With its proximity and connectivity to the central belt, the wider Helensburgh area has been identified as a key area for growth in the councils Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2). To support this, work is now underway to develop a Strategic Development Framework (SDF) that will guide sustainable development over the next 20 to 40 years.
The HSDF will act to identify, and co-ordinate actions required to deliver strategic growth over a 20 to 40 year period. Through consultation and collaboration, it will identify preferred locations for strategic growth, taking into account identified constraints to delivery. The HSDF will provide key evidence which will inform the preparation of LDP3 which, once adopted, will embed the Framework into the statutory Development Plan.
LDP2 Proposal B sets out that a review of the Helensburgh and Lomond Green Belt boundaries will be carried out across the Cardross - Helensburgh - Garelochhead corridor. Preliminary desk-based assessments have focused the Strategic Development Framework towards a smaller number of targeted areas around Helensburgh and Cardross to facilitate strategic growth.
The HSDF will involve evidence gathering and early engagement with partners and stakeholders in order to establish the strategic land requirement; carry out a review of the areas between and around Helensburgh and Cardross; as well as prepare an Environmental Baseline Report and Infrastructure Report. Thereafter, the proposed HSDF and draft Delivery Programme will be produced, along with any required Impact Assessments, and subject to a formal consultation as part of the LDP3 process. The documents will be modified as required following analysis of the consultation responses and require final Member approval.
Project Documents:
- HSDF Community Engagement Presentation
- HSDF Landscape Study
- HSDF Urban Capacity Study.pdf
- HSDF Transport Baseline.pdf
Community Involvement:
On Wednesday 26th November 2025 the project team engaged with communities to help develop the long- term vision for the sustainable growth and development of the Helensburgh area. Members of the public were invited to attend this event at the Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre between 4pm and 7:30pm. We then remained open for views by email until 19th December 2025.
Thanks to everyone who provided feedback. We have noted below some of the common questions and concerns that have been raised, and provided answers to these. These have been set out within the following themes:
- Community Engagement and Local Place Plans
- Sustainable Development
- Locations of Potential Development
- Number of Houses, Type and Tenure
- Green Belt
- Biodiversity, Woodland and Peat
- Flooding
- Transport Infrastructure
- Community Infrastructure
- Local Living, Design and Place
Community Engagement and Local Place Plans
The role of Local Place Plans within the process
In preparing a Local Place Plan (LPP), the Community Body must have regard to certain plans which are set out in legislation and include the LDP. There is not any specific requirement for an LPP to take account of the HSDF, however LDP2s Spatial Strategy (Proposal B) identifies Helensburgh and Lomond as a growth area and proposes a review of the Green Belt through a Strategic Development Framework.
The HSDF is a framework document which will be used as groundwork for the preparation of the LDP3 spatial strategy. At the same time the Council is required to take registered LPPs into account in the preparation of LDP3.
The proposed LDP3 will be subject to public consultation followed by Examination by a Scottish Government appointed Reporter.
Elected Member involvement
Helensburgh and Lomond Ward Members (as well as the policy lead for Planning) have been kept informed throughout the HSDF process to date. Briefing sessions were held on 10th June and 5th November 2025.
School involvement
A workshop was held with geography pupils at Hermitage Academy on 28th October 2025.
Community involvement
LDP2 Spatial and Settlement Strategy (Proposal B) identifies Helensburgh and Lomond as a growth area to provide for long term development through planned release of green belt land and ability to identify and fund infrastructure provision. The LDP2 process, and therefore the proposal to produce an HSDF, underwent extensive public consultation and a formal examination process before it was formally adopted. The HSDF was considered by the Reporter at Examination who concluded this approach to be reasonable and sensible.&紳莉莽梯;
The HSDF will be a non-statutory document which will not release land from the green belt or formally allocate any development land. It is an early piece of work which will feed into the LDP3 Evidence Report ahead of the Gatecheck. The LDP3 will be the formal statutory process of releasing land from the green belt and allocating land.
There will be multiple further opportunities for public engagement and consultation through the LDP3 process including:
- Online Topic Paper (including Housing, Green Belt, Biodiversity, Transport etc) and Place Standard Tool engagement (anticipated to be between February and autumn 2026)
- LDP3 early engagement (anticipated to be in 2027)
- LDP3 Proposed Plan Formal Consultation (anticipated to be in 2028)
Sustainable Growth / Development
Sustainable Growth is considered to be an ambiguous phrase plain English such as housing development should be used
The term sustainable growth has been used rather than housing development as the Framework is considering not just housing, but the associated infrastructure needed to support this housing. This is growth, comprising housing and associated infrastructure, which will meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (in line with the definition of sustainable development set out in both the NPF4 and LDP2).
Locations of Potential Development
Justification for the three potential areas (Helensburgh East, Colgrain and Cardross)
Three high level search areas were established prior to, and tabled at, the first Community Council presentation on 24th June 2025. They were driven by constraints mapping as well as through consideration of policy, and three preliminary studies (Landscape Capacity, Urban Capacity and Transport Baseline). These were then discussed with relevant council departments (e.g. roads and education), external consultees (e.g. Nature Scot, SEPA, HES and transport bodies), HMNB Clyde, as well as Elected Members and school pupils.
It is noted that there is some confusion over the name Colgrain for the area around Colgrain Farm, as there is also an area within the east of Helensburgh with this name. This current naming is purely for the purposes of logical identification on the proposal maps. Any formal naming of future areas would follow a separate process.
Should there not be some incentive to develop on a small scale in other parts of Helensburgh and Lomond?
