Minutes:
The Chair, having noted that questions had been submitted by a member of the public in advance of the meeting and having noted that this member of the public was in attendance, invited them to ask their questions.
Katherine Wright,
Helensburgh Sports Trust
My questions are on behalf of the Helensburgh Sports Trust and concern the former primary school annex at Hermitage Primary school.
We wish to thank the Area Committee for the motion that was agreed at the previous meeting of the Area Committee regarding the Hermitage Primary School annex. We would like to ask:
1. What response has been received to the Chair's letter to the Chief Executive requesting that the land is not considered for sale or development as set out in point 3 of the motion?; and
2. When the Trust can expect to hear from the officers charged with investigating ways in which the land could be used for sports or outdoor play as set out in point 4 of the motion?
In response to question 1, the Chair provided the following response:
As outlined at the 10th March 2026 Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee (School Estate Update – Helensburgh), the agreed position is that officers from Commercial Services, Education, and Development and Economic Growth have agreed that it would be premature to dispose of or repurpose Helensburgh school assets at the present time. This position has been reached in light of the wider strategic context, including the Council’s declared housing emergency and the ongoing review of surplus education estate, but also recognising that two significant strands of strategic work remain to be completed before any longer-term decisions on future use can properly be considered.
In particular, the report makes clear that future consideration of such assets requires to be informed by both the forthcoming Helensburgh Strategic Development Framework (SDDF) and the Council’s Education Learning Estate Strategy. These exercises are intended to consider, among other matters, the implications of future housing growth, potential changes in school roll projections, and any resulting changes in educational infrastructure requirements across the Helensburgh area. Pending the outcome of that wider work, the current officer view is that the land should not be progressed for sale or alternative development at this stage.
Whilst I acknowledge the Committees concerns, the substantive position now publicly reported to committee is that no immediate disposal or repurposing of the land is being taken forward at this stage. That position is consistent with the terms of the motion insofar as it confirms that further decisions will be deferred until the relevant strategic reviews have concluded and a more robust evidence base is available.
In response to question 2, the Committee Manager advised that he had passed this question to the Head of Commercial Services in advance of the meeting, and had been provided with the following response:
Officers are aware of the Trust’s interest in the land, including the Expression of Interest submitted by Parents for Active Learning on 17th March 2025. There has been prior engagement with the group, including meetings and email correspondence, and officers remain aware of the issues raised in relation to potential community use of the site.
At present, however, neither Education nor Hermitage Primary School has identified a specific operational requirement for additional outdoor sports or outdoor play provision on the land, nor is there currently any allocated funding in place to deliver such use. It is also relevant to note that the existing school has benefited from recent investment in its playground provision, which has addressed current school requirements in this regard.
In addition, the site would require material investment before it could be made suitable for outdoor sports or play purposes, and no such investment is currently budgeted. In these circumstances, it would not be possible to identify a definitive timetable at this stage for further officer reporting on this matter.
Accordingly, the most appropriate position to set out is that the Trust will receive a further update once the wider strategic work relating to the future of the school estate in Helensburgh has progressed sufficiently to enable officers to undertake and present a more informed assessment of feasible options for the site.
The Committee Manager agreed to provide full details of these responses to Ms Wright following the meeting.
Dr Peter Brown,
Helensburgh Community Council
The Committee Manager advised that there had been a number of public questions submitted in advance of the meeting by Dr John Brown, and in his absence read them out on his behalf.
The Committee Manager confirmed that on receipt of these questions he had passed them to colleagues within Commercial Services who had provided the following response:
Fortnightly updates continue to be published on the dedicated website, including regular photographic progress. The most recent update was issued on 1 June. As highlighted, the roof repair is progressing well and remains in line with expectations, with the design of the new roofing system informed by lessons learned from the previous installation. Roof repair works are very much weather dependent and can only be carried out when weather conditions meet safety tolerances. In addition, the initial phase of the roof repair had to be completed before internal works could commence so there was no risk of further water ingress to the building.
Internal repair works have presented some challenges, reflecting the complexity of the project and the extent of water damage sustained. In response, elements of the programme have been carefully reviewed and refined, with officers working closely alongside contractors, the loss adjuster and insurers to finalise the necessary contractual arrangements.
Further information on timescales and the overall scope of works will be provided via the project update page as soon as this is available and will also be highlighted at Council on 24 June. In parallel, the Council will continue to work collaboratively with Live Argyll and partners to support preparations for reopening, while actively exploring opportunities to reinstate swimming provision at the earliest practicable opportunity. In the interim, gym and fitness classes are continuing to be delivered successfully through the temporary facilities established by Live Argyll at Victoria Halls and Helensburgh Library.
The Committee Manager confirmed that he would share details of this response with Dr Brown following the meeting.
Councillor Corry advised that, as a Member of the Live Argyll Board, he understood that progress in relation to the project was subject to ongoing communications and negotiations with the insurance company. He noted understandable frustrations around delays and noted the nature of construction and weather-related delays being unavoidable at times. He also noted the severe impact on Live Argyll, and the extremely complex and severe damage which was affecting the building. He confirmed his belief that the Council were carrying out all appropriate actions as required, and his commitment that continued pressure would be applied where possible to expedite repairs.
The Chair and Councillor MacQuire noted the requirement to ensure that the repairs which were carried out were fit for purpose and completed to a high standard to avoid reopening the Leisure Centre prematurely.
The Chair then invited any other members of the public in attendance to submit any questions they may have.
Angela Anderson,
Plastic Free Helensburgh
Angela Anderson, Plastic Free Helensburgh, referred to a recent report in the Lochside Press advising that only 5% of municipal waste in Argyll & Bute was sent to landfill since the introduction of a new system. Ms Anderson asked for more details in relation to this figure, as it would be helpful to Plastic Free Helensburgh in their efforts to lobby the public to engage with work to help the environment.
The Project Manager provided some detail in relation to the Council’s compliance with the new municipal waste landfill ban and agreed to provide additional details in relation to the detailed breakdown of waste management outcomes to Ms Anderson and the Committee following the meeting.