ARGYLL and Bute Council is set to reach an agreement to purchase a seafront site in Helensburgh from a major supermarket chain.

A report to the authority's Helensburgh and Lomond area committee, which meets in the town today, states that the council has agreed a purchase in principle with Sainsbury's to buy the site, formerly occupied by the Mariners pub, at 1 West Clyde Street.

But the committee's chair, Helensburgh councillor Ellen Morton, said the amount to be paid by the council would remain “commercially confidential”.

Sainsbury's was reported in 2012 to have acquired the site for a six-figure sum, after the Mariners pub was destroyed by fire in April 2010.

The report, prepared ahead of today's meeting, states: “Following discussions with Sainsbury’s they confirmed they were looking to divest their property portfolio of a number of sites including the former Mariners site.

“On August 17 the policy and resources committee agreed to engage with Sainsbury’s again and set a maximum price for officers to try and secure the site to allow maximum flexibility in progressing the construction phase and the final design of the Helensburgh Waterfront and removing the risk of third party ownership.

“The council’s estates team have now negotiated a purchase, in principle, with Sainsbury’s and are liaising with legal services to conclude that as soon as possible.”

The site was at the centre of controversy in 2015 over a proposed 'land swap' deal with Sainsbury's aimed at paving the way for the waterfront development.