary ............................................................................................................................... 17
Off gas grid and On gas grid .................................................................................................................... 18
Targets ................................................................................................................................................ 18
Indicators ............................................................................................................................................ 18
Detailed summary .................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Poor building energy efficiency and Poor building energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty .......... 19
Targets ................................................................................................................................................ 19
Indicators ............................................................................................................................................ 19
Detailed summary .................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Mixed tenure, mixed use and buildings in Conservation Areas ............................................................. 19
Targets ................................................................................................................................................ 19
Indicators ............................................................................................................................................ 20
Detailed summary .................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Baselining of building performance ............................................................................................................ 21
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Domestic ................................................................................................................................................. 21
Property characteristics ...................................................................................................................... 21
Energy efficiency and heating ............................................................................................................. 23
Heritage ............................................................................................................................................... 28
Non-domestic .......................................................................................................................................... 28
Generation of Strategic Zones and Pathways ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Strategic Zone Ranking .............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Heat networks ............................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Screening methodology ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Ranking ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Off gas grid ................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Screening methodology ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Ranking ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Finalised Strategic Zones ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
On gas grid ................................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Screening methodology ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Ranking ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Finalised Strategic Zones ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Poor building energy efficiency and poor building energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty .... Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Screening methodology ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Ranking ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Finalised Strategic Zones ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Mixed tenure and mixed use ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Screening methodology ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Ranking ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Summary of Strategy and next steps ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Heat networks ............................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Heat pumps and energy efficiency ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
LHEES Delivery Plan.................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
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Glossary
ASHP Air Source Heat Pump
EPC Energy Performance Certificate
DZ Data Zone
GSHP Ground Source Heat Pump
HN Heat Network
HNZ Heat Network Zone
IZ Intermediate Zone
LHEES Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy
LPG Liquified Petroleum Gas
NAEI National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory
OBC Outline Business Case
PEAT Portfolio Energy Analysis Tool
QQDHN Queens Quay District Heat Network
SIMD Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
SSEN Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
SPEN Scottish Power Energy Networks
SGN Scottish Gas Networks
UPRN Unique Property Reference Number
WSHP Water Source Heat Pump
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Overview of LHEES
The role of Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies
Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) are at the heart of a place based, locally led and
tailored approach to the heat transition. The LHEES Strategy for West Dunbartonshire will underpin an
area-based approach to heat and energy efficiency planning and delivery.
The LHEES Strategy sets out the strategic framework for decarbonising heat and improving energy
efficiency within buildings in West Dunbartonshire. This Strategy is the first for West Dunbartonshire,
and will be required to then be updated at intervals of no more than five years.
The strategic plan has been developed by following Scottish Government’s LHEES methodology and is
therefore framed around the following Considerations:
• Heat Networks
• Off Gas Buildings
• On Gas Buildings
• Poor Building Energy Efficiency / Poor Building Energy Efficiency as a Driver for Fuel Poverty
• Mixed Tenure, Mixed Use and Historic Buildings
The full process of developing LHEES is outlined below. West Dunbartonshire has worked through the
full process, from Policy and Strategy Review through to Finalisation of Delivery Areas. This document,
the Strategy, is informed by the analysis and stakeholder engagement through the whole process, but
specifically sets out the Strategic Zoning and Pathways. This sets the direction of travel for West
Dunbartonshire, and sets out large-scale Strategic Zones in which focus will be given to developing and
rolling out heat decarbonisation solutions. More detailed work, including the Building Level Pathway
Assessment and Finalisation of Delivery Areas, will be published as part of the LHEES Delivery Plan.
Figure 0—1 LHEES methodology (Scottish Government)
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The aim of the LHEES Strategy document is to:
• set out how the building stock needs to change to meet national and local objectives, including
achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions across all areas, and the removal of poor energy
efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty;
• identify strategic heat decarbonisation zones, and set out the principal measures for reducing
buildings emissions within each zone; and
• prioritise areas for delivery, against national and local priorities.
Policy and Strategy
Completion of an LHEES Strategy will support the Scottish Government to understand further the
national landscape for the delivery of heat decarbonisation and ensure local authorities are delivering
changes to help achieve Scotland’s statutory targets as set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy.
The Heat in Buildings Strategy (2021) sets the Scottish Government’s vision for the future of heat in
buildings, with targets for 2030 including:
• Emissions from homes and non-domestic buildings to fall by 68% by 2030 (versus 2020).
• At least 22% of heat in buildings is to be directly supplied from renewable sources by 2030.
• Where technically and legally feasible, and cost-effective, a large majority of buildings should
achieve a good level of energy efficiency.
• Over 50,000 non-domestic buildings are converted to zero emissions heat.
Although predominantly dominated by the Heat in Buildings Strategy, an LHEES Strategy is also driven
by Scotland’s statutory targets for greenhouse gas emissions reduction and fuel poverty whose targets
are:
• Net zero emissions by 2045 and 75% reduction by 2030.
• In 2040, as far as reasonably possible, no household in Scotland is in fuel poverty.
West Dunbartonshire Council’s LHEES is further driven by local emissions and fuel poverty ambitions set
out in Climate Change Strategy and Climate Change Action Plan.  The Council aims to:
• Achieve ‘net-zero’ by 2045, with interim carbon reduction targets of 61% by 2030-31 and 87% by
2040-41;
• Continue to take action to reduce energy consumption and improve energy and water efficiency
in our buildings and across our operations;
• Continue to reduce energy demand and decarbonise heat supply in the Clydebank area and
Queens Quay heat network; and
• Further reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency in our social housing and fuel
poor households, ensuring fuel poverty and the decarbonisation of housing are key to achieving
a net zero carbon future.
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Table 0—1 Review of National and Local Strategies and Polices relating to LHEES
National
Policy/Strategy/Plan Description Targets/Actions
Climate Change 
(Emissions 
Reduction Targets) 
(Scotland) Act 2019 
Targets to reduce Scotland's
emissions of all greenhouse gas
emissions to net-zero. 
LHEES will set out area based plan
to deliver decarbonation of heating
across all sectors. 
75% reduction in emissions by 2030
and Net-zero by 2045 
Heat in Buildings 
Strategy 
Building on the policies and actions
set out in the 2020 Climate Change
Plan, this Strategy sets out a
pathway to zero emissions buildings
by 2045 and details a series of near-
term actions, as well as a range of
further, longer-term commitments
to accelerate and further scale the
transformation of the nation’s
building stock. 
By 2030 over 1 million homes and
50,000 non-domestic buildings to
convert to using zero or low
emissions heating systems. 
LHEES will identify the pathways to
converting these buildings to zero or
low emissions heating. 
Energy Efficient 
Scotland 
Sets out two main objectives:  -
Remove poor energy efficiency as a
driver for fuel poverty; and
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
through more energy efficient
buildings and the decarbonisation of
heat supply. 
LHEES will identify pathways to
improving energy efficiency in
homes across all tenures. 
By 2040 all Scottish homes achieve
an EPC C, where technically and
financially feasible:
- 15% domestic heat demand
reduction by 2032;
- 20% non-domestic heat demand
reduction by 2032
- 35% domestic heat from low
carbon sources by 2032
• 70% non-domestic heat from low
carbon sources by 2032 
Heat Networks 
(Scotland) Act 2021 
Aims to accelerate the deployment
of heat networks in Scotland
through the introduction of a
regulatory system aimed at boosting
consumer confidence in the sector
and providing greater certainty for
investors. 
LHEES will identify potential Heat
Network Zones to enable the setup
and licensing. 
Rules and regulations on heat
networks, including:
- making applications;
- identifying exemptions;
- granting licenses; and
- setting up heat network zones. 
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National Planning 
Framework 4 
The National Planning Framework
(NPF) sets the context for
development planning in Scotland
and provides a framework for the
spatial development of Scotland as
a whole. 
NPF4 requires Local Development
Plans (LDPs) to consider LHEES
delivery areas. 
The spatial strategy of the LDP
should also consider areas of heat
network potential and any
designated Heat Network Zones. 
NPF4 Policy 19 - Heat and Cooling,
encourages LDPs to promote and
facilitate development that supports
decarbonised solutions to heat and
cooling demand and ensure
adaptation to more extreme
temperatures. 
Tackling Child 
Poverty 
Delivery Plan 
2022 - 2026 
Sets out how Scotland will meet the
interim targets set out in Keep the
Promise, and makes commitments
which will affect delivery plans for
retrofitting energy efficiency
measures and heat decarbonisation. 
Heat decarbonisation presents
additional challenges for low
income households. Actions should
only be taken where they will have
no detrimental impact on fuel
poverty rates. Progress to net zero
emissions should not
disproportionately impact on those
least able to pay. 
Local
Climate Change
Strategy
Outlines plans to reduce
environmental impact over the next
five years and beyond.
It sets a route map integrating
climate change mitigation,
adaptation and sustainability
measures into our operations as
well as empowering our
communities to take their own
action to make change. 
Achieve ‘net-zero’ by 2045, with
interim carbon reduction targets of
61% by 2030-31 and 87% by 2040-
41
Local Development
Plan
Sets out the strategy and policies for
the use of land and buildings within
a planning authority area. 
It seeks to identify the most
appropriate locations for new
development while at the same
time protecting the places people
It is a requirement that LDPs are
prepared to be 
consistent with National Planning
Framework 4 
(NPF4) which was adopted in
February 2023. See 
NPF4 for alignment with LHEES. 
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value or which are environmentally
sensitive. 
It is the basis for assessing and
determining applications for
planning permission. 
The development plan consists of
the NPF4 and the adopted West
Dunbartonshire Local Plan (2010). 
Strategic Plan 2022-
2027
A road map for the Council over the
next five years, setting out our
vision for the area. The strategic
priorities explain how the Council
will work to improve the lives of
residents. As well as clearly defining
a set of Council priorities which
directly support and empower
residents, the Council has set out
organisational priorities to inform
how services are run, with an aim to
reduce inequality. 
Four strategic outcomes: 
Our communities – resilient and
thriving;
Our environment – a greener
future;
Our economy – strong and
flourishing; and
Our Council – inclusive and
adaptive. 
Local Housing
Strategy 2022-2027
Sets out how West Dunbartonshire
Council and its partners plan to
address the housing and housing
related opportunities and
challenges over the next five year
period. 
This new plan aims to build on the
significant progress made on the
issues identified in the previous LHS
2017-2022 and to address newly
arising housing matters particularly
in response to the Covid crisis. 
It sets out the local authority’s
strategic 
approach to dealing with key
housing related 
issues such as:
- Delivering high quality housing and
related services across all tenures; 
- Outlining its contribution to the
effective integration of health and
social care; and
- Showing how the LHS is supporting
the 
Scottish Government Targets, whilst
reflecting the needs and priorities of
the area. 
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Engagement and consultation
Developing West Dunbartonshire’s LHEES has necessitated stakeholder engagement. This chapter
details the engagement undertaken to date in the LHEES process, and highlights the future consultation,
engagement and governance structures required through the five-year timescale of West
Dunbartonshire’s LHEES.
Stakeholder identification
Stakeholder mapping was carried out at the commencement of LHEES Stage 3 Strategic Zoning and
Pathways. This resulted in lists of primary and secondary stakeholders to be developed, with whom to
engage through the LHEES.
Primary stakeholders
Primary stakeholders are those that work within West Dunbartonshire Council, with an interest in
LHEES. Key Council Service Areas are:
• Planning
• Assets
• Finance
• Roads and Transport
• Community
• Housing strategy
• Housing development
• Housing building services
• Economic development
• Energy
• West Dunbartonshire Leisure
The Engagement plan for the LHEES included a workshop at the end of LHEES Stage 3-4, at which the
primary stakeholders in the Council had an opportunity to input into the strategic direction of the
project and the approach to shortlisting Strategic Zones.
Secondary stakeholders
The secondary stakeholders identified at the commencement of LHEES Stage 3 are outlined in the table
below.
Table 0—1 LHEES secondary stakeholders
West Dunbartonshire Energy
Energy networks Scottish Water
SSEN, SPEN
SGN
National Grid
Heat network operators
Housing Housing Associations
Registered social landlords
Housebuilders
Local and regional government Neighbouring Local Authorities
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Glasgow City Region (including Clyde Mission)
Key heat network connections NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
West College Scotland
Police Scotland
Marine Technology Park
Key local employers Agrekko
Vale of Leven Industrial Park
Chivas Brothers
Secondary stakeholders were invited to an engagement event at LHEES Stage 6 Finalisation of Delivery
Areas. This enabled the Council to introduce the LHEES process, and for the stakeholders to provide
more detailed local feedback about the Delivery Areas. Building and maintaining these relationships
with external stakeholders is key to LHEES, as the Council will need to work together with external
partners to deliver heat decarbonisation in West Dunbartonshire.
LHEES Engagement
The LHEES process included two stakeholder engagement sessions, at which local stakeholders were
able to provide input into the emerging Strategy.
Stage 3 – 4: Strategic Zoning and Pathways, Generation of Initial Delivery Areas
An internal stakeholder engagement session was run between Stage 3 – 4 of the development of the
LHEES, on 11th October 2023. The aim of this workshop was to introduce the LHEES process to primary
stakeholders – those within the Council – and to ensure that feedback from various Council Service
Areas informed the shortlisting of Strategic Zones and Delivery Areas. 
For each LHEES Consideration, the attendees were introduced to the underlying data and options for
selecting Strategic Zones and Delivery Areas.
Examples of the feedback are captured in Table 0—2  below.
Table 0—2 Stage 3-4 Stakeholder Engagement: Key themes
Consideration Area Stakeholder Feedback
Heat networks Flood risk needs to be considered – especially around Dumbarton town
centre.
Potential for housing development around Sandpoint Marina.
General support for heat networks development in Dumbarton due to mix
of typologies and alignment to fuel poverty alleviation targets.
Off- and on-gas grid
decarbonisation
Retrofit measures Kilbowie Court is owned by the Council and is an
electrically heated building, which has already had
retrofit of building fabric and smart controls installed.
Some types of retrofit measures have not been
undertaken by the Council – including double glazing
and cavity wall insulation. Historically, have had
problems with water ingress causing construction
damage in buildings with retrofit cavity insulation due
to driving rain in the local climate.
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Preferred retrofit approach to date has been external
wall insulation with loft insulation.
Low carbon
heating systems
Clydebank Housing Association have had discussions
around a communal network and have applied for
Scottish Government grant funding to extend the
network to the community centre.
Targets and
priorities
Targeting areas of high fuel poverty has always been,
and will continue to be, the highest priority.
To date, the large rural intermediate zones have not
been the first choice for funding due to low visibility,
but decarbonisation does need to happen across the
whole local authority area.