Smaller scale allocations in other parts of Helensburgh and Lomond will be considered as Allocations directly through the LDP3 process, rather than as part of the HSDF process.
Number of Houses, Type and Tenure
Justification of the number of houses proposed
Completions for the past 5 years were taken from the Housing Land Audit to calculate an average housing demand in the Helensburgh and Lomond Area of 91 units per annum. Using this figure of 91 units per annum, projections were made to give a high-level requirement of around 3,640 new homes for a 40 year time period.
51勛圖轎煤App and Bute Council are currently working on new Housing Needs and Demand Assessment (HNDA) which justifies the housing need in detail. This is expected to be available later in 2026 and will be used within the LDP3 Evidence Report, and thereafter to justify any formal decisions made during the Proposed Plan process.
A concern was raised why the 3,640 was rounded up to 4,000 within some of the presentation materials. This is because the Framework is at high-level and the exact number of units required, or the exact land requirement (which will vary based on unit size and density) is not known at this stage so a round number was used for ease of understanding.
The HSDF itself will not formally allocate land for development. The HSDF will be embedded into the Proposed Plan stage of LDP3, when the Allocation proposals (on the basis of the HNDA and Evidence Report) will form part of the formal consultation process.
Note that the HSDF is entirely separate from the Oban SDF the 3,640 is for the HSDF alone.
There is strong demand in the area for affordable homes, homes for first time buyers, and smaller homes for young people and downsizers.
The detailed design including size and type of homes will come at a later stage in the process after LDP3 has been developed. At this stage the HSDF is only concerned with broad areas of search for potential development.
Green Belt
Brownfield sites should be prioritised over the Green Belt
An Urban Capacity Study was carried out as part of the HSDF. This noted there is limited capacity to deliver development on Vacant and Derelict Land within the area and therefore recommends that the release of designated green belt land should be considered and assessed through the HSDF and LDP3 process to enable the delivery of new housing and employment land within Helensburgh and Cardross. Notwithstanding that the LDP will continue to support the suitable reuse of brownfield land where possible.
Concern that building circa 3,640 houses over 40 years with associated infrastructure is not compatible with protecting the Green Belt and is contrary to planning policy
NPF4 Policy 8 sets out that Green Belts should be identified or reviewed as part of the preparation of LDPs. Boundary changes may be made to accommodate planned growth, or to extend, or alter the area covered as green belt. Detailed green belt boundaries should be based on evidence and should be clearly identified in plans. A review of the Green Belt boundary is therefore in accordance with National Planning Policy. A Green Belt Topic Paper is expected to be available for public comment in Spring 2026, which will set out the evidence relating to Green Belt designation and policy and be submitted to Scottish Ministers as part of the statutory LDP3 Gatecheck process.
Concern about ribbon development if Green Belt protection is breached
The HSDF would not bring about any notable change in planning policy on Green Belt land, but (as noted above) will inform a review of the Green Belt boundary through the LDP3 process. Land remaining within the Green Belt will continue to be subject to stringent Green Belt policy and as such would be protected from ribbon development.
Biodiversity, Woodland and Peat
Concerns raised about the impact on Ancient Woodland, nature corridors, peat and the Ardmore RAMSAR
Environmental constraints have been mapped and are being given due consideration through the process. NPF4 places strong importance on environmental considerations and any impact on these would require to be justified. Discussions are ongoing with Nature Scot, who are a statutory consultee in the LDP process.
Flooding
Concerns raised about flooding
Flooding risk areas have been mapped and are being given due consideration through the process. Discussions are ongoing with SEPA, who are a statutory consultee in the LDP process.
Transport Infrastructure
Active Travel route
Helensburgh Cardross Dumbarton Cyclepath the most recent progress update was provide to the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee on 9th December 2025 and can be found here - Helensburgh-Cardross-Dumbarton Cyclepath Progress Report.pdf
Existing roads capacity
A Transport Baseline has been carried out, identifying the pinch points within the study area. Discussions are ongoing with transport partners (Transport Scotland, West Dunbartonshire Council Roads Department and 51勛圖轎煤App and Bute Council Roads Department) to ensure an infrastructure first approach and that any sites taken forward are viable in this regard. A Transport Appraisal will be carried out by the consultants (Stantec) once a preferred option has been identified, which will feed into the LDP3 Transport Appraisal.
Community Infrastructure
Pier Head site
Whilst the Pier Head site is duly considered in terms of the existing urban capacity of Helensburgh, the HSDF is focusing on the requirement (as identified within the Urban Capacity Study) to find sufficient land for strategic development outwith the settlement areas. Any future proposals for the Pier Head will be considered within the existing framework of LDP2, and or future LDPs depending on the timing.
Supporting facilities should be shown on the layouts
The layouts are high level as these are only needed to identify broad areas of potential land at this stage. Masterplanning will come at a later point.
Education and Health
The councils Education Authority has been involved in discussions and will be able to undertake school roll forecasting based on the potential growth scenarios. This will allow an infrastructure first approach, ensuring sufficient school capacity in line with projected growth.
Note - Lomond School is private and is excluded from council projections.
Discussions are also ongoing with the HSCP, and the long-term nature of the Framework offers the best chance of ensuring adequate healthcare provision in the area.
Local Living, Design And Place
There is a need for future development in Helensburgh to continue the existing high quality architectural design and suggestion of use of the Place Standard Tool.
Masterplanning and detailed design are outwith the scope of the HSDF and will come at a later point.
At this early stage of the LDP3 process however, online engagement is being carried out (dates to be confirmed but anticipated to start in February 2026) using the Place Standard tool which will feed into the Local Living, Design and Place Topic Paper for the Evidence Report.
