Helensburgh Community Council Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 12 November 2024
Back to Helensburgh and Lomond Area Community Planning Group — 12 November 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Helensburgh Community Council Partner Update for Helensburgh and Lomond Community Planning Partnership Meeting 12th November 2024 Since the announcement by Argyll and Bute’s Policy and Resources Committee of Forrest Development Ltd as the preferred bidder for the Helensburgh Waterfront Project our response to this has taken up much of our time. We have been researching and finding answers to relevant questions, whilst organising a campaign to encourage our local councillors and Argyll and Bute Council to listen to the voice of the Helensburgh community. The plan to sell the site for a supermarket and commercial development has not been well received. All of our consultations through the Vision for Helensburgh Project have reinforced the fact that the majority of residents would prefer the land to be kept as a public space to be used by visitors and residents. Importantly this would of course include the popular recently reinstated skatepark. • We have been involved in a number of actions designed to represent the community voice and encourage Argyll and Bute Council to pause the process until a great deal more consultation and transparency can take place. • A digital and paper petition is now closing in on 5,000 signatures • Community Council meetings have been well attended and lengthy discussions and presentations have taken place • More than 40 questions were submitted to the Helensburgh and Lomond Committee from community members about the development and the lack of transparency in the decision making process • A letter writing campaign to local councillors has been organised • We have written once again again to the leader of the council to ask him to meet with us and hear our genuine concerns • We held a stall in Helensburgh Market to discuss the issue with local residents and visitors and grow the petition • A rally in celebration of the Waterfront saw more than 400 residents of all ages gather to show their support for “ No Supermarket” along with local musicians and displays by the Helensburgh Skatepark Group • A crowdfunding page has been set up to fund a judicial review of the decision making process which needs to be submitted by November 15th Despite the huge amount of time and volunteer hours being put in to this campaign the HCC has continued diligently with our other roles and responsibilities.
Page 2
A subcommittee of the community council and local interested residents are tirelessly working away on creating a Local Place Plan. A new website has been set up with surveys for residents of all ages, visitors, businesses and community groups. We encourage everyone to visit www.visionforhelensburgh.org to learn about the Place Plan and take the survey. • The Annual Remembrance Parade at Hermitage Park has been organised jointly with the local British Legion • Beach Cleans and Shrub Bed Tidying have now paused until the Spring but can be reinstated if necessary following storms • The Community Council is supporting the Save the Tower Community buy out to keep cinema and the Arts alive and local in Helensburgh • We have listened to a presentation from the Friends of Duchess Woods about the difficulties posed by Luss Estates decision to sell. This is of great concern to the community. • The Planning Group continues to discharge its responsibility to review all applications and wrote an objection to the YLEM Battery Storage Project • We continue to give grants from our Music in the Square fund to local groups and projects • Other areas for discussion have included Community Resilience, the creation of the Helensburgh to Dumbarton Cycle Path, Welcoming Spaces and extra community pharmacy provision. Our monthly meetings continue to be well attended by the public and are held in the Civic Centre on the lat Thursday of every month. Please try to join us. Follow us on Facebook or visit our website to find out more about our activities, campaigns and community events. Sarah Davies Secretary HCC