Current targets have been to meet Scottish
Government targets for EESH and other funding
streams – typically 450 houses per year, but have
done up to 700 homes in a single year.
Risks Availability of investment budget needs to keep up
with inflation of construction costs.
Energy efficiency
and fuel poverty
Strategic Zones Can have very deprived areas directly adjacent to
more affluent areas – better able to pick these out at
the Delivery Area level
Selection of Strategic Zones needs to consider fuel
poverty.
Data issues Homes with poor EPCs already demolished in
Dockfair, Wheatley, Mountblow – but still showing in
Scotland Heat Map data. Every council house in
Castlehill and Dalreoch has already been overclad. 
Stage 6: Finalisation of Delivery Areas
On the 21st November 2023, a stakeholder engagement session was run for the secondary stakeholders.
The aim of this workshop was to socialise the shortlisted Delivery Areas, gain a better understanding of
external stakeholders’ attitudes towards heat decarbonisation in West Dunbartonshire.
Heat networks
Heat networks was a strong focus of the session, driven by the Council’s eagerness to develop heat
network zones. Attendees included Council representatives as well as heat network operators and
potential connections.
Barriers and strengths
The workshop encouraged participants to identify the barriers to achieving proliferation of heat
networks in West Dunbartonshire. Table 0—3 details the key themes that were raised in this session. 
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Table 0—3 Heat networks: barriers and strengths 
Barriers Strengths
Technical Fear of lock-in to one solution in
a heat network
River and railway crossings
Longevity of the solution
Regulatory requirements for
resilience at NHS sites
Grid capacity
Mature technologies and
examples of operational
projects 
Low-grade heat from the river 
Local solar generation
Commercial Numbers of counterparties with
whom to sign connection deals.
Cost of electricity and heat
pumps.
Existing partnership models
and lessons learnt
Champions of heat networks
are now present in West
Dunbartonshire – both Council
and external
Other Attractiveness of heat network
zones outside of Queens Quay
Planning heat networks to
reduce both carbon emissions
and fuel poverty 
Heat Network Zones
The five shortlisted Heat Network Zones were sense-checked with local knowledge, to highlight any data
issues or irregularities. For example significant heat sources, missing demands, or over-representations.
Table 0—4 Heat Network Zones: key outputs
Heat Network Zone Potential Issues
Clydebank Wastewater treatment plant at Dalmuir
Potential for PV farms to generate electricity
for heat pumps
Appetite to extend the network
Dumbarton Wastewater treatment plant at Ardoch
Castlehill wastewater pumping station
Alexandria Scottish Water sewer between Alexandria and
River Leven
Scale of development could catalyse a new heat
network 
Action planning
Participants were encouraged to develop an action plan to deliver heat networks in West
Dunbartonshire.
• Stakeholder engagement
o Appetite was strong for a Council-led Heat Network Zone Coordinator role as a contact
to facilitate stakeholder engagement and to manage relationships in the zone.
o Education is a key part of engagement with potential heat network connections,
requiring a mixture of one-to-one conversations and webinars.
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o There is a need to better understand the existing assets, including energy and other
costs (for example carbon offsetting)
• Zoning strategy
o Larger heat network zones were preferred, to benefit from the economies of scale – for
example resulting in potentially lower heat costs, and being able to deliver greater social
value through scale.
• Technology
o Recovery and reuse of heat, for example recovering heat from cooling of buildings will
be a key theme
o Connecting to meters and the Building Management Systems and being able to operate
the system with smart controls will enable more efficient heat networks
Building fabric retrofit
The LHEES Considerations for Energy Efficiency (in isolation, and as a driver of fuel poverty) were also
discussed with external stakeholders – including the Housing Associations. The attendees were
encouraged to consider actions that need to be carried out as part of the LHEES.
Stakeholders identified:
• Archetype-based interventions are useful to run a pilot project and then roll out as a wider
scheme – for example starting with sandstone tenements or pre-1919 housing stock.
• Appetite to set a “fabric-first” minimum energy efficiency target
• Potential to require building warrants to ensure that retrofit of heating systems is always “heat-
pump ready”, similar to what is already the case for new homes.
• Zone Partner, concession-based approach to enable an obligation to be placed to invest in
energy efficiency within the Delivery Areas. This could also enable better identification of future
heat network connection opportunities.
On-gas and off-gas grid
The on- and off-gas grid group discussed the Delivery Areas proposed for on- and off-gas grid
decarbonisation. They identified a series of potential heat sources and constraints in the proposed
Delivery Areas.
Project governance
A LHEES Working Group will be established, as part of the Climate Change Action Group, to support the
LHEES delivery team. The Council will also establish a “Project Board” with involvement from Housing
Management, Asset Management and Regulatory and Regeneration. The board will be responsible for
the project outcomes, approving project direction and authorising use of resources including the
Scottish Government grant funds. 
Consultation
Public consultation is to be undertaken on the draft Strategy (this document) before it is adopted and
published, following West Dunbartonshire’s processes and practices. This will be a full public
consultation and will take place over a six week period. The Consultation plan will be developed to
ensure meaningful and targeted engagement with groups and organisations of interest through surveys
and social media. Comments from the consultation will be included in revisions to the final Strategy.
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Future engagement
The development of the LHEES Delivery Plan, which follows from the adoption of this Strategy, will
involve greater stakeholder engagement, particularly focusing on those stakeholders within the
shortlisted Delivery Areas. As part of the Delivery Plan, a Monitoring and Engagement Plan will also be
developed to set out how West Dunbartonshire Council will engage with local businesses and residents
to deliver heat decarbonisation projects in the area.  
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West Dunbartonshire Progress 
The Council has made significant initial strides to increase energy efficiency, reduce fuel poverty and
decarbonise heat sources across the local authority area. The Queens Quay District Heat Network is the
largest Water Source Heat Pump of its kind in Scotland and has commenced the decarbonisation the
former John Brown Shipyard in Clydebank. Heat pumps extract water from the River Clyde at the state
of the art energy centre and transport the heat through district heating network to homes and
businesses. At present, the Queen Quay network supplies: Aurora House, Titan Enterprise Centre,
Clydebank Leisure Centre, Queens Quay House, Town Hall, Library, and 192 domestic properties. There
is significant potential for further extension of the network to service a wider area of Clydebank,
including the Golden Jubilee Hospital. Queens Quay District Heat Network reduces carbon emissions for
domestic and non-domestic buildings and provides a viable renewable heat alternative to fossil. 
The Council is also progressing some Air Source Heat Pump pilot projects to individual domestic
properties and monitoring the financial costs and viability for future developments. Buildings should
have high levels of energy efficiency to ensure an Air Source Heat Pump runs as efficiently as possible
and does not have a negative impact on fuel costs in comparison to fossil fuel alternatives. The Council
also has a number of energy efficiency programmes operating across the local authority area to increase
energy efficiency through insulation interventions namely: loft, cavity wall, internal wall, and external
wall insulation. These types of improvements to properties will aid to reduce fuel bills for those at risk of
or living in fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and prepare for viable future low carbon heating
connections. The analysis carried out in this Strategy will aid in the identification of areas of focus where
energy efficiency improvements are most needed. 
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Considerations, Targets and Indicators
Data on the building stock of West Dunbartonshire has been analysed to inform the selection of
Strategic Zones, which are large areas of focus for wide-scale delivery of heat decarbonisation solutions.
Considerations refers to the six LHEES considerations
Targets refers to the specific thresholds to which buildings within Strategic Zones should be brought.
Indicators refers to the measurable characteristics that have been used to identify and rank Strategic
Zones 
Heat networks
The Heat Networks LHEES consideration aims to decarbonise buildings through the development of heat
networks. The LHEES has developed a series of Heat Network Zones, within which a focus will be given
to developing heat networks.
Targets
The Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021 sets a national target of heat supplied by heat networks to reach
2.6 TWh/year by 2027 and 6 TWh/year by 2030. This equates to 3% and 8% of current heat supply. For
West Dunbartonshire, this means that a target of 67.5 GWh/year heat demand should be met by heat
networks by 2030.
Indicators
Linear heat density
In order to identify Heat Network Zones, “heat-dense” areas have been identified – that is, areas in
which a heat network would be able to deliver a lot of heat with a small length of pipework.
As an initial indication of heat network viability, a linear heat density threshold of 4 MWh/year/m is
used, as recommended by Scottish Government’s LHEES Methodology for rural areas.
Anchor loads
Anchor loads are buildings in heat networks with high heat demand and that would be simple to
connect to – for example public sector buildings like leisure centres and schools. Therefore, Heat
Network Zones with a higher number of anchor loads have been prioritised.
Fuel poverty
Through stakeholder engagement, fuel poverty has been identified as an ongoing focus for West
Dunbartonshire. Therefore, indicators of fuel poverty and extreme fuel poverty have been used to
identify Heat Network Zones within which there is a greater number of properties in fuel poverty.
Detailed summary
A detailed summary of the indicators used to assess the Heat Networks LHEES Consideration can be
found in the Appendix.  
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Off gas grid and On gas grid
The LHEES Off Gas Grid and On Gas Grid Considerations focus on how to decarbonise homes by
installing heat pumps. The approach to categorisation of buildings for heat pump readiness and ranking
of Strategic Zones by 
Targets
Heat pumps operate most efficiently in buildings that are well insulated and therefore can operate
heating systems at lower temperatures. For this reason, analysis of the impact of the Off Gas Grid and
On Gas Grid Considerations include energy efficiency interventions that may need to be carried out to
properties to be able to install heat pumps.
The target energy efficiency level for these preparatory retrofits has been aligned to Scottish
Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy as follows:
- Public sector housing: EPC B
- Private sector housing: EPC C –  based on the Heat in Buildings Strategy target for private rented
properties, but also applied to owner-occupied properties as a target level of energy efficiency
Indicators
The analysis categorises buildings into four different categories depending on their “heat pump
readiness” based on several different characteristics of the building fabric.
Heritage
Properties with Listed status or those in Conservation Areas can be more difficult places to install heat
pumps due to limitations around affordable retrofit to bring systems to lower temperatures and the
visual amenity of the heat pump unit itself.
Building fabric
Properties with insulated walls, loft insulation and double glazing already installed are more readily
suitable for heat pump retrofit.
Current heating fuel
Properties that are already heated with low carbon systems are excluded from the analysis as they do
not require heat pumps to be installed to decarbonise. The current heating fuel is then also used to
identify properties in which heat pump retrofit should be prioritised. For example, those that currently
use biomass, solid fuels, LPG or oil are brought into categories that indicate more immediate potential
for heat pump retrofit.
Detailed summary
A detailed summary of the indicators used to assess the Heat Networks LHEES Consideration can be
found in the Appendix.  
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Poor building energy efficiency and Poor building energy efficiency as a driver of fuel
poverty
These LHEES Considerations aim to tackle poor building energy efficiency in West Dunbartonshire by
rolling out retrofit programmes that bring homes up to a higher standard. For properties in fuel poverty,
additional consideration is given to how poor energy efficiency may be impacting the ability of
occupants to afford heating their homes.
Targets
As for the targets for On and Off Gas Grid, these LHEES Considerations target the Heat in Buildings
Strategy thresholds as follows:
- Public sector housing: EPC B
- Private sector housing: EPC C –  based on the Heat in Buildings Strategy target for private rented
properties, but also applied to owner-occupied properties as a target level of energy efficiency
Indicators
Energy efficiency
Some simple indicators of poor building energy efficiency have been used to identify properties with
poor energy efficiency in West Dunbartonshire.
- Uninsulated walls
- Loft insulation <100mm
Fuel poverty
An indication of the likelihood of a property to be in fuel poverty is available for every home in West
Dunbartonshire. This includes:
- Fuel poverty: estimated fuel bill is >10% of income after housing costs.
- Extreme fuel poverty estimated fuel bill is >20% of income after housing costs.
The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation is also used to identify areas with other causes of deprivation.
Mixed tenure, mixed use and buildings in Conservation Areas
This LHEES Consideration targets properties in four main categories:
• Mixed tenure buildings
• Mixed use buildings
• Listed buildings
• Conservation areas
It aims to highlight areas in which heat decarbonisation may be difficult to deliver, due to ownership and
tenure of the properties, or the potential heritage impacts of installing heat pumps and retrofitting
buildings to higher levels of energy efficiency.
Targets
Buildings in this category will still be held to the same targets in the Heat in Buildings Strategy of:
- Public sector housing: EPC B
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- Private sector housing: EPC C –  based on the Heat in Buildings Strategy target for private rented
properties, but also applied to owner-occupied properties as a target level of energy efficiency
Indicators
The indicators for this Consideration are limited to tenure, listed status and Conservation Area. 
Detailed summary
A detailed summary of the indicators used to assess the Heat Networks LHEES Consideration can be
found in the Appendix.  
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Baselining of building performance
The purpose of this section is to set out the baseline of West Dunbartonshire’s current building stock in
terms of its characteristics, energy efficiency and level of heat decarbonisation, split by domestic and
non-domestic properties. This section uses outputs generated from following Scottish Government’s
LHEES Guidance to utilise the LHEES Stage 3 Baseline Tools for both the domestic and non-domestic
stock.
Domestic
The Energy Savings Trust’s Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset was used as the basis of the domestic
baseline modelling.
Within West Dunbartonshire, the domestic building stock equates to a total of 93.6% of all the buildings
within the local authority, with a total count of 46,252, and a heat demand of 517.4 GWh per year (80%
of the local authority’s total). The 46k domestic building stock within West Dunbartonshire has been
summarised by various characteristics, providing percentage counts for each characteristic category:
• Property Characteristics
• Energy Efficiency and Heat Supply
• Property Tenure and Heritage/Historic Buildings
National averages are provided from either the:
• Scottish House Condition Survey 20211
• Technical Feasibility of Low Carbon Heating in Domestic Buildings - Report for Scottish
Government’s Directorate for Energy & Climate Change 20202
Property characteristics
Property Age
The majority of domestic properties in West Dunbartonshire fall within a construction age band of
between 1950-1983 with 48% of domestic properties within this band (22k homes). Outside of this
band, the building stock is very mixed. 
1 https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-house-condition-survey-2021-key-findings/pages/1-key-attributes-
of-the-scottish-housing-stock/
2 https://www.gov.scot/publications/technical-feasibility-low-carbon-heating-domestic-buildings-report-scottish-
governments-directorate-energy-climate-change/
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Figure 0—1 Property Age Domestic Baselining
The number of domestic properties within the pre-1919 age band is below the national average, with
19% of buildings in Scotland are reported to have been built before 19193.
