HE convener of Helensburgh Community Council says he’s still not convinced that the town’s new leisure centre is being built in the right place.

Norman Muir spoke to the Advertiser this week after the detailed planning application for the town’s £18 million waterfront redevelopment was published on Argyll and Bute Council’s website.

The application still shows the new leisure centre and swimming pool occupying the southern end of the pierhead site, in line with designs first published earlier this year – even though a 2012 masterplan for the area recommended that the building should be on the west side of the site, next to the pier itself.

Documents lodged as part of the formal application also include a report by Kaya Consulting stating that the site is currently at risk of flooding every five years – and recommending that the new leisure centre be situated at least 6.25 metres away from the edge of new flood defence measures.

Mr Muir said: “Our primary concern is that the building is in the wrong place, at the end of the pier instead of being moved up.

“It doesn’t reassure me that the flood assessment says it has an acceptable impact.

“We are talking about up to 40 years, the lifespan of the building, and that is the period we should be concerned about.

“We did pretty extensive research on the flood risk which came up with figures contrary to what the Kaya report says.

“It defies logic that such a building could be on the extremity of the shore with the variable weather we have had. If the leisure centre is in the right place, prove it – beyond all reasonable doubt.

“We do want the leisure centre, there is no question over that, but it needs to be in the right location.

“We will certainly be submitting a response and would encourage everybody in the community to express a view during this process. It needs to be got right.”

A design and access statement, also part of the documents, said: “Although it is acknowledged that the proposed development is in an area of high coastal flood risk, it is accepted that the risk can be managed.”

Councillor Ellen Morton, chair of Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee, said: “We have several constraints and they all have to be considered. My personal preference would be for the centre to be located further back but I am not a flooding expert.

“I am concerned about people giving opinions without showing their expertise on the matter. If we take their advice and it goes wrong, where does it leave us?”

“We are employing people who are experts in this field and I am happy to take their advice.”