WAITROSE has confirmed that it has no plans to reconsider any other sites in Helensburgh and will pursue store projects elsewhere in Scotland if the council reject its proposals.

The upmarket grocery chain, which has lodged a planning application with Argyll and Bute Council to build a foodstore and filling station in Helensburgh, told the Advertiser that the site opposite Hermitage Academy is the only site it wants to build on.

Waitrose's announcement came after the Advertiser last week revealed that the pierhead is now open for future development following a long-running wrangle over ownership.

Some residents have previously said the pierhead would be better placed for a supermarket given its in town location.

Meanwhile, Waitrose could face difficulty obtaining planning approval from the council, despite overwhelming public support, because the planned site is not zoned for retail.

A number of businesses in the town have raised concerns that Waitrose's out of town location would be detrimental to local firms but Waitrose say it is the only site which is ideal for them in the town and that it had considered the pierhead.

A statement read: "Waitrose were aware that a favourable decision on the legal aspect of ownership was imminent.

"Waitrose established that over the years, [the pierhead] has been rejected for single food store development after high profile planning appeals and has concluded that - as a single food store site - it is not supported by the community." The pierhead site is zoned as an 'area for action' and Waitrose say that its plans would not work on the site because it is the subject of a masterplan, which includes retail within a mix of uses, including leisure centre/swimming pool, housing, hotel, cafe/restaurants/bars, other commercial and public amenity space.

The statement went on: "The amount of developable area required by Waitrose would not leave any significant amount of land to bring about the desired mix of uses the council is promoting.

"It is understood that a combination of ownership issues, viability concerns due to current market conditions and the lack of a resolved masterplan renders the pierhead site undeliverable within the short to medium term and not within the timescales anticipated by Waitrose's current investment model, which requires a store opening in early 2013." "The pierhead may be suitable for a certain level or format of food retailing, but it is not suitable to deliver the model from which Waitrose require to trade.

"It is important to remember that while the Cardross Road site is currently zoned for business and industry, zonings are not 'tablets of stone'.

"Alternative uses and developments can always be permitted on sites where there is justification to depart from the zoning." It added: "If this application is unsuccessful, Waitrose has no plans to reconsider any sites it has previously rejected in Helensburgh; instead it will pursue new store projects elsewhere in Scotland." * WAITROSE has written to residents urging them to indicate their support for the plans - before the deadline of Friday September 2.

People can visit http://publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk/publicaccess/ and find the application by entering reference 11/01422/PP.

There they can view the plans and submit their views.

Martin Gorman, senior development surveyor for Waitrose, said how grateful they are for continued support from local people and emphasised the fact that there's now only one week left to formally register support for the planning application.

He said: "In deciding whether to recommend our application for approval, council officers will consider planning and zoning issues but importantly also the number of public comments and the views of bodies like the community council.

"It's vital that people in Helensburgh who support the Waitrose planning application now make their voices heard by commenting online or writing to the council before the September 2 deadline."