Property Type
Variance is also identified in the domestic property type within West Dunbartonshire. The property type
with the largest proportion of the stock are ‘Small blocks of flats/dwellings converted into flats’ with
23% of domestic properties within this band. ‘Blocks of flats’ were the second highest with 21% and
‘Semi-detached’ third with 18%. 
Figure 0—2 Property Type Domestic Baselining                                                           
3 Technical Feasibility of Low Carbon Heating in Domestic Buildings - Report for Scottish Government’s Directorate
for Energy & Climate Change (2020)
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In comparison to the national average, there is a far higher proportion of ‘Small blocks of flats/dwellings
converted into flats’ in West Dunbartonshire - 23%, compared to 14% of the national domestic building
stock.
The national averages for each property type are below with their equivalent West Dunbartonshire
percentage for comparison.
Table 0—1 Domestic Property Type National Comparison
Property Type National Rank (%) West Dunbartonshire %
Detached/Semi Detached 1 (39%) (27%)
Mid/End Terraced House 2 (20%) (20%)
Block of Flats 3 (15%) (21%)
Small Block of Flats/Converted
Flats
4 (14%) (23%)
Large Block of Flats 5 (6%) (5%)
Flat in Mixed Use Building 6 (5%) (4%)
Energy efficiency and heating
Domestic energy efficiency and heating characteristics summarised for baselining include EPC bandings,
wall construction and insulation, off gas grid status, main fuel type, loft insulation level and window
glazing.
EPC Bandings
The vast majority of domestic properties (83%) fall within an EPC band of either C or D. West
Dunbartonshire has a lower-than-average proportion of properties at high EPC bands, with more
properties falling into EPC bands C-D than the national average. 
Figure 0—3 EPC Banding Domestic Baselining
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Table 0—2 Domestic EPC Banding National Comparison
EPC Rating National West Dunbartonshire
A-B 9% 7%
C 39% 46%
D 35% 37%
E 12% 8%
F-G 5% 2%
Wall Construction and Insulation
The most prevalent wall construction type within West Dunbartonshire is Cavity Walls, at 50% of the
domestic building stock. Overall, 60% of all walls are insulated, with 40% uninsulated. 
Figure 0—4 Wall Construction and Insulation Domestic Baselining
Loft Insulation 
If loft insulation has already been applied to homes, the majority will have done this to a good level -
greater than 250mm. Only 8% of domestic properties have either no insulation, or less than 99mm.
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Figure 0—5 Loft Insulation Domestic Baselining
Glazing
The prevalence of single glazed windows in West Dunbartonshire is low, with only 3% of domestic
properties falling within this category and 97% having either double or triple glazing. 
Figure 0—6 Window Glazing Domestic Baselining
Off Gas Grid
In comparison to the Scottish House Condition Survey 2021, the number of off-gas grid domestic
properties within West Dunbartonshire is below the Scottish average of 12%. Only 9% of the housing
stock in West Dunbartonshire is off gas grid.
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Figure 0—7 Off Gas Grid Domestic Baselining
Main Fuel Type:
As 91% of all domestic properties are on gas grid, the main fuel type within West Dunbartonshire is
Natural Gas at also 91%. This is higher than the national average of 80%. Electricity is the second most
common main heating fuel in West Dunbartonshire, supplying 8% of domestic heat, compared to 11%
nationally. The remainder in order of proportion is met by Oil (0.70%), LPG (0.27%) and Biomass (0.10%).
West Dunbartonshire has a much lower proportion of properties still using heating oil – 0.7%, compared
to 6% nationally. 
Figure 0—8 Main Heating Fuel Domestic Baselining
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Tenure and heritage
Tenure
The tenure most prevalent in West Dunbartonshire’s housing stock is ‘Owner Occupied’ properties at
55% of homes. ‘Privately Rented’ homes account for 7% of the stock, meaning that 62% of domestic
properties in West Dunbartonshire are of private tenure. 
Figure 0—9 Tenure Type Domestic Baselining
In comparison to the national average, West Dunbartonshire has a higher proportion of public tenure
types, with both ‘Local Authority’ and ‘Housing Association’ above the national average. The national
averages for each tenure type are below with their equivalent West Dunbartonshire rank and
percentage for comparison. 
Table 0—3 Domestic Tenure Type National Comparison
Tenure Type National West Dunbartonshire
Owner Occupied 62% 55%
Privately Rented 14% 7%
Local Authority 12% 24%
Housing Association 11% 14%
25% of properties in West Dunbartonshire are classified as being ‘ Mixed Tenure’ - defined as domestic
units within a building of at least two different tenures, e.g. owner occupied and private rented. 
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Figure 0—10 Mixed Tenure Domestic Baselining
Heritage
98% of domestic properties in West Dunbartonshire are not in Conservation Areas. 
Figure 0—11 Conservation Area Domestic Baselining
Only 1% of the domestic stock are in Listed buildings- those defined as buildings of special architectural
or historic interest and are protected under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas)
(Scotland) Act 1997.
The number of Listed domestic properties is below the national average, with 3% of domestic buildings
in Scotland are reported to have either a listed building category of A, B or C as reported within the
Technical Feasibility of Low Carbon Heating in Domestic Buildings - Report for Scottish Government’s
Directorate for Energy & Climate Change (2020).
Non-domestic
The Energy Savings Trust’s Non-Domestic Analytics (v 1.1) dataset was used as the basis of the non-
domestic baseline modelling.
Within West Dunbartonshire the non-domestic building stock equates to a total of 6.4% of all the
buildings within the local authority, with a total count of 3,147, and a heat demand of 144.5 GWh per
year (20% of the local authority’s total). 
The 3k non-domestic building stock within West Dunbartonshire have been summarized by various
characteristics, providing counts and heating demand for each characteristic category:
• Typology
• Floor Area
• Property Age
• Main Fuel Type
National Averages are provided from the:
• Scotland's non-domestic energy efficiency baseline: report (2018)4
Typology
The non-domestic building stock of West Dunbartonshire is varied. The majority of properties (by count)
fall within the typology of ‘Retail’ with 30% of properties, followed by ‘Offices’ (19%) and ‘Light                                                           
4 https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-non-domestic-energy-efficiency-baseline/
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Manufacturing’ (19%). 68% of non-domestic properties within West Dunbartonshire fall within one of
these three typology categories. This is a similar composition to the national non-domestic stock. 
Table 0—4 Non-Domestic Typology Baselining
Main Typology Property
Count
Property
Count (%)
Heat Demand
(MWh/yr)
Heat Demand
(%)
General sports & leisure 93 3% 7,620 5%
Clubs and community centres 96 3% 6,464 4%
Museums, art galleries, libraries, law
courts
16 1% 1,280 1%
Large entertainment sites (e.g. theatres,
cinemas, conference centres) 
5 <1% 356 <1%
Places of worship 59 2% 4,469 3%
Education 46 1% 6,735 5%
Emergency services 10 <1% 847 1%
Health 37 1% 4,436 3%
Hotels 59 2% 9,105 6%
Cafes, pubs, restaurants and takeaways 125 4% 5,731 4%
Light manufacturing / industry /
workshop
612 19% 28,497 20%
Heavy manufacturing / industry 58 2% 3,794 3%
Offices 594 19% 20,112 14%
Retail 933 30% 24,444 17%
Storage / distribution 87 3% 4,115 3%
Residential 182 6% 9,731 7%
Military and prison 0 0% 0 0%
Other 56 2% 2,733 2%
Screened out  37 1% 1,777 1%
Total  3,147 100% 144,481 100%
Floor area
The majority of non-domestic buildings within West Dunbartonshire are classified as having floor areas
below 500 m2, with 34% having 0 - 100 m2 and 46% 100 - 500 m2. 
Figure 0—12 Non-Domestic Floor Area Count Baselining
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However, although 0 - 100 m2 has the highest floor area count, this category has the lowest cumulative
heat demand of 11,374 MWh (8%), and building with a floor area category above 1,000 m2 a cumulative
heat demand of 59,356 MWh/yr (44%). 
Figure 0—13 Non-Domestic Floor Area Heat Demand Baselining
Property age
The construction age band with the highest count of non-domestic properties is ‘1950-1983’, which is
the same as for domestic stock. The ‘Pre-1919’ band also has a similar number of non-domestic
properties. 
A quarter of non-domestic buildings in West Dunbartonshire were constructed since 1983. 
Figure 0—14 Non-Domestic Property Age Count Baselining
The non-domestic heating demand for the different property age bands align to similar proportions to
that of the count of properties within each age band.  
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Figure 0—15 Non-Domestic Property Age Heat Demand Baselining
The ‘Post-1983’ non-domestic property age band cumulative heat demand is significantly contributed by
five major typologies: ‘Residential’, ‘Light Manufacturing’, ‘Offices’, ‘Retail’ and ‘Hotels’. 
Fuel type
The highest proportion of fuel for non-domestic properties is ‘Electricity’ for 1,824 properties (59%),
followed by ‘Mains Gas’ (32%), ‘Oil’ (8%) and ‘Other’ (1%). 
Figure 0—16 Non-Domestic Main Fuel Count Baselining
Relating counts of properties to heat demands, ‘Mains Gas’ has the highest supplied heat to non-
domestic properties within West Dunbartonshire, with ‘Electricity’ coming second. 
Comparing Fuel Type statistics to the national average for Scotland, West Dunbartonshire has a higher-
than-average proportion of ‘Electrically’ heated non domestic properties with 58% versus the national
average of 42%. With this higher proportion of ‘Electric’ fuel, the proportion of ‘Mains Gas’ is below the
national average at 32% in West Dunbartonshire compared to 50% nationally. ‘Oil’ is also higher than
the national average at 8% compared to 5% nationally5.                                                           
5 Scotland's non-domestic energy efficiency baseline: report (2018).
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Figure 0—17 Non-Domestic Main Heating Fuel National Comparison 
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Generation of Strategic Zones and Pathways
Strategic Zones are useful to understand the baseline performance, the scale of potential and initial
areas of focus, which could be used to inform the identification of Delivery Areas and follow-on
engagement. 
Strategic Zone Ranking
For West Dunbartonshire, Strategic Zones are at a Data Zone level. The top five Strategic Zones have
been selected for each LHEES Consideration, following the weighted scoring methodology outlined in
the Considerations, Targets and Indicators section. Heat Networks will however be summarised at the
level of individual Heat Network Zones instead of Data Zones.
Heat networks
Screening methodology
The analysis uses the Scotland Heat Map (2019) and West Dunbartonshire Local Development Plan (LDP)
information to model potential 4th generation heat network zones. 4th generation heat networks are
typically heat only 65-45°C (flow-return) network usually low-carbon via a central plant.
Each property has a Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN), however properties are grouped under
a Parent UPRN if they share the same building structure e.g. units in a block of flats. Heat demands were
aggregated from UPRN to building level based on Parent UPRN to aid in heat zoning analysis.
The analysis to identify heat network opportunities uses a linear heat density (LHD) approach. LHD an
industry standard metric that relates heat to distance, for a heat network it is heat demand per meter of
pipe. LHD is used to identify a notional network length for each property based on the property’s heat
demand. A matrix of this is used within this methodology, three standard linear heat densities exist: 
• 4,000 kWh/m/year – More rural local authority areas
• 8,000 kWh/m/year – More urban local authority areas 
• 16,000 kWh/m/year – Dense urban areas such as major cities
A LHD level of 8,000 kWh/m/year was selected for West Dunbartonshire. The distances are mapped in
GIS for each location and if these distances overlap a potential heat network opportunity is identified.
Potential Zones are identified where heat networks present a decarbonisation pathway that could be of
strategic significance or might warrant further investigation. 
Figure 0—1 Linear Heat Densities
Potential heat network zones generated using the LHD methodology above are then screened further
using an anchor load criteria. Anchor loads are high heat demand buildings which usually drive the
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economics of a network. Several factors are normally considered when defining anchor loads but for this
high level study a demand of at least 500 MWh/year is the determining factor (the standard threshold
within LHEES Guidance). 
A standard threshold of a minimum two anchor loads per zone was selected as per the default criterion.
In addition manual screening of zones was undertaken to ensure the anchor loads within each identified
zone still existed and if not, delete them, and re-calculating the counts of anchor load per zone, then
removing any zones with less than two anchor loads. Following this 12 potential heat network zones
were identified with a total of 253 GWh/year heat demand.
These zones were interrogated analysing factors such as constraints and heat resources and ranked
based on these factors to identify the top five ranking Potential Heat Network Zones from these 12. 
Ranking
To enable the identification of the top five Potential Heat Network Zones for integration and further
interrogation within an LHEES Delivery Plan, all 12 identified Potential Heat Network Zones have been
ranked based upon different indicators, with a weighting per indicator rank also applied to generate an
overall ranking. The four indicators based upon which these ranking have been generated are:
• Opportunity Category – An opportunity category is user-defined to each potential heat network
zone as either a High / Medium / Low, incorporating results following considerations into each
zone’s heat resources, constraints and zone potential.
• Count of Anchor Loads – Anchor loads (500 MWh+) aid in driving the economics of heat
networks by being potential key clients/customers, thus a higher count provides a higher driver
and aids feasibility of installation.
• Total Heat Demand – Similar to anchor loads, the higher the demand and thus supply of heat via
a heat network also aids in driving economic feasibility.
• Count of Households in Fuel Poverty – Connecting to a low carbon heat network source may
result in lower customer heat rates, aiding households currently within fuel poverty.
The indicator weightings used within the zone ranking are as follows:
Table 0—1 Heat Networks Zone Indicator Weightings 
Opportunity
Category
Count of
Anchor Loads
Total Heat
Demand
Count of Fuel
Poverty Households 
Weighting (%) 60% 10% 10% 20%
Following these weighted rankings, the top five ranking Heat Network Zones are as follows:
1. Clydebank
2. Dumbarton
3. Alexandria
4. Littleholm
5. Kilbowie
The locations of these zones are presented in Figure 0—2.
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Figure 0—2 Heat Networks Top 5 Ranking Zones
Finalised Strategic Zones
Through feedback from stakeholder consultation, the three most southerly networks of the five top
ranking zones (Clydebank, Littleholm and Kilbowie) were combined into a larger Combined Heat
Network Zone. This provides a larger area in the vicinity of the existing Queens Quay heat network in
which new heat networks, or extensions of existing, may be delivered.
In addition to the three Zones identified through the LHEES analysis and ranking exercise, the
stakeholder consultation recommended the addition of two other Heat Network Zones within the
Combined Heat Network Zone. These are the Golden Jubilee (highlighted in analysis but ranked below
top five) and Dalmuir Flats (highlighted as part of the Queens Quay OBC). Radnor Park Kilbowie (also
highlighted as part of the Queens Quay OBC) is also highlighted within the Combined Heat Network
Zone as a potential area of expansion.
