PLANS to build 76 new homes on the site of a former garden centre at the west end of Helensburgh have been labelled “monstrous” and “grotesque”.

More than 40 local residents met last week to voice their concerns over Persimmon Homes West Scotland's plans for the former Dobbie's site off Glenoran Road.

The deadline for the public to have their say on the plans has been extended from this week until Tuesday, May 30 - although the number of individual objections to Persimmon's proposals has already reached double figures, making it virtually certain that the application will be referred to Argyll and Bute Council's planning committee for consideration, rather than being decided by officials from the authority.

The residents' concerns focus on three key areas: the number of homes proposed for the site, the design of the houses, and the traffic management plans for the area.

One of the objectors, Rhu Road Higher resident Sarah Hall, said in an email to the council: “The development is of monstrous proportions, with a housing density and scale way beyond anything justified by the site location and topography or with anything comparable in the vicinity.

“It would be difficult to find a more grotesque example of profit maximisation.”

Burgh resident Kathleen Siddle from Architecture and Design Helensburgh, which led last week's meeting, said: “The council's local development plan calls for 60 homes on the site, not 76, which is far too many.

“They would be crammed too close together, with little space between them. Too many houses mean too little open space for recreation and play.”

The meeting - at which the Glenoran Road Residents Association, Kathleen Park Residents Association, Dalmore Crescent Residents Association, Helensburgh Green Belt Group and the Friends of Duchess Woods were all represented - also heard widespread criticism of the house designs, with “run-of-the-mill”, “dull”, “boring” and “could be anywhere” just some of the expressions used.

Ms Siddle said: “There is a depressing lack of variety between the various types and a lack of imagination in the detailed finishes.

“They look totally out of place with neighbouring homes which are all different in design and have a semi-rural character.”

Those present at the meeting, held at the Victoria Halls, also expressed concern over traffic and the potential impact on pedestrians, the vulnerability of the site to flooding, pollution and fly tipping and the presence of Japanese knotweed on the land.

Many of those concerns are echoed in objections made to the plans by individual Helensburgh residents.

Chris Tait, who lives in nearby Dalmore Crescent, said: “The sheer number of dwellings and associated additional traffic and access to the site will cause congestion, safety issues and additional road noise that will directly affect my property and neighbours.

“Rhu Road Higher is already a very busy and noisy road. The additional traffic to the proposed dwelling site is only going to greatly exacerbate and compound the situation.”

Heather Sykes, who also lives in Dalmore Crescent, added: “The proposed housing in this semi-rural situation is far too dense, and shows little sensitivity to the site's surroundings.”

Helensburgh community councillor Nigel Millar, who also attended last week's meeting, said: “If Persimmon were to reduce their proposed development to one of 60 houses, as specified in the local development plan, I think many of the criticisms and objections would be put right.

“It would enable a much greater variety of building designs and would make for a much better quality development.”

Doug Law, managing director at Persimmon Homes West Scotland, said: “Persimmon Homes West Scotland have met with Architecture and Design Helensburgh, the Community Council, Architecture and Design Scotland and the local community on an ongoing basis over the last two years and have taken cognisance of a number of issues raised through that process whilst ensuring an affordable mix of housing targeting first and second time purchasers.

“Technical information has been produced to support many of the issues raised, specifically in relation to flooding and roads and transportation, all of which is available to view on the local authority website.”

If enough representations are made the proposal could end up being the subject of a discretionary hearing of the council's planning, protective services and licensing committee.

To view the publicly-available paperwork on the Persimmon application, and to have your say on the proposal, go to Argyll and Bute Council's website and search using the reference number 17/00837/PP.