PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
:
Minutes:
Question from Sarah
Davies, Helensburgh Community Council
Sarah
Davies enquired about the street lights on Upper Colquhoun Street at the Hill
House. She advised the Committee that they were in poor repair with 2 not
functioning.
Response from Committee
Councillor
Penfold advised that the Committee would seek a response from the appropriate
department.
Questions from Angela Anderson, Plastic Free
Helensburgh /Time for Change 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute
Angela
Anderson asked the Committee to ensure that anyone available attends the
Climate Literacy Training. She also asked for Clarification on the Council’s
waste stream management and advised the Committee that Time for Change, Plastic
Free Helensburgh and the GRAB Trust are collaborating to show The Oil Machine in
the Tower Cinema and asked that as many people come as possible, adding that
invitations would be sent to all Councillors.
Response from the Committee
Councillor
Penfold advised that the Carbon Literacy Training was great and added that some
Councillors have said they would be happy to do it, if course is offered again.Ìý She advised that a response would be sought
on behalf of Angela regarding the Waste Stream Management.
Questions from Peter
Brown, Helensburgh Community Council
Question 1
Section
3.4 of the Waterfront Development Update states that the 2012 approved
Masterplan "agreed that the former pool area within the waterfront site
would be developed primarily for commercial use". This is incorrect
and, as per the diagram from the 2012 Masterplan it can be seen that the
footprint of the former pool is in fact primarily to be used for
landscaping/playpark/skatepark. Does the
Committee agree that the subject of this paper is actually the "grey
area" of the Leisure Centre development plan, which is significantly more
than the site of the former pool?
Response from Head of Commercial
Services
The
Head of Commercial Services advised that he had slides as part of Item 14 that
also illustrated the retail/commercial area that he would talk to later in
Committee.Ìý He said it is correct that
the Masterplan shows retail area further over to the right of the section of
the area next which is not subject of any planning consent and overall does
form part of the demolished pool. Mr McLaughlin advised that they are now
progressing with a large scale regeneration site which is now largely complete
and what cannot be disputed is the fact that the majority of the remainder of
the site was part of the old pool and as per later item is the subject of the
proposed marketing exercise.
Question 2
Section
3.7 of the Waterfront Development Update states that "to dispel
speculation there is no 'done deal' or proposition to build at the site at this
stage". The author of this
report, the Executive Director with responsibility for Commercial Services, was
at a meeting with members of Helensburgh Community Council in August where a
2-storey building with retail frontage extending between Sinclair Street and
Colquhoun Street was pictured on the pierhead
site. We were shown a plan view of this building, along with
3-dimensional sketch views, and the plan was marked as created by Darton B3 in March 2022. This was clearly a
"proposition" for the site that the Council had procured, yet from
the Minutes of the Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee meetings, the
Committee had not given direction that this was to be created. Can the
Committee answer why that plan was created, why it has not been made public,
and whether that is actually the proposition that Avison Young are to market?
Response from Committee/Head of
Commercial Services
Councillor
Penfold advised that as far as she knew the plan was created to show what could
be done in that area and was not a proposition. The Head of Commercial Services
confirmed that the plan which had been presented at the meeting with the
Community Council and Councillors was a desk based mock up to show what could
be possible on the site.Ìý Mr McLaughlin
advised that there is no done deal and that the report later on the agenda asks
for agreement to take forward the marketing of the site.
Question 3
Section 3.6 of the Waterfront Development Update states that the Full
Business Case for the Leisure Centre was "underpinned by forecast future
income / capital receipt from commercially developing the remaining plot
abutting West Clyde Street". The cost of the leisure centre, which
the Council approved is £23M. Within that figure, the Council has agreed
to fund £16.3M, with a further £5M coming from the LIBOR grant. The
Council has incrementally increased its contribution over the last 6 years,
when it had budgeted in 2014 to provide only £11.7M. If the Council has
been willing to increase its spend on this site by £4.6M as the project has
evolved to a total of £16.3M, it is disingenuous to say that the project is underpinned
by an expected £1M contribution from the sale of the area next to West Clyde
Street. Does the Committee agree that they could ask the full Council to
increase its spend by a further £1M and decouple the leisure centre cost from
this site?