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Clydebank (Combined Heat Network Zone) 
Figure 0—3 Combined Clydebank Heat Network Zone
Due to the proximity of three of the five heat network Strategic
Zones to each other, a larger zone encompassing these networks
should be considered as a zone of stakeholder interest. This will
encompass Clydebank, Golden Jubilee Hospital, Dalmuir, Littleholm
and Kilbowie.
Expansion options for the existing Queens Quay heat network were
assessed in an Outline Business Case (OBC) in 2022, which indicated
initial economic viability of a potential for expansion of the network
from Clydebank to the Golden Jubilee Hospital and Dalmuir Flats.
Radnor Park Kilbowie (DH22) was also identified in this study as a
potential future expansion area for the network, although not a
priority.
A heat network in this Combined Heat Network Zone could be
supplied by the existing Queens Quay Energy Centre, which
currently houses two Water Source Heat Pumps with a heating
capacity of 2.65 MW each, and two backup boilers (7 MW each),
supplying flow temperatures of approximately 75°C, and return
temperatures of 45°C.
A possible cross-boundary extension of heat networks eastwards
into Glasgow is a further possibility following engagement with
Glasgow City Council. The case is strengthened by the presence of
West Dunbartonshire’s large area of interest for heat networks
north of Clydebank, on the local authority boundary.  
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Clydebank (part of the Clydebank Combined Heat Network Zone) 
Figure 0—4 Clydebank Heat Network Zone
Heat demand: 85.3 GWh/year within identified potential zone, of
which 36.3 GWh/year is from the 31 anchor loads (500
MWh/year+). 
Zone area: 214 hectares (39.8 kWh/m2)
Count of anchor loads (>500 MWh/year heat demand): 31
Key anchor loads: Queens Quay Care Home LDP Site; Queens Quay
LDP Sites; West College Scotland Clydebank Campus; ASDA
Superstore; Clydebank Leisure Centre; WDC Depot; Vitrology;
Simpson Retail Court; Dunrobin Retail Court; St Margaret of
Scotland Hospice
LDP sites: 20 LDP Sites total, inside or within 250m. Key sites
include, Queens Quay = 1,045 resi units, Queens Quay Care Home =
1000 resi units, Rothesary Dock = 13,637 m2 Storage, Cable Depot
Road = 200 resi units, John Knox Street = 4,976 m2 Workshop and
RHI Site = 120 resi units.
Heat sources: The River Clyde provides river source Water Source
Heat Pump opportunities, with a Water Source Heat Pump already
installed at the Clydebank Leisure Centre. An Anaerobic Digestion
Plant awaiting construction on the Rothesay Dock LDP Site. A
Combined Heat and Power Network is present within the West
College site.
Fuel poverty: 564 dwellings are estimated to be experiencing fuel
poverty, which equates to 33% of domestic properties within the
Zone, with 326 estimated to be experiencing extreme fuel poverty
(19%).
Constraints: The A8014 and A814 A-Roads and the Railway all
intersect the zone, isolating various anchor loads. 
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Littleholm (part of the Clydebank Combined Heat Network Zone) 
Figure 0—5 Littleholm Heat Network Zone
Opportunity description: The potential heat network zone
opportunity in Dalmuir focuses on Clyde, Park and West Courts, all
of which are large residential tower blocks of public tenure. Zone is
surrounded by vast green space for potential Ground Source Heat
Pumps.
Opportunity category: High – High density of anchor loads under
WDC control.
Heat demand*: 2.2 GWh/year within identified potential zone, with
2.1 GWh/year of the heat demand from the three anchor loads. 
Zone area: 5 hectares (40.5 kWh/m2)
Count of anchor loads* (>500 MWh/year heat demand): 3
Anchor loads: Clyde Court; Park Court , West Court
LDP sites: No LDP sites are located within, or 250m of the Zone.
Heat sources: The zone is surrounded by Dalmuir Municipal Golf
Course and Dalmuir Public Park which may provide opportunities
for Ground Source Heat Pump boreholes. The Duntocher Burn
intersects the zone, further assessment on the burn is required, but
this may provide Water Source Heat Pump potential. Mountblow
House to the Northwest already utilises a gas boiler fed heat
network which could be expanded.
Fuel poverty*: 105 dwellings are estimated to be experiencing fuel
poverty, which is 39% of domestic properties within the Zone, with
66 estimated to be experiencing extreme fuel poverty (24%). 
*The heat demand and fuel poverty statistics do not take into
account changes since these properties have been externally
overclad thus the actual number of fuel poverty dwellings and heat
demand is likely smaller than that presented here.  
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Dalmuir (part of the Clydebank Combined Heat Network Zone) 
Figure 0—6 Dalmuir Flats Heat Network Zone
Opportunity description: Although initially not identified due to no
anchor loads within, and highlighted during stakeholder
engagement, this potential heat network zone opportunity in
Dalmuir focuses on the six large residential tower blocks of public
tenure. 
Opportunity category: Medium – Although no anchor loads are
identified within the zone, there is high density of loads under WDC
control.
Heat demand: 9.3 GWh/year within identified potential zone. 
Zone area: 9 hectares (103 kWh/m2)
Count of anchor loads: (>500 MWh/year heat demand): 0
Anchor loads: N/A
LDP sites: Within 250m of the Zone, Auld Street = 20 resi units, Auld
Street Phase 2 = 16 resi units and Caledonia Street = 18 resi units.
Heat sources: The canal to the south presents a potential
opportunity for a Water Source Heat Pump or the Dalmuir Public
Park which may provide opportunities for Ground Source Heat
Pump boreholes.
Fuel poverty: 442 dwellings are estimated to be experiencing fuel
poverty, equating to 44% of domestic properties within the Zone,
with 367 estimated to be experiencing extreme fuel poverty (36%).
Constraints: No major constraints are located within the Zone.
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Golden Jubilee Hospital (part of the Clydebank Combined Heat
Network Zone) 
Figure 0—7 Golden Jubilee Hospital Heat Network Zone
Opportunity description: The main opportunity from existing
demand focuses on the Golden Jubilee Hospital and Conference
Centre Hotel. The Local Development Plan sites to the North (54 resi
units) and West (1,781 m2 Workshop) within the zone could be a
viable connections. 
Opportunity category: Medium – High density of heat from the
hospital, although localised. A connection from Queens Quay
network and hospital is a potential solution, and is being actively
pursued.  
Heat demand: 30.5 GWh/year within identified potential zone. 24
GWh/year of the heat demand was from the four anchor loads. 
Zone area: 37 hectares (81.8 kWh/m2)
Count of anchor loads: (>500 MWh/year heat demand): 4
Anchor loads: Golden Jubilee Hospital (Block 1 and Block 2); Golden
Jubilee Hospital Conference Hotel; Powerhouse Fitness
LDP sites: Clydebank Ind. Estate = 1,781 m2 workshop, Auld Street =
20 resi units, Auld Street Phase 2 = 16 resi units and Caledonia
Street = 18 resi units.
Heat sources: There is potential for extension of Water Source Heat
Pump at Queens Quay District Heat Network. The adjacent
Wastewater Treatment Works also utilise a Water Source Heat
Pump from the River Clyde. The Waste Water Treatment Works as
well as the primary hospital site (being an NAEI point emitter) are
both potentially useful heat sources. 
Fuel poverty: 69 dwellings are estimated to be experiencing fuel
poverty, equating to 27% of domestic properties within the Zone,
with 19 estimated to be experiencing extreme fuel poverty (7%).
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Kilbowie (part of the Combined Clydebank Heat Network Zone) 
Figure 0—8 Kilbowie Heat Network Zone
Opportunity description: The potential heat network zone
opportunity in Kilbowie has an opportunity category as high due to
a high demand of likely public heat demands, no major constraints
within and various heat resources nearby. This Zone’s demands are
all densely located aiding feasibility.
Opportunity category: High – High density of publicly owned loads.
Heat demand: 3.4 GWh/year within identified potential zone, with
1.5 GWh/year of the heat demand from the two anchor loads. 
Zone area: 11.5 hectares (29.5 kWh/m2)
Count of anchor loads (>500 MWh/year heat demand): 2
Anchor loads: St Peter the Apostle High School (expansion may not
be viable); St Eunan’s Early Learning & Childcare Centre
LDP sites: Three LDP sites are located within 250m of the Zone,
being Radnor Park Hotel Site = 28 residential units, Clydebank
Health Centre LDP = 40 residential units and Braidfield HS LDP Site =
100 residential units.
Heat sources: Two heat networks already exist within a close
proximity to the zone, with a Natural Gas Boiler District Heat
Network located 300m South and Gas Combined Heat and Power
Heat Network 450m West. The Radnor Park Primary Substation to
the West is also a potential heat resource and the substation is
categorised as 'Red’ in regard to capacity.
Fuel poverty: 98 dwellings are estimated to be experiencing fuel
poverty, which equates to 43% of domestic properties within the
Zone, with 100 estimated to be experiencing extreme fuel poverty
(43%).
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Dumbarton Heat Network Zone 
Figure 0—9 Dumbarton Heat Network Zone
Opportunity category: High – High count of demands with various
typologies and public loads included within.
Heat demand: 23.1 GWh/year within identified potential zone, with
10.2 GWh/year of the heat demand from the five identified anchor
loads. 
Zone area: 66 hectares (35.1 kWh/m2)
Count of anchor loads (>500 MWh/year heat demand): 5
Anchor loads: St James Retail Park; Morrisons Superstore;
Dumbarton Football Stadium; Unit 23 Skatepark; Castle Street LDP
Site
LDP sites: Two LDP sites are located within the Zone, being
Castlegreen Street = 110 resi units and Castle Street = 195 resi units.
Another LDP site is within 250m of the zone, being Sandpoint
Marina = 87 resi units.
Heat sources: The River Clyde and Leven both flow adjacent to the
Zone providing potential for river source Water Source Heat Pumps.
The Morrisons Superstore is an NAEI emitter and central to the zone
which aids delivery. A gas boiler network exists at the Energie
Fitness Dumbarton Centre, with Dumbarton Primary Substation also
a potential heat resource.
Fuel poverty: 237 dwellings are estimated to be experiencing fuel
poverty, which equates to 29% of domestic properties within the
Zone, with 93 estimated to be experiencing extreme fuel poverty
(11%).
Constraints: The A814 Glasgow Road is a potential major constraint
isolating the St James Retail Park from the other four Anchor Loads
and limiting any expansion North.
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Alexandria Heat Network Zone 
Figure 0—10 Alexandria Heat Network Zone
Opportunity category: High – High proportion of publicly owned
anchor loads, with the District Hospital a potential waste heat
opportunity utilising the current system and/or core for a new low
carbon network. 
Heat demand: 8.8 GWh/year within identified potential zone, with
5.1 GWh/year of the heat demand from the four identified anchor
loads. 
Zone area: 30 hectares (29.3 kWh/m2)
Count of anchor loads (>500 MWh/year heat demand): 4
Anchor loads: Vale of Leven District Hospital; The Vale Centre GP
Practice; Vale of Leven Swimming Pool; Lomond Galleries Shopping
Centre.
LDP sites: The Heather Avenue LDP Site is located within 250m of
the zone and consists of 84 resi units.
Heat sources: A Biomass Boiler is present within the Vale of Leven
District Hospital with greenspace South in Christie Park potential for
Ground Source Heat Pump boreholes. The zone is within an area of
“Hot Sedimentary Aquifers”, which are potential good sources of
geothermal energy. The Balloch Primary Substation is also a
potential heat resource.
Fuel poverty: 106 dwellings are estimated to be experiencing fuel
poverty, which equates to 29% of domestic properties within the
Zone, with 40 estimated to be experiencing extreme fuel poverty
(11%).
Constraints: No major constraints which impact heat network
deployment are located within the Zone. 
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Off gas grid
Screening methodology
The analysis uses the domestic Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset and the Scotland Heat Map 2019
“Geographic Boundaries” dataset to model off-gas grid properties within West Dunbartonshire to
aid in generating initial Delivery Areas for low-regrets heat decarbonisation in off-gas grid areas. This
approach focuses wholly on domestic properties.
Off-gas grid properties are properties which are not connected to the main gas network and
therefore utilise a different fuel to supply their heating.
Off-gas grid domestic buildings are categorised into four principal categories for heat
decarbonisation:
• Category 0 - Already have a low carbon heating system (heat pumps or communal heating).
• Category 1 - Immediate potential for heat pump retrofit (i.e. well insulated properties with a
wet heating system). 
• Category 2 - Secondary potential for heat pump retrofit (i.e. in need of moderate fabric /
heat distribution system upgrade to be heat pump ready).
• Category 3 - Tertiary potential for heat pump retrofit (i.e. properties in need of significant
fabric / heat distribution system upgrade to be heat pump ready) or those not suited to heat
pump technology, with electric (storage or direct) or biomass likely to be the most viable
decarbonisation technology.
Categorisation of domestic off gas grid properties based on existing building fabric, heritage status
and heating systems can be found in the Appendix.
Ranking
To enable the identification of the top five ranking low-regrets off-gas grid Data Zones for retrofit of
low carbon heating within West Dunbartonshire, all Data Zones were ranked based upon aggregated
counts of properties within each category and then weighted to generate an overall ranking. 
The indicator weightings used within the zone ranking are as follows:
Table 0—2 Off Gas Grid DZ Indicator Weightings 
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Weighting (%) 60% 35% 5%
Category 1 has a higher weighting because these properties have an immediate potential for heat
pump installation and decarbonisation, followed by Category 2 and Category 3 which have
secondary and tertiary potential respectively. Category 0 properties however have not been given a
weighting of as these are already classified as having a low carbon heating system (heat pumps or
communal heating).
Following these weighted rankings, the top five ranking Data Zones were the following:
1. Lomond – 06
2. Singer and Clydebank South – 06
3. Drumry – 07
4. Bowling – 02
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5. Whitecrook - 03
The locations of these zones are presented below: 
Figure 0—11 Off Gas Grid Top 5 Ranking Zones
Finalised Strategic Zones
Unlike the Heat Networks Consideration, each Data Zone undergoes a second weighted ranking
process encompassing additional indicators not specifically related to ‘Off Gas’ properties but
relating to Fuel Poverty and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) which impact West
Dunbartonshire’s roll-out of retrofitting within the local authority.
