PLANS have been lodged to turn a Helensburgh bike shop’s former premises into a hot food takeaway.

The property at 39 East Clyde Street, formerly occupied by Helensburgh Cycles, is the subject of an application by Cardross Estates Ltd.

The premises are located in the area of East Clyde Street which has been closed several times, including a spell earlier this year, due to an unsafe building.

Helensburgh Cycles has now relocated further along the road to West Clyde Street, and the takeaway offer is the first received for its previous shop.

The identity of the firm which would operate from the premises in the event of the application being granted has not yet been made public – but it's described in the application as an "established" operator.

A supporting statement by Puregreenspace Architects said: “Following structural problems, the premises became vacant when the last tenant moved out some time ago.

“Since July 2017 the premise has been actively marketed by Culverwell’s for Class 1 retail use, without success.

“A common repair scheme is due to complete renovation of the structure, but concerns are that the retail unit will remain unoccupied without a change in class use, as an offer has now been received from an established fast food operator.

“The premise is located on the ground floor of a tenement building with two floors above containing a total of four flats.

“The proposals are for a hot food takeaway, and kitchen equipment is shown on the proposed plans as gas wok burners and fat fryers with an extract canopy above.

“The ground floor has access to existing bin storage at the rear collected on Maitland Street. Hours of operation will be 10am to midnight.”

The statement adds that Argyll and Bute Council’s local development plan supports food and drink developments which have sit-in facilities.

The proposed takeaway will not have sit-in facilities, but is defined in the ‘sui generis’ category, which means a similar class of use.

The statement added: “Every effort is being made by the applicant to retain a lively street frontage. The applicant believes that this change of use to a hot food takeaway will add value to the economic vitality of the town centre and is in line with policies.”

A decision from the council’s planning department is expected by early February.