The stark contrast between prosperity and poverty in Helensburgh has been laid bare in new government statistics published this week.

The Scottish Index on Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) study found that the least deprived, and second-most deprived, areas in the whole of Argyll and Bute are both located in Helensburgh – just a few streets apart.

The former can be found in the north of the town and mostly covers the Clyde Arran estate, while the most-deprived includes part of Old Luss Road, as well as Williamson Drive and Drumfork Court.

The latter area is among the 5 per cent most deprived in the whole of Scotland.

The SIMD study divides the whole country into small ‘data zones’, of which there are 23 in Helensburgh itself, with 13 more in the rest of Helensburgh and Lomond.

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It ranks each zone according to income, employment, education, health, crime, housing, and access to services.

The Clyde Arran estate area is ranked in the 10th, or lowest 'decile' for lowest deprivation levels in terms of income, employment, health, education/skills, and housing, and in the ninth 'decile' for crime, ranking low only for geographic access.

In contrast, the part of Helensburgh with the highest level of deprivation is ranked at the highest possible 'decile' for income, employment, health and education/skills, the second-lowest for crime, third-lowest for housing and fifth-lowest for geographic access.

The last SIMD figures, published in 2016, reported that the most and least deprived zones in Argyll and Bute were both in Helensburgh, but this time the most-deprived is located in Dunoon.

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In comparison with those 2016 figures, the latest report shows that deprivation levels have fallen in the area of central Helensburgh to the west of Sinclair Street, while upper Helensburgh, again west of Sinclair Street, is even less deprived than it was four years ago.

The Colgrain area of the town is slightly less deprived than it was four years ago, while the same is true of Rosneath, but deprivation was found to have risen slightly in parts of Rhu and Cove.

Of the 20 least deprived zones in Argyll and Bute, 17 are located in Helensburgh and Lomond – and the top four are in ‘Helensburgh North’.

The interactive SIMD map – with comparisons between this year's rankings and those of 2016 and 2012 – can be viewed by clicking here.

More on the study next week.

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