The additional indicator weightings used to define the final zone rankings are as follows:
Table 0—3 Off Gas Grid Final Strategic Zone Indicator Weightings 
Off Gas Rank (above) Fuel Poverty Rank SIMD Rank
Weighting (%) 66% 17% 17%
Following these additional weighted rankings, the top five ranking Data Zones were the following:
1. Singer and Clydebank South – 06
2. Drumry – 02
3. Leven – 01
4. Drumry – 07
5. Clydebank East – 03
The locations of these zones are presented below:
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Figure 0—12 Off Gas Grid Final Strategic Zone
Table 0—4 Off Gas Strategic Zones summary table 
No. Off-gas
grid
Category 1
No. Off-gas
grid
Category 2
No. Off-gas
grid
Category 3
No. Fuel
Poverty
SIMD
Decile
Combined
Ranking
Singer and
Clydebank
South - 06
1 210 11 190 2 1
Drumry - 02 1 47 4 186 1 2
Leven – 01 3 11 42 186 2 3
Drumry – 07 1 90 15 119 1 4
Clydebank
East - 03 1 16 7 156 3 5  
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On gas grid
Screening methodology
The analysis uses the domestic Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset and the Scotland Heat Map 2019
“Geographic Boundaries” dataset to model on-gas grid  properties within West Dunbartonshire to
aid in generating initial Delivery Areas for low regrets heat decarbonisation in off-gas grid areas. This
approach focuses wholly on the domestic sector.
On-gas grid properties are properties which are connected to the main gas network and therefore
utilise natural gas as the fuel to supply their heating.
On-gas grid domestic buildings are categorised into four principal categories for heat
decarbonisation:
• Category 0 - Already have a low carbon heating system (communal heating).
• Category 1 - Immediate potential for heat pump retrofit (i.e. well insulated properties)
• Category 2 - Secondary potential for heat pump retrofit (i.e. in need of moderate fabric /
heat distribution system upgrade to be heat pump ready).
• Category 3 - Tertiary potential for heat pump retrofit (i.e. properties in need of significant
fabric / heat distribution system upgrade to be heat pump ready).
Categorisation of domestic on-gas grid properties is based on existing building fabric and heritage
statuses can be found in the Appendix.
Ranking
To enable the identification of the top five ranking low regrets on-gas grid Data Zones for retrofit of
low carbon heating within West Dunbartonshire, all Data Zones were ranked based upon aggregated
counts of properties within each category and then weighted to generate an overall ranking. 
The indicator weightings used within the zone ranking are as follows:
Table 0—5 On Gas Grid DZ Indicator Weightings 
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3
Weighting (%) 60% 35% 5%
Category 1 has a higher weighting because these properties have an immediate potential for heat
pump installation and decarbonisation, followed by Category 2 and Category 3 which have
secondary and tertiary potential respectively. Category 0 properties however have not been given a
weighting of as these are already classified as having a low carbon heating system (communal
heating).
Following these weighted rankings, the top five ranking Data Zones were the following:
1. Bonhill – 02
2. Lomond – 02
3. Alexandria – 01
4. Dumbarton – 03
5. Dumbarton - 08
The locations of these zones are presented below:
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Figure 0—13 On Gas Grid Top 5 Ranking Zones
Finalised Strategic Zones
Similar to the Off-Gas Grid Consideration, each Data Zone has undergone a second weighted ranking
process encompassing additional indicators not specifically related to ‘On Gas’ properties but
relating to Fuel Poverty and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) which impact West
Dunbartonshire’s roll-out of retrofitting within the local authority.
The additional indicator weightings used to define the final zone rankings are as follows:
Table 0—6 On Gas Grid Final Strategic Zone Indicator Weightings 
On Gas Rank (above) Fuel Poverty Rank SIMD Rank
Weighting (%) 66% 17% 17% 
Following these additional weighted rankings, the top five ranking Data Zones were the following:
1. Lomond – 02
2. Alexandria – 01
3. Dumbarton – 05
4. Bonhill – 02
5. Dalreoch – 05
The locations of these zones are presented below:
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Figure 0—14 On Gas Grid Final Strategic Zone
Table 0—7 On Gas Strategic Zones summary table 
No. OnGG
Category 1
No. OnGG
Category 2
No. OnGG
Category 3
No. Fuel
Poverty
SIMD
Decile
Combined
Ranking
Lomond – 02 369 113 15 208 1 1
Alexandria –
01 295 98 240 224 2 2
Dumbarton –
05 323 72 289 289 3 3
Bonhill – 02 431 132 95 174 4 4
Dalreoch – 05 271 96 8 138 1 5 
Poor building energy efficiency and poor building energy efficiency as a driver of fuel
poverty
Screening methodology
The analysis uses the Home Analytics (v3.8.1) solely to model domestic properties within West
Dunbartonshire for two LHEES Considerations surrounding property’s building fabric and poor
energy efficiency, these considerations are:
• Poor Energy Efficiency: Identify possible locations where poor building energy efficiency
exists across the local authority.
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• Poor Energy Efficiency as a Driver for Fuel Poverty: Identify possible locations where poor
building energy efficiency acts as a driver for fuel poverty and/or extreme fuel poverty.
For reference, the Default Indicators for the “Poor Energy Efficiency” and “Poor Energy Efficiency as
a Driver for Fuel Poverty” LHEES Considerations are, with those selected listed:
• Single Glazing (Not Selected)
• Uninsulated Walls (Selected)
• Loft Insulation <100 mm (Selected)
• Fuel Poverty Probability (fuel bill >10% of income after housing) (Selected)
• Extreme Fuel Poverty Probability (fuel bill >20% of income after housing) (Selected)
The selected indicators align with WDC’s retrofit programme, whereby they have never included
double glazing and focus on Enhanced Wall Insulation (EWI) (external) with loft insulation.
Poor building energy efficiency is a recognised factor that can contribute to fuel poverty, thus the
removal of poor energy efficiency measures will impact and contribute to Scotland’s statutory target
of no households being in fuel poverty as far as reasonably possible by 2040.
LHEES analysis identifies that West Dunbartonshire’s fuel poverty rates (2023) are as follows:
• Fuel Poverty Rate = 29%
• Extreme Fuel Poverty Rate = 12%
Ranking
To enable the identification of the top five ranking low regrets Poor Building Energy Efficiency as a
Driver for Fuel Poverty Data Zones for retrofit within West Dunbartonshire, all Data Zones were
ranked based upon aggregated counts of properties within each category and then weighted to
generate an overall ranking. 
The indicator weightings used within the zone ranking are as follows:
Table 0—8 Poor Building Energy Efficiency DZ Indicator Weightings 
<100mm Loft
Insulation
Uninsulated
Walls
Combined Poor
Energy
Efficiency (left)
Fuel Poverty SIMD 
Weighting (%) 50% 50% 50% 25% 25% 
For reference, the default weightings within the LHEES Practitioner Guidance for the Poor Building
Energy Efficiency Consideration are, “Single Glazing = 33%”, “Uninsulated Walls = 33%” and
“<100mm Loft Insulation”, however as follows to align with WDCs existing building energy efficiency
retrofit schemes, ‘Single Glazing’ has been removed from the consideration.
Following these weighted rankings, the top five ranking Data Zones were the following:
1. Alexandria – 01
2. Leven – 01
3. Balloch – 01
4. Singer and Clydebank South – 02
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5. Dumbarton - 05
The locations of these zones are presented below: 
Figure 0—15 Poor Building Energy Efficiency as a Driver for Fuel Poverty Top 5 Ranking Zones
Finalised Strategic Zones
Each Data Zone has undergone a second weighted ranking process encompassing additional
indicators. These are as follows:
• Poor Building EE and FP – The combined ranking as presented above.
• Poor Building EE and EFP – A ranking generated from the same process as presented above
however the Extreme Fuel poverty was ranked.
• Category 3 Properties – Due to these properties being classified as requiring significant
building fabric retrofit for heat pumps for both off and on gas considerations.
• Heritage Buildings – A ranking based on low number of heritage buildings within (listed or
within conservation areas) as planning implications make retrofitting these properties more
difficult. 
The additional indicator weightings used to define the final zone rankings are as follows:
Table 0—9 Poor Building Energy Efficiency as a Driver for Fuel Poverty Final Strategic Zone Indicator Weightings 
Poor Building EE
and FP (above)
Poor Building EE
and EFP
Category 3
Properties
Heritage
Buildings
Weighting (%) 30% 30% 20% 20% 
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Following these additional weighted rankings, the top five ranking Data Zones were the following:
1. Singer and Clydebank South – 02
2. Drumry – 05
3. Alexandria – 01
4. Clydebank – 01
5. Balloch – 01
The locations of these zones are presented below: 
Figure 0—16 Poor Building Energy Efficiency as a Driver for Fuel Poverty Final Strategic Zones
Table 0—10 Poor Building Energy Efficiency as a Driver for Fuel Poverty Final Strategic Zones summary table 
No.
<100mm
Loft
Insulation
No.
Unin-
sulated
Walls
No. Fuel
Poverty
No.
Extreme
Fuel
Poverty 
SIMD
Decile
(of 10)
No.
Cat. 3
Prope
rties
No.
Heritage
Buildings
Combined
Ranking
Singer and
Clydebank
South – 02
69 247 174 74 2 219 0 1
Drumry – 05 8 240 166 99 1 227 0 2
Alexandria –
01 103 325 224 66 2 244 5 3
Clydebank –
01 27 237 161 71 2 183 0 4
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Balloch – 01 112 355 153 65 2 332 6 5  
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Mixed tenure and mixed use
Screening methodology
The analysis uses the Home Analytics (v3.8.1) dataset and the Non-Domestic Analytics (v1.1)
datasets to model properties within West Dunbartonshire where there are buildings of mixed-
tenure, mixed-use and historic buildings (covering Listed buildings and Conservation Areas).
Currently, this is covered by four focus areas: 
• Mixed-tenure buildings
• Mixed-use buildings
• Listed buildings
• Conservation areas
For reference, Indicators for the mixed-tenure, mixed-use LHEES Consideration are:
• Mixed-tenure Flag (Mixed-tenure) – Domestic only (due to no data for non-domestic)
• Dwellings within buildings >1 (Mixed-use) – Domestic (a proxy used for domestic data for
mixed-use is for where more then one unit is in the same building, e.g. a block of flats.
• Mixed-use Flag (Mixed-use) – Non-Domestic (more then one typology present within
building, e.g. residential and café.
The analysis also focuses on properties located within Conservation Areas or those that have a Listed
building status, for which the Indicators are:
• Within a Conservation Area – Domestic and Non-Domestic
• Listed buildings – Domestic only (due no data for non-domestic)
Ranking
To enable the identification of the top five Data Zones for integration and further interrogation
within an LHEES Delivery Plan, all 121 Data Zones within West Dunbartonshire have been ranked
based upon aggregated counts of properties within each indicators, with a weighting per indicator
rank also applied to generate an overall ranking. 
The indicator weightings used within the zone ranking are as follows:
Table 0—11 Mixed Tenure Mixed Use Indicator Weightings 
Domestic
Mixed Use
Domestic
Mixed
Tenure
Domestic
Listed
Domestic
Conservation
Area
Non-Dom
Mixed
Use
Non-Dom
Conservation
Area
Weighting
(%) 10% 30% 20% 15% 10% 15%
Following these weighted rankings, the top five ranking Data Zones were located in and are as
follows:
1. Dumbarton – 05
2. Dalreoch – 01
3. Kilpatrick – 06
4. Dumbarton – 03
5. Dumbarton – 04
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The locations of these zones are presented in Figure 0—12. 
Figure 0—17 Mixed Tenure Mixed Use Top 5 Ranking Data Zones
Table 0—12 Mixed Tenure and Mixed Use Strategic Zones summary table 
Domestic
Mixed
Use
Domestic
Mixed
Tenure
Domestic
Listed
Domestic
Conserva
tion
Non-Dom
Mixed
Use
Non-Dom
Conserva
tion Area
Combine
d Ranking
Dumbarton –
05 784 503 30 312 67 177 1
Dalreoch – 01 412 264 20 277 13 11 2
Kilpatrick – 06 300 154 3 60 9 2 3
Dumbarton –
03 427 246 0 77 4 4 4
Dumbarton –
04 268 258 0 332 12 14 5 
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Summary of Strategy and next steps
The LHEES for West Dunbartonshire has identified a series of Strategic Zones within which action will
be taken to deliver heat decarbonisation projects. The Strategic Zones selected provide high-level
focus areas for further development.
Theme Strategic Zone Notes
Heat networks Clydebank Clydebank Developing the existing Queens
Quay network into the wider
Combined Heat Network Zone
Littleholm
Dalmuir
Kilbowie
Golden Jubilee
Hospital
Dumbarton New heat networks to deliver
low carbon heat to homes and
businesses in Dumbarton and
Alexandria.
Alexandria
Heat pump
installations
and energy
efficiency
interventions
On gas grid
decarbonisation
Lomond 02
Alexandria 01
Dumbarton 05
Bonhill 02
Dalreoch 05
Off gas grid  Singer and Clydebank South 06
Drumry 02
Leven 01
Drumry 07
Clydebank East 03
Poor building energy
efficiency as a driver
of fuel poverty
Singer and Clydebank South 02
Drumry 05
Alexandria 01
Clydebank 01
Balloch 01
Innovative
project delivery
mechanisms
Mixed tenure and
mixed use buildings
Dumbarton 05 This LHEES Consideration
highlights Strategic Zones in
which novel ways of delivering
heat decarbonisation may need
to be tested – for example
funding heat pumps and retrofits
to buildings with a mixture of
public and private tenure, and
domestic and non-domestic
usage.
Dalreoch 01
Kilpatrick 06
Dumbarton 03
Dumbarton 04
Heat networks
The LHEES has identified a total of 7 Heat Network Strategic Zones, with a combined heat demand of
162.6 GWh/year. Delivering these heat networks could therefore deliver 19% of the total heat
demand for West Dunbartonshire, exceeding the 8% target for heat networks set nationally in the
Heat Networks (Scotland) Act.
The Queens Quay network is already operational, and this Strategy identifies options for extension
and interconnection with future heat networks in the southern part of the local authority. Some
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work has already been undertaken to assess the business case for extension, however this Strategy
identifies other options that may need further consideration. Further expansion potential of the
network may be possible at Exxon and Carless industrial sites and will be reviewed as the sites
progress.   
For the new Heat Network Zones in Dumbarton and Alexandria, the first step will be to undertake
preliminary feasibility studies to determine the potential financial viability of the schemes and to
identify low carbon heat opportunities in the area.
Heat pumps and energy efficiency
Delivering heat decarbonisation across the fifteen Strategic Zones under the On-Gas, Off-Gas and
Energy Efficiency LHEES Considerations will aim to bring buildings in West Dunbartonshire up to the
thresholds set by Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy.
All buildings in West Dunbartonshire will need to meet the relevant national targets, however the
Strategic Zones inform the Council’s activity and areas of focus and engagement as decarbonisation
programmes are implemented.