Response from Committee
Councillor Penfold advised that she would seek further information and
provide a response to Dr Brown by e-mail.
Question 4
Section 3.10 of the Waterfront Development Update, almost as a footnote, says that "Consultants have also been commissioned to update previous reports and consider the wider impacts developing this site would have on the town centre". The crucial report that needs to be updated is the Retail Survey which was last done in 2011, and on which the Masterplan's retail requirements were based. In particular, the 2011 report's proposed additional grocery spend in the town has already been fulfilled by Waitrose/Morrisons and therefore any new store would mean that an existing town centre store would close. Does the Committee agree that marketing for retail purposes can only be considered once a new Retail Survey has been put ... view the full minutes text for item 4
:
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
:
Minutes:
The
Committee Manager read out a question from Sarah Davies of Helensburgh
Community Council in relation to the Helensburgh Waterfront Development:-Ìý
“Could
the committee please let us know how and when the Helensburgh Community is
going to be consulted on the redevelopment of the grey area now that the
Leisure Centre is finished?Ìý The
waterfront paper being presented to this meeting today refers to demolishing
the pool and creating a cycle path on West Clyde Street (I am not sure what this
is linked to and from).Ìý It was also
agreed with Scottish Water and Andrew Collins that that a Top Up Tap would be
installed at the corner opposite the old bank / The Journey building to provide
refill facilities for the John Muir Way, residents and visitors to the
seafront.Ìý However there is no further
information about the return of the Skateboard Park or retail units.â€
The
Committee Manager advised that the Head of Commercial Services was currently on
leave and would provide a response to this question on his return to work.Ìý She further advised that the response would
be circulated to Members also.
The
Committee Manager read out a second question from Sarah Davies of Helensburgh
Community Council:-
“The
community is very appreciative of the hard work which has gone in to the
completed Leisure Centre.Ìý It is
mentioned in the waterfront report that this compliments the Chord Project in
Colquhoun Square and the regeneration of Hermitage Park.Ìý Both projects are again appreciated by the
community, however they are also areas which are frequently raised with the
community council with regards to ongoing maintenance.Ìý In the square lights, benches and bins
require repair and refurbishment.Ìý In the
park there are a number of areas which need completing and there is broken play
equipment.Ìý It seems that the capital
works are completed, but then there isn’t a regular maintenance schedule to
keep these areas in good condition.Ìý This
was highlighted in the recent Conveners report to the Helensburgh Community Council
AGM which was also presented to the last Helensburgh and Lomond Planning
Group.Ìý Is there a regular maintenance
schedule for these areas?
When
will the larger bins budgeted for and discussed jointly with HCC and Plastic
Free Helensburgh be in place?Ìý The
community works hard to monitor the bins, clean the beaches and tidy the shrub
beds, we would welcome support with the other areas to ensure Helensburgh is
the clean, green and well maintained town I am sure we all desire it to be.â€
The
Committee Manager advised that she would forward the sections of the question
that related to the Leisure Centre to the Head of Commercial Services, who
would provide a response on his return from leave.Ìý
The
Project Manager provided a short update on routine maintenance and advised that
as he didn’t have the information to hand, he would provide further details on
the schedules following the meeting.ÌýÌý
The
Chair advised of a recent Business Day meeting which took place at Hermitage
Park and spoke of the broken play equipment.Ìý
She advised of supply chain issues that were delaying the process of
repair.Ìý
The
Committee Manager undertook to seek combined responses from the relevant
departments and provide a response to Ms Davies in respect of her
question.ÌýÌý
The
Committee Manager read out a further question from Stuart Paul, a Helensburgh
resident regarding street name signs in Helensburgh:-
“When
are we going to get new ones? Many existing ones have faded and now
unreadable.Ìý What is the plan and
timetable, if any?â€
The
Project Manager confirmed that a programme of sign replacement was currently
underway but advised that the revenue budget for this was relatively
small.Ìý He advised that the programme
would look to replace the worst affected signs first.Ìý Discussion was had on the possibility of
replacing old signs with embossed signs; and a number of areas throughout the
locality that should be addressed, with signage at Faslane
Cemetery being of particular concern.Ìý
The Project Manager advised that he would look into the issues raised
and report back to the Committee in this regard.Ìý
: