The supermarket has been listed as a finalist for a Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) award for its landmark design.

Martin Gorman, development manager for Waitrose said: “As our 300th branch in the UK, we wanted a landmark design for Waitrose Helensburgh and our architects Cooper Cromar certainly delivered that.

“Waitrose Helensburgh is in a prominent location as a gateway into the town and it was important that we reflected that in the design, by creating a welcoming and attractive store.” Waitrose Helensburgh will be competing against 26 other strong finalists, including The Battle of Bannockburn Visitors Centre, Stirling, Buchanan Gardens, Glasgow, and the Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village, Glasgow.

The project architect for the Waitrose development, Simon Walsh of Cooper Cromar, said: “We were aware from the outset that the branch, along with Hermitage Academy, would form a gateway to the town of Helensburgh, so it had to be a contemporary and unique design in keeping with the town’s identity and character.

“The branch’s position next to the Clyde meant we needed to carefully consider the choice of materials we used in construction; these were sourced locally whenever possible.

“For example, we used an innovative product called Resysta for the roof’s construction, which looks exactly like wood but doesn’t need as much maintenance as traditional timber – crucial when you consider the winds that often come off of the Firth of Clyde.

“We designed Waitrose Helensburgh to be a warm, welcoming environment, which I am sure customers appreciate. Our design reached the highest sustainability standards and maximises the use of natural daylight, energy efficient heating and cooling systems and other carbon reduction measures.” An announcement of the jury’s decision will be made at the RIAS Awards Dinner on June 18.