The Delivery Areas, to be detailed as part of the LHEES Delivery Plan, set out at a granular level the
streets and buildings that will be part of the first five years of the LHEES in West Dunbartonshire.
LHEES Delivery Plan
Following adoption of the LHEES Strategy, the first LHEES Delivery Plan for West Dunbartonshire will
be developed, put out to consultation, and published. This Delivery Plan will cover the first five-year
period of LHEES action in West Dunbartonshire. This will focus on projects at a more granular scale,
Delivery Area, which includes smaller clusters of buildings and individual streets.
Stakeholder engagement is a key theme through LHEES, and as part of the Delivery Plan a
Monitoring and Evaluation Plan will be developed. This will set out how West Dunbartonshire
Council will approach engagement with stakeholder groups – both those already consulted in
developing the LHEES, and new stakeholders such as the Community Councils. This may also include
more targeted awareness and engagement campaigns in the prioritised Strategic Zones and Delivery
Areas. Through this engagement potential delivery mechanisms will be developed further: cross-
authority collaboration; joint ventures; and commercialisation.
The other key theme tackled in the Delivery Plan is the near-term actions and opportunities to be set
out for each of the Delivery Areas. This includes ensuring that LHEES actions align with, and
complement, existing plans, programmes and activity around heat decarbonisation and energy
efficiency in the local authority, and can draw on existing funding programmes and schemes.
Challenges for Delivery 
The delivery of heat network zones and energy efficiency retrofit across the entire local authority
area is a vast undertaking and there are many challenges that West Dunbartonshire Council
and our businesses and communities will have to address: 
• Funding gap – financing large scale infrastructure and energy efficiency interventions is
expected to have colossal costs. Funding from Scottish Government and other public
funding sources needs to be maximised, private sector funding needs to be leveraged in,
and support is required for local businesses and communities to ensure they access
available funding streams;
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• Viability – heat networks require electricity for operation, irrespective of the renewable
heat source, and many potential developments will only be viable if electricity can be
supplied directly from a renewable source; 
• Retrofit – progress is being made in the retrofit of energy efficiency measures, however a
more holistic ‘whole home’ approach is needed to maximise available funding and ensure a
no regrets delivery; 
• Skills gap – both within the Council and across the market there is a significant gap in skills
and knowledge. We need to consider training for staff internally to ensure concerns about
renewable technologies and procedures for retrofit heat and energy efficiency measures
are addressed. There is a significant lack of skilled workforce within the green jobs sector
and this requires our influence to boost education and training in green industries  within
the local authority area; 
• Behaviour change – heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency retrofit can change the way
that homes and buildings operate to ensure efficiency. Public acceptance of new
technologies and behaviour change towards heating controls and operating systems will
need a clear focus; and 
• Just transition – when making evidence based decisions on the delivery of LHEES, there
needs to be an assurance that we do not adversely affect our communities and businesses;
the cost to achieve net zero should not burden those least able to pay.   
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Appendix
Heat Networks
Indicators 
Theme: Value: Additional notes:
Strategic Zoning and Pathways
Linear Heat Density (LHD) 8,000 kWh/yr/m
Benchmarks of 4,000 are typically used for
very rural local authorities i.e. Highlands, and
16,000 for dense urban areas i.e. Glasgow,
with 8,000 for local authorities with a mix of
urban and rural geographies.
Anchor Load Heat Demand
Threshold 500 MWh/yr  Heating demands from Scotland Heat Map
2019
Anchor Load Threshold per
Potential Zone 2 or more 
Maximum Zone Radius 250 m
Maximum connection buffer after LHD analysis
set to 250m, due to large heat demand data
points within the Scotland Heat Map creating
LHDs of 10s of kilometres which is technically
unfeasible.
Opportunity Category Either High,
Medium or Low
Manual assessment of initial viability of each
zone, based upon heat demand, typology and
ownership of loads and constraints.
Fuel Poverty Household
fuel bill >10% of
income after
housing 
Extreme Fuel Poverty
Household
fuel bill >20% of
income after
housing 
Zone Opportunity Category
Rank 60% Weight Used to rank and prioritise Strategic Zones for
Delivery Area analysis (top 5 ranking taken
forward to DLA analysis) 
A ranking of 1 was applied to each Zone with
e.g. the highest heat demand, and 12 the
lowest (due to 12 zones). 
Zone Anchor Load Count Rank 10% Weight
Zone Heat Demand Rank 10% Weight
Zone Fuel Poverty Count Rank 20% Weight
Finalisation of Delivery Areas
Heat Demand Category
Low: 73 – 250
MWh/yr 
Medium: 250 –
500 MWh/yr = 
High: >500
MWh/yr = 
Heat demands from Scotland Heat Map 2019 
Within BEIS 2nd National Comprehensive
Assessment (NCA) threshold value of 73
MWh/year is considered the minimum for heat
network connection 
250-500 MWh/year is the middle threshold
between the NCA and LHEES anchor load
benchmarks 
500 MWh/year is the LHEES threshold for
anchor loads
Heat Networks (Scotland) Act
2021 - national target of heat
network supplied heat
2.6 TWh by 2027 
6 TWh by 2030 
Indicative heat network Linear
Heat Density (LHD) viability
threshold
4 MWh/year/m 
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Off Gas Grid
Indicators 
Theme: Value: Additional notes:
Strategic Zoning and Pathways
Off- gas grid
properties Off Gas = Yes Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Off-gas grid
Category 0
1. Off Gas = Yes
2. Heating System = Heat pump or
communal
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset 
Category 0 - Already have a low carbon
heating system (heat pumps or
communal heating).
Off-gas grid
Category 1
1. Off Gas = Yes
2. Category 0 = No
3. Listed = No
4. Conservation = No
5. Insulated Wall = Yes
6. Glazing = Double or Triple
7. Loft Insulation = No Loft or 99 mm+
8. Heating Fuel = Biomass, Solid, LPG
or Oil
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset 
Category 1 - Immediate potential for
heat pump retrofit (i.e. well insulated
properties with a wet heating system). 
Off-gas grid
Category 2
1. Off Gas = Yes
2. Category 0, 1 = No
3. Uninsulated Wall and type solid
brick or stone, system built or timber
= No
4. Risk to narrow hard to insulate
cavity = No
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset 
Category 2 - Secondary potential for
heat pump retrofit (i.e. in need of
moderate fabric / heat distribution
system upgrade to be heat pump ready).
Off-gas grid
Category 2
Weighting
1. Off Gas = Yes
2. Category 2 = Yes
3. Glazing = Double or Triple = +20%
4. Insulated Wall = Yes = +20%
5. Loft Insulation = No Loft or 99 mm+
= +20%
6. Tenure = Housing Association or
Local Authority = +20%
7. Heating Fuel = Oil or LPG = +20%
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Off-gas grid
Category 3
1. Off Gas = Yes
2. Category 0, 1, 2 = No
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset 
Category 3 - Tertiary potential for heat
pump retrofit (i.e. properties in need of
significant fabric / heat distribution
system upgrade to be heat pump ready)
or those not suited to heat pump
technology, with electric (storage or
direct) or biomass likely to be the most
viable decarbonisation technology. 
Off-gas grid
Category 3
Heat pump
1. Off Gas = Yes
2. Category 3 = Yes
3. Heating Fuel = LPG or Oil
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Off-gas grid
Category 3
Biomass or
Electric
1. Off Gas = Yes
2. Category 3 = Yes
3. Heating Fuel <> LPG or Oil
4. Fuel = Electric = Electric 100%
(ignore rest)
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Category equals highest percentage
weighting after exercise
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Theme: Value: Additional notes:
5. Fuel = Biomass or Solid = Biomass
100% (ignore rest)
6. Property Type = Detached =
Biomass +20%
7. Property Type = Semi Detached =
Biomass +15%
8. Wall = Solid brick or stone =
Biomass +15%
9. Property Type = Flats = Electric
+20%
10. Urban Classification = Electric
+10%
11. Insulated Walls = Yes = Electric
+10%
12. Glazing = Double or Triple = +20% 
Prioritisation
Value 2+ Standard Deviations Used to identify 100m x 100m areas of
high counts of the selected indicator. 
Category 0 DZ
Rank 0% Weight Used to rank Strategic Zones. 
A ranking of 1 was applied to each
Strategic Zone with e.g. the highest
count of Off-gas grid Category 1
properties, and inverted for the lowest. 
Combined weighting is DZ Off-gas grid
Rank
Category 1 DZ
Rank 65% Weight
Category 2 DZ
Rank 30% Weight
Category 3 DZ
Rank 5% Weight
Generation of Initial Delivery Areas
Scottish Index of
Multiple
Deprivation
(SIMD)
Decile of 1 falls within the most
deprived 10% of DZs nationally. 
While a decile of 10 means the DZ
falls within the least deprived 10% of
DZs nationally. 
Fuel Poverty
Indicator
Fuel Poverty Probability (fuel bill
>10% of income after housing) 
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Off-gas grid DZ
Rank 66% Weight Used to rank and prioritise Strategic
Zones.
Top 5 ranking taken forward to Delivery
Level Area Analysis.
SIMD DZ Rank 17% Weight
Fuel Poverty DZ
Rank 17% Weight
Building level pathway assessment Public property
EPC targets EPC B (SAP Score >= 81)
Based upon the Scottish 2021 Heat in
Buildings Strategy and Energy Efficiency
Standard for Social Housing (EESSH)
target of EPC band B for social housing
by December 2032.
Private property
EPC targets EPC C (SAP Score >= 69)
Based upon the Scottish 2021 Heat in
Buildings Strategy of new regulations for
private rented properties to achieve EPC
C or above by 2028
Category 0 Exclude 
Portfolio Energy
Analysis Tool
(PEAT) Key Details
Per property budget = Unlimited
SAP Score = As above
Target Heat Demand = N/A
Target CO2 = N/A 
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Theme: Value: Additional notes:
Costing Template = Standard EST
costs 08/2023
PEAT Measures
Automatic
Radiators and distribution system
Underfloor Heating
Storage heater distribution (No distribution system)
Warm air distribution
Modern storage heating controls
Time and temperature zone control for radiator systems
Time and temperature zone control for underfloor heating
New hot water cylinder
Solar hot water system
Hot water from combi
Electric immersion
Hot water cylinder with electric immersion back-up
Dual electric immersion
PEAT Measures
Selected
Replace all low energy light bulbs
Draught proofed windows
Draught proofed external doors
Loft insulation
Cavity wall insulation
Hard to treat cavity wall insulation
Hard to treat cavity wall insulation - bead
Loft insulation top-up
Insulation for flat roofing
Room in roof walls and sloping parts, 100mm insulation
Internal wall insulation
External wall insulation
New insulated uPVC external doors
A-rated glazing (uPVC)
A-rated glazing (uPVC) for roof
Solid floor insulation
Suspended wooden floor insulation
Air source heat pump
Ground source heat pump
Thermostatic radiator valves
Thermostatic radiator valves, for use linked community system
Thermostatic radiator valves, for flat rate community system
Additional thermostatic controls, warm air systems
Hot water cylinder insulation
Hot water cylinder insulation and new hot water controls (cylinder stat and water
heater timer)
New hot water controls (cylinder stat and water heater timer)
Insulating jacket, new hot water controls (cylinder stat and water heater timer)
and pipework insulation
Additional insulating jacket for existing foam insulated tank
Additional insulating jacket for existing foam insulated tank and new hot water
controls (cylinder stat and water heater timer)
2.5kW Solar panels (photovoltaic cells)
PEAT Measures
Excluded
Replace last 10 percent with CFL
Replace last 20 percent with CFL
Replace last 30 percent with CFL
Replace last 40 percent with CFL
Replace 50 percent with CFL
Replace 40 percent with CFL
Replace 30 percent with CFL
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Theme: Value: Additional notes:
Replace 20 percent with CFL
Replace 10 percent with CFL
Mains gas combi-condensing boiler
Mains gas condensing boiler
Oil combi-condensing boiler
Oil condensing boiler
Oil combi-condensing boiler (plus oil storage tank)
Oil condensing boiler (plus oil storage tank)
LPG combi condensing boiler
LPG condensing boiler
Biomass boiler (wood pellets)
Pellet stove with back boiler, with DHW
Modern storage heaters
Mains gas condensing warm air system
LPG condensing warm air system
Secondary heating log stove
5.5kW mast mounted wind turbine
Flat – Manual
External Wall
Insulation
Manual EWI = (No. individual UPRNs
within Parent UPRN) - PEAT EWI (for
that parent UPRN) 
Flat – Communal
Heating 1 per Parent UPRN
Individual heat pump systems are not
assigned to properties with a ‘flat’
tenure in PEAT.
Categorisation
Category 0
1 Heat pump or communal heating system Already defined as low and zero emissions
Category 1
1 Not Category 0 Avoids double counting
2 Not listed property Additional considerations for planning
3 Not in a conservation area Additional considerations for planning
4 Insulated walls Thermal efficiencies needed for heat pumps
5 Double or triple glazing Thermal efficiencies needed for heat pumps
6 Loft if present has 99 mm+ insulation Thermal efficiencies needed for heat pumps
7 Wet system (biomass, solid, LPG or oil) Significantly ease transition to heat pumps
Category 2
1 Not Category 0 or 1 Avoids double counting
2 Not uninsulated solid brick or stone, system
built or timber frame
Insulation is beyond a moderate upgrade 
3 No risk of narrow hard-to-insulate cavity Require more than a moderate upgrade to bring up to
the required thermal efficiency
Category 3
1 Not Category 0, 1 or 2 Avoids double counting properties  
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On gas grid
Indicators 
Theme: Value: Additional notes:
Strategic Zoning and Pathways
On-gas grid  properties Off Gas = No Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
On-gas grid
Category 0
1. Off Gas = No
2. Heating System =
Communal
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset 
Category 0 - Already have a low or zero
emissions heating system, properties that
defined as on-gas and are connected to a
heat network.
On-gas grid
Category 1
1. Off Gas = No
2. Category 0 = No
3. Listed = No
4. Conservation = No
5. Insulated Wall = Yes
6. Glazing = Double or
Triple
7. Loft Insulation = No Loft
or 99 mm+
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset 
Category 1 - Considered to be highly suited
to a heat pump solution minimal fabric
upgrade required prior to heat pump
installation and they have a wet heating
system. 
On-gas grid
Category 2
1. Off Gas = No
2. Category 0, 1 = No
3. Uninsulated Wall and
type solid brick or stone,
system built or timber = No
4. Risk to narrow hard to
insulate cavity = No
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset 
Category 2 - Secondary potential for heat
pump retrofit (i.e. in need of moderate
fabric / heat distribution system upgrade to
be heat pump ready).
On-gas grid
Category 2
Weighting
1. Off Gas = No
2. Category 2 = Yes
3. Glazing = Double or
Triple = +25%
4. Insulated Wall = Yes =
+25%
5. Loft Insulation = No Loft
or 99 mm+ = +25%
6. Tenure = Housing
Association or Local
Authority = +25%
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
On-gas grid
Category 3
1. Off Gas = No
2. Category 0, 1, 2 = No
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset 
Category 3 - Tertiary potential for heat
pump retrofit (i.e. properties in need of
significant fabric / heat distribution system
upgrade to be heat pump ready).
Prioritisation Value 2+ Standard Deviations Used to identify 100m x 100m areas of high
counts of the selected indicator.
Category 0 DZ Rank 0% Weight Used to rank Strategic Zones. 
A ranking of 1 was applied to each Strategic
Zone with e.g. the highest count of OnGG
Category 1 properties, and inverted for the
lowest. 
Combined weighting is DZ OnGG Rank
Category 1 DZ Rank 60% Weight
Category 2 DZ Rank 35% Weight
Category 3 DZ Rank
5% Weight
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Theme: Value: Additional notes:
Generation of Initial Delivery Areas Scottish Index of
Multiple Deprivation
(SIMD)
Decile of 1 falls within the
most deprived 10% of DZs
nationally. 
While a decile of 10 means
the DZ falls within the least
deprived 10% of DZs
nationally. 
Fuel Poverty Indicator
Fuel Poverty Probability
(fuel bill >10% of income
after housing) 
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
OnGG DZ Rank 66% Weight Used to rank and prioritise Strategic Zones. 
Top 5 ranking taken forward to Delivery
Level Area Analysis.
SIMD DZ Rank 17% Weight
Fuel Poverty DZ Rank 17% Weight
Building Level Pathway Assessment
Public property EPC
targets EPC B (SAP Score >= 81)
Based upon the Scottish 2021 Heat in
Buildings Strategy and Energy Efficiency
Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) target
of EPC band B for social housing by
December 2032.
Private property EPC
targets EPC C (SAP Score >= 69)
Based upon the Scottish 2021 Heat in
Buildings Strategy of new regulations for
private rented properties to achieve EPC C
or above by 2028
Category 0 Exclude 
Portfolio Energy Analysis
Tool (PEAT) Key Details
Per property budget =
Unlimited
SAP Score = As above
Target Heat Demand = N/A
Target CO2 = N/A
Costing Template =
Standard EST costs
08/2023 
PEAT Measures
Automatic Same as per Off-gas grid 
PEAT Measures
Selected Same as per Off-gas grid 
PEAT Measures
Excluded Same as per Off-gas grid 
Flat – Manual External
Wall Insulation
Manual EWI = (No.
individual UPRNs within
Parent UPRN) - PEAT EWI
(for that parent UPRN) 
Flat – Communal
Heating 1 per Parent UPRN
Individual heat pump systems are not
assigned to properties with a ‘flat’ tenure in
PEAT.
Categorisation
Category 0
1 Communal heating system Already defined as low and zero emissions
Category 1
1 Not Category 0 Avoids double counting
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2 Not listed property Additional considerations for planning
3 Not in a conservation area Additional considerations for planning
4 Insulated walls Thermal efficiencies needed for heat pumps
5 Double or triple glazing Thermal efficiencies needed for heat pumps
6 Loft if present has 99 mm+ insulation Thermal efficiencies needed for heat pumps
Category 2
1 Not Category 0 or 1 Avoids double counting
2 Not uninsulated solid brick or stone,
system built or timber frame
Insulation is beyond a moderate upgrade 
3 No risk of narrow hard-to-insulate cavity Require more than a moderate upgrade to bring up
to the required thermal efficiency
Category 3
1 Not Category 0, 1 or 2 Avoids double counting properties  
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Poor building energy efficiency
Theme: Value: Additional notes:
Strategic Zoning and Pathways
Poor Building
Energy Efficiency
Indicator
Uninsulated Walls
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Poor Building
Energy Efficiency
Indicator
Loft Insulation <100 mm
(with Room in Roof (RIR)) Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Prioritisation
Value 2+ Standard Deviations Used to identify 100m x 100m areas of high counts of
the selected indicator.
Poor Building
Energy Efficiency
Probability
Probability Weighting = Loft
Insulation (RIR) (50%),
Uninsulated Walls (50%) 
Strategic Zoning and Pathways – DZ Ranking
<100mm Loft
Insulation with RIR
DZ Rank
50% Weight
Used to rank Strategic Zones. 
A ranking of 1 was applied to each Strategic Zone with
e.g. the highest count of Uninsulated Walled
properties, and inverted for the lowest. 
Combined weighting is DZ Poor Building Energy
Efficiency Rank
Uninsulated Wall
DZ Rank 50% Weight  
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Poor building energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty
Theme: Value: Additional notes:
West
Dunbartonshire’s
fuel poverty rates
(2023)
Fuel Poverty Rate = 29% 
Extreme Fuel Poverty Rate =
12% 
Fuel Poverty
Indicator
Fuel Poverty Probability (fuel
bill >10% of income after
housing) 
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Extreme Fuel
Poverty Indicator
Extreme Fuel Poverty
Probability (fuel bill >20% of
income after housing)
Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Scottish Index of
Multiple
Deprivation
(SIMD)
Decile of 1 falls within the
most deprived 10% of DZs
nationally. 
While a decile of 10 means
the DZ falls within the least
deprived 10% of DZs
nationally. 
Prioritisation
Value 2+ Standard Deviations Used to identify 100m x 100m areas of high counts of
the selected indicator.
Poor Building
Energy Efficiency
as a Driver for Fuel
Poverty
Probability
Probability Weighting = Loft
Insulation (RIR) (25%),
Uninsulated Walls (25%),
Fuel Poverty Probability
(50%) 
Poor Building
Energy Efficiency
as a Driver for
Extreme Fuel
Poverty
Probability
Probability Weighting = Loft
Insulation (RIR) (25%),
Uninsulated Walls (25%),
Extreme Fuel Poverty
Probability (50%) 
Combined Poor
Building Energy
Efficiency DZ Rank
50% Weight Used to rank Strategic Zones 
Combined weighting is DZ Poor Building Energy
Efficiency as a Driver for Fuel Poverty Rank
Fuel Poverty DZ
Rank 25% Weight
SIMD DZ Rank 25% Weight
Combined Poor
Building Energy
Efficiency DZ Rank
50% Weight Used to rank Strategic Zones 
Combined weighting is DZ Poor Building Energy
Efficiency as a Driver for Extreme Fuel Poverty Rank
Extreme Fuel
Poverty DZ Rank 25% Weight
SIMD DZ Rank 25% Weight
Poor Building
Energy Efficiency
as a Driver for Fuel
Poverty DZ Rank
30% Weight
Used to rank and prioritise Strategic Zones. 
Top 5 ranking taken forward to Delivery Level Area
Analysis.
Poor Building
Energy Efficiency
as a Driver for
Extreme Fuel
Poverty DZ Rank
30% Weight
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Theme: Value: Additional notes:
Off-gas grid
Category 3 DZ
Rank
10% Weight
OnGG Category 3
DZ Rank 10% Weight
Domestic Listed
DZ Rank
(Inverted Rank)
10% Weight
(inverted rank to identify
areas with low counts)
Domestic
Conservation Area
DZ Rank (Inverted
Rank)
10% Weight 
(inverted rank to identify
areas with low counts)
Public property
EPC targets EPC B (SAP Score >= 81)
Based upon the Scottish 2021 Heat in Buildings
Strategy and Energy Efficiency Standard for Social
Housing (EESSH) target of EPC band B for social
housing by December 2032.
Private property
EPC targets EPC C (SAP Score >= 69)
Based upon the Scottish 2021 Heat in Buildings
Strategy of new regulations for private rented
properties to achieve EPC C or above by 2028
Fuel Poverty Not in Fuel Poverty = Exclude 
Energy efficiency is
not a driver of fuel
poverty
In Fuel Poverty and achieve
EPC target = Exclude 
Portfolio Energy
Analysis Tool
(PEAT) Key Details
Per property budget =
Unlimited
SAP Score = As above
Target Heat Demand = N/A
Target CO2 = N/A
Costing Template = Standard
EST costs 08/2023 
PEAT Measures
Automatic Same as per Off-gas grid 
PEAT Measures
Selected
Same as per Off-gas grid
However following removed:
Air source heat pump
Ground source heat pump 
PEAT Measures
Excluded
Same as per Off-gas grid
However following added:
Air source heat pump
Ground source heat pump 
Flat – Manual
External Wall
Insulation
Manual EWI = (No. individual
UPRNs within Parent UPRN) -
PEAT EWI (for that parent
UPRN) 
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Mixed-tenure, mixed-use and buildings in Conservation Areas
Theme: Value: Section: Additional notes:
Strategic Zoning and Pathways
Domestic 
Mixed-Tenure Indicator Mixed Tenure = Yes Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Domestic 
Mixed-Use Indicator
Dwellings within
buildings >1 = Yes Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Domestic
Listed Property Indicator Listed = A, B, C Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Domestic Conservation
Area Indicator
Conservation Area =
Yes Home Analytics (v 3.8.1) dataset
Non-Domestic
Conservation Area
Indicator
Conservation Area =
Yes Non-Domestic Analytics (v 1.1) dataset
Non-Domestic 
Mixed-Use Indicator
1. Dwellings within
buildings >1 = Yes
2. Typologies = >1
Non-Domestic Analytics (v 1.1) dataset
Prioritisation Value 2+ Standard
Deviations
Used to identify 100m x 100m areas of high counts of
the selected indicator.
Strategic Zoning and Pathways – DZ Ranking
Domestic Mixed Use DZ
Rank 10% Weight
Used to rank Strategic Zones 
Combined weighting is DZ Mixed-Tenure, Mixed-Use
and Historic Buildings Rank.
Domestic Mixed Tenure
DZ Rank 30% Weight
Domestic Listed DZ Rank 20% Weight
Domestic Conservation
Area DZ Rank 15% Weight
Non-Domestic Mixed-
Use DZ Rank 10% Weight
Non-Domestic
Conservation Area DZ
Rank
15% Weight  
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL
Report by Chief Officer: Roads & Neighbourhood
Infrastructure Regeneration and Economic Development Committee:
21 February 2024
___________________________________________________________________
Subject:     Net Zero Cooperation Agreement
1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek permission from Committee to enter a
Net Zero Cooperation Agreement developed between West Dunbartonshire
Council (The Council) and Glasgow City Council (GCC).  The Agreement
proposes to share expertise, skills, resources and infrastructure to help deliver
our Climate Change Action Plans to deliver Net Zero ambitions.
2. Recommendations
2.1      It is recommended that Committee:
(i) Approves the proposal to enter into the Net Zero Cooperation
Agreement with Glasgow City Council;
(ii) Notes that the agreement will be governed through the establishment
of a Project Board;
(iii) Notes that updates will be provided to committee within the Climate
Change Action Plan annual monitoring report; and
(iv) Authorises the Chief Officer Regulatory and Regeneration to enter the
Net Zero Cooperation Agreement on such conditions as considered
appropriate.
3. Background
3.1 The Council’s Climate Change Strategy was approved in November 2020 in
response to the global climate emergency, setting a long term target for West
Dunbartonshire becoming Net Zero by 2045.  The target set follows a similar
trajectory to the national target set for Scotland as a whole.
3.2 The Council’s Climate Change Action Plan approved in October 2021 sets out
actions and objectives to transition towards Net Zero.  In addition national
guidance and legislation outlines targets and expectations for councils. 
3.3 A key challenge in the delivery of the Strategy and Action Plan is the
availability of resources, skills and financial implications.
ITEM 6
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3.4 The Council’s Climate Change Action Plan is monitored through an annual
report to the IRED Committee.
4. Main Issues
4.1 GCC and the Council share common objectives in relation to achieving Net
Zero and meeting the targets placed on councils by the Scottish Government
under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 as amended by the Climate
Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019.
4.2    Both councils also have statutory duties in common including:
• provision of municipal waste management and recycling services
(Environmental Protection Act 1990 and The Waste (Scotland)
Regulations 2012),
• provision of heat network zoning (Heat Networks (Scotland) Act
2021),
• duty to secure best value (Local Government in Scotland Act 2003).
4.3 Both councils have set out their approach to the Climate Emergency and this
is detailed in their respective strategy documents; GCC’s Climate Plan and
the Council’s Climate Change Strategy. 
4.4  There is an opportunity to develop a Cooperation Agreement to share
expertise, skills, resources and infrastructure where collaboration would
provide a mutual benefit to delivering our Climate Change Action Plans and
transition to Net Zero.
4.5 The Net Zero Cooperation Agreement sets out four initial areas of
collaboration:
• Energy Sustainability
• Transition to Electric Fleet
• Waste Strategy
• Sustainable Transport
Working groups will be established for each of the four workstreams with
Officers with appropriate skills, expertise and knowledge in attendance.
4.6 Energy Sustainability
Both councils are required to deliver a Local Heat Energy Efficiency Strategy
(LHEES) which sets out plans and priorities for reducing energy demand,
decarbonising heat and improving the energy efficiency of buildings.  The
following are examples of the activities that this workstream could explore:
• Identification of LHEES opportunities for sharing,
• Investigate district heating systems and renewables opportunities with a
focus on cross boundary working and use of the River Clyde channel,
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• Exploration of cross boundary measures to adapt to impacts of climate
change including increased flooding, as well as developing plans to
capture carbon emissions.
Early discussions are likely to focus on identifying how LHEES Priorities
identified in the Councils’ respective Strategies may be delivered through
emerging delivery plans which seek to address demand and exploit
opportunities irrespective of local authority boundaries. 
4.7 Transition to Electric Fleet and Wider Vehicle Electrification
Both councils are required to develop a programme of transition to Ultra-Low
Emission Vehicles or Zero Emission Vehicles as part of a fleet
decarbonisation programme to comply with ambitious targets set by the
Scottish Government. Actions could include:
• Developing the vehicle replacement programme to transition to ultra-low
and zero emission fleet including identifying appropriate vehicle options
for best value and operational service delivery,
• Upskilling and training of workforce to maintain and repair the electric
fleet,
• Development of policies and incentives that encourage a change in
employee travel behaviour to limit the use of fleet vehicles or private cars
and review use of pool cars,
• Identification of fleet and public electric vehicle charging infrastructure
requirements and locations for depot and shared charging hubs.
In respect of this limb of the cooperation agreement both councils currently
participate in the wider City Region Electric Vehicle Charging Senior Officers
Group, but under this agreement the two councils will additionally develop
vehicle charging sites with mutual benefit for fleet operations and public
charging opportunities.
4.8 Waste Strategy
Both councils have committed to The Charter for Household Recycling, and
associated Code of Practice, designed to support the increase of quantity and
quality of recyclables, provide access to and encourage use of recycling
services for all residents and implement efficient service delivery.  
Given this shared commitment, there is a clear opportunity to cooperate and
shape strategy through knowledge transfer and the sharing of lessons learned
in respect of waste management and recycling services, for example:
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• Improving waste management and recycling services to meet statutory
and legislative obligations,
• Sharing waste treatment and storage infrastructure to deliver best value,
resilience and promote more sustainable services that are compliant with
forthcoming legislation,
• Developing improved education and communications to support recycling
and reuse of materials in accordance with the circular economy,
• Exploring use of technology to improve customer experience and
operational efficiency.
An early outcome of this agreement will be the processing of West
Dunbartonshire Council’s Residual Waste at the Glasgow City facility (GREC)
in Polmadie which as well as addressing West Dunbartonshire Council’s
residual waste requirements, will increase recycling of waste on a Council
and City Region basis.
4.9 Active and Sustainable Travel
Ambitious targets are set out in the national and regional transport strategies
and within the route map to achieve a 20% reduction in car kilometres by
2030 requiring the improvement of existing active travel path networks. With
both councils being members of the Glasgow Regional Bus Partnership and
the Clyde Metro Project Group.  There is an opportunity to cooperate by: 
• Sharing knowledge, expertise and skills to implement the design and
delivery of sustainable and active travel infrastructure,
• Joint development of key boundary linkages such as quality bus corridors,
cycle and walking routes and sustainable transport hubs,
• Identifying route options that improve connectivity and reduce social
exclusion by improving access to education and employment,
• Promoting sustainable and active transport within the respective
workforces and our communities through development of Active Travel
Strategies and behavioural change initiatives.
4.10 Governance
A Project Board will oversee and resolve any issues arising during the life of
the cooperation agreement.  The board will be responsible for monitoring
progress of the activities identified within the workstreams, reviewing
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proposals for further collaborative activities and report annually to the
respective councils.
The working groups will manage day-to-day matters.
4.11 Funding and Costs
Each council will make a financial contribution reflective of their own
respective costs and expenses under the cooperation agreement.
The Project Board will assess the financial contribution for each financial year
and this will be reported via the Council’s financial reporting process with an
annual financial position set out in the annual monitoring report.
4.12 Agreement Duration and Termination
The term of agreement will be until cancelled by either council with 12 months
written notice.
5. People Implications
5.1 There are no current people implications however as the workstreams
develop proposals any people implications will be considered within that
process.
6. Financial and Procurement Implications
6.1 Both councils will benefit financially from the Cooperation Agreement.  A
financial contribution will be made by each council in relation to joint activities
being undertaken following agreement on quantum and scope.  The detail of
this will be agreed by the Project Board and reported to Council within the
Climate Change Action plan annual monitoring report. 
It is too early to accurately estimate the quantum of financial benefit for both
councils however it is anticipated that considerable financial as well as social
benefit will accrue to both parties through common and complementary
approaches to pursuing net-zero.  The level of financial benefit for the
Cooperation agreement as a whole will be monitored through the service
financial monitoring reports and the Project Board and through an annual
report to the Council.
6.2  Where potential future procurement opportunities arise from the Cooperation
Agreement each requirement will be subject to a position paper outlining the
project details with the relevant resource and a procurement strategy to
consider the optimum route to deliver best value for both parties.  Each
procurement will be reported in line with the Council’s standing orders and will
follow relevant procurement regulations and be presented to the relevant
Project Boards and future committees as required.      
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7. Risk Analysis
7.1 The Cooperation Agreement seeks to address the opportunities for inter-
authority collaboration in a number of regulated areas which focus on the Net-
Zero and Climate Change challenges which both councils face in the coming
years.  As the approach is innovative the councils have, as well as
considering advice from its own internal legal services, sought external legal
advice and consideration of all such advice has contributed to the approach
adopted in the Cooperation Agreement and will influence the councils’
approaches to advancing the agreement while minimising risk.
8. Environmental Sustainability
8.1 The Cooperative Agreement will support both councils to deliver the climate
change requirements in relation to their respective action plans.
9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)
9.1 Activities will be screened and an Equality Impact Assessment will be
undertaken if required.
10. Consultation
10.1 Consultations have been undertaken with Finance, Legal and respective
teams who are responsible for the delivery of the Climate Change Action
Plan.
11. Strategic Assessment
11.1 This proposal will contribute to the following strategic priorities:
• Our communities are resilient and thriving;
• Our environment promotes a greener future.
Gail Macfarlane
Chief Officer: Roads and Neighbourhood Services
Date: 21 February 2024
Person to Contact: Gail Macfarlane.
Email: gail.macfarlane@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
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Appendices: None
Background Papers:
Report to West Dunbartonshire Council Dated 25 November 2020, Climate Change
Strategy
Report to West Dunbartonshire Council Dated 27 October 2021, Climate Change 
Action Plan
www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/council/key-council-documents/plans-and-
strategies/sustainable-development/climate-change
EIA Screening (Number 969)
Wards Affected: All
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL
Report by Chief Officer: Resources
Infrastructure Regeneration and Economic Development Committee:
21 February 2024
___________________________________________________________________
Subject:   Lease of West Dunbartonshire Activity Centre, 73 Ardoch Crescent,
Brucehill, Dumbarton G82 4EN
1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek Committee approval for West
Dunbartonshire Council (the Council) to approve the lease of West
Dunbartonshire Activity Centre (the centre) to West Dunbartonshire
Gymnastics Club (the club).
2. Recommendations
2.1      It is recommended that the Committee:
(i) Approves lease of West Dunbartonshire Activity Centre for a period of 10
years to West Dunbartonshire Gymnastics Club.
(ii) Authorises the Chief Officer Resources to conclude negotiations.
(iii) Authorises the Chief Officer Regulatory and Regeneration to conclude
the transaction on such conditions as considered appropriate.
3. Background
3.1 In March 2023, as part of savings options put forward to address a £21million
budget gap, members agreed to review community facility provision, across
West Dunbartonshire. The review sought to reduce the provision to a level
more consistent with neighbouring local authorities and address reduced
usage post-pandemic. Transferring responsibility to manage and control
community facilities to voluntary organisations through community lease
arrangements would reduce the costs to West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust
and the Council.
3.2 Officers of the Council have been engaging with West Dunbartonshire
Gymnastics Club with a view to them assuming full responsibility for the
property when it closes. The club currently have a month to month licence of
the premises which allows them use of the Hall 3 days per week at specific
times contained within the terms and conditions.
ITEM 7
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4. Main Issues
4.1 The club was founded in 2011 and moved into the centre in 2018. They are
fully committed to the local community.
4.2 The club offers a wealth of opportunities to local children by providing:
• Classes to children of all ages, 6 days per week throughout the year
• Over 550 members per week use West Dunbartonshire Activity Centre as
a gymnastics training facility.
• Provision of competitive and non-competitive gymnastics classes.
• Scholarship arrangements for local children who wouldn’t otherwise be
able to attend classes.
• In partnership with the local Dunbartonshire Disability Sports Club and
West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust, they have created a weekly disability
training session for young members and the wider community, with the
ambition to create a display team.
• A pathway for young gymnasts in the area to access new skills and
training through their coaching pathway. Many of these young
local volunteers develop into their coaching workforce within the club and
become employed as WDGC coaches.
4.3   The club have created a strong bond with the wider West Dumbarton
community. During the summer months they offer free gymnastics taster
sessions for non-members and work together with West Dunbartonshire
Leisure Trust to deliver Summer Camps during the school holidays. This
helps to support working families by providing recreational activities for
children throughout the summer period. 
4.4   The market rent for lease has still to be agreed and this will take into account  
any work required by the group to the centre.
4.5 The centre was fitted out as a purpose built facility by the club in 2018 which
they maintain and repair. 
4.6 It is intended that any necessary statutory repairs required by the Council as
landlord from will be completed prior to the date of entry.
4.7 West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Sports Development will continue to
require access to the facility for 15 hours per week over 38 weeks. In addition,
a further 77 hours for School Holiday Camps. The Club will benefit from an
income associated with this usage which will assist with the anticipated
running costs.
4.8 The offer of lease to the club is subject to agreement of the usual terms and
conditions associated with a full repairing lease. 
4.9 The club will work with West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust in the coming
months to ensure existing uses can be maintained.
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4.10 As part of the lease agreement the centre will continue to be used as a polling
station.
5. People Implications
5.1 There are no significant people implications other than the resources required
by Legal Services and Resources to negotiate and conclude the transaction..
6. Financial and Procurement Implications
6.1 The Council will benefit from an annual rent for the centre.
6.2 West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust will no longer incur resources in managing
and maintaining the centre.
6.3 West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust will generate a revenue saving of
approximately £142,258 per annum achieved via property and running costs.
6.4 No financial outlays are required by the Council to facilitate this arrangement.
6.5 There are no procurement implications arising from this report.
7. Risk Analysis
7.1 The lease will be subject to is subject to legal due diligence. There is a risk of
the lease not proceeding due to any emerging issues during the diligence and
leasing process. This is standard for any lease transaction.
8. Environmental Sustainability
8.1 An up to date asbestos report and other relevant safety documentation will be
provided for the centre and passed to the club.
8.2 Any refurbishment of the centre will require to be in line with current building
standards.
9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)
9.1 An Equality Impact Assessment is not applicable for the purpose of this
report.
10. Consultation
10.1 Consultations have been undertaken with Finance, Regeneration and
Regulatory, Greenspace, Citizen Culture & Facilities and West
Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust. 
11. Strategic Assessment
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11.1 By agreeing to this proposal WDLT will benefit from savings in relation to
operating costs and maintenance.
11.2 The recommendation in this report supports the delivery of the Council
Strategic Plan and in particular the achievement of the following priorities:
o Our Communities – Resilient and Thriving;
o Our Council – Inclusive and Adaptable
Laurence Slavin
Chief Officer: Resources
Date: 13 February 2024
Person to Contact: Michelle Lynn, Asset Coordinator.
Email: michelle.lynn@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Elaine Medinelli, Estates Surveyor. 
Email: elaine.medinelli@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Appendices: None
Background Papers:  None
Wards Affected: Ward 3
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL
Report by Chief Officer: Resources
Infrastructure Regeneration and Economic Development Committee:
21 February 2024
___________________________________________________________________
Subject :   East End Football Pitch, Glasgow Road, Dumbarton G82 1RH
1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek Committee approval for West
Dunbartonshire Council (the Council) to transfer East End Football Pitch and
associated Pavilion, Glasgow Road, Dumbarton (the pavilion) to St Patrick’s
Former Pupils (the club).
2. Recommendations
2.1      It is recommended that the Committee:
(i) Approve the lease of East End Football Pitch and associated Pavilion
for a period of ten years to St Patrick’s Former Pupils.
(ii) Authorise the Chief Officer, Supply, Property and Distribution to
conclude negotiations.
(iii) Authorise the Chief Officer, Regulatory and Regeneration to conclude
the transaction on such conditions as considered appropriate.
3. Background
3.1 In March 2023, as part of savings options put forward to address a £21million
budget gap, members agreed to review community facility provision, across
West Dunbartonshire. The review sought to reduce the provision to a level
more consistent with neighbouring local authorities and address reduced
usage post-pandemic. Transferring responsibility to manage and control
community facilities to voluntary organisations through a combination of
community asset transfers or community lease arrangements would reduce
the costs to West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust and the Council.
3.2 Whilst the Pavilion was not part of this initial review the Council continue to
engage with groups across the authority to encourage transfer of ownership
where possible either by disposal, community asset transfer or lease
arrangements.
ITEM 8
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4. Main Issues
4.1 The Council have been working with the club continue to support other local
football teams which will allow them access to the facility for training and
matches with no change to their current bookings as users.
4.2 All users currently using the pitch will continue to be accommodated in their
existing slots.
4.3 Presently, the club only require use of the pavilion and pitch for 2 hours on a
Monday and Wednesday evening and on a Saturday afternoon. Therefore,
there is ample opportunity for the facility to be used out with these times and
the club will actively encourage new users.
4.4  The club are committed to helping local charities. They have recently  raised
£13,000 for the local food bank through a sponsored run and an annual golf
day has also raised money for Enable and the Children’s Hospice.
4.5 The club will continue with their fundraising efforts and will utilise the pavilion
to host other activities such as a Gala Day to raise funds for kids football.
They are keen to create a hub within at the pavilion for use by community
groups.
4.6 It is anticipated that the lease of the pavilion will commence on 1st April 2024.
4.7 It is intended that any necessary statutory repairs required by the Council as
landlord from will be completed prior to the date of entry.
4.8 The offer of lease to the club is subject to agreement of the usual terms and
conditions associated with a full repairing lease.
4.9 The market rent for lease has still to be agreed and this will take into account
any work required by the group to the centre.
5. People Implications
5.1 There are no significant people implications other than the resources required
by Legal Services and Resources to negotiate and conclude the transaction.
6. Financial and Procurement Implications
6.1 The Council will benefit from an annual rent for the centre.
6.2 West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust will no longer incur resources in managing
and maintaining the centre.
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6.3 West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust will generate a revenue saving of
approximately £28,000 per annum achieved via property and running costs.
6.4 No financial outlays are required by the Council to facilitate this arrangement.
6.5 There are no procurement implications arising from this report.
7. Risk Analysis
7.1 The asset transfer is subject to legal due diligence.
8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)
8.1 An Equality Impact Assessment is not applicable for the purpose of this
report.
9. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)
9.1 An Equality Impact Assessment is not applicable for the purpose of this
report.
10. Consultation
10.1 Consultations have been undertaken with Finance, Greenspace, Citizen
Culture & Facilities and West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust. 
11. Strategic Assessment
11.1 By agreeing to this proposal WDLT will benefit from savings in relation to
operating costs and maintenance.
11.2 The recommendation in this report supports the delivery of the Council
Strategic Plan and in particular the achievement of the following priorities:
o Our Communities – Resilient and Thriving;
o Our Council – Inclusive and Adaptable
Laurence Slavin
Chief Officer: Resources
Date: 13 February 2024
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Person to Contact: Michelle Lynn, Asset Coordinator.
Email: michelle.lynn@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Elaine Medinelli, Estates Surveyor. 
Email: elaine.medinelli@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Appendices: None
Background Papers:  None
Wards Affected: Ward 3
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