BUILDING work on up to 300 new homes in Helensburgh is not expected to start until 2023 – even if planning permission is granted quickly.

That’s the prediction given by housing developer Taylor Wimpey, which wants to build the properties on part of Helensburgh Golf Club’s course in the north-east of the town.

Graeme Oswald, design and planning manager for Taylor Wimpey West Scotland, revealed details of the projected timeline at an online public consultation event recently.

The company, and its appointed planning consultants Montagu Evans, hope to hold a second public event – again online due to Covid restrictions – in April, showing how the proposals have been adapted in response to feedback at the first event. A formal planning application is then expected to follow in the summer.

As well as the new homes on the southernmost part of the current golf course, the proposals include new golf holes to replace those earmarked for houses, a new clubhouse, and a new six-hole ‘par three’ course.

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Mr Oswald said: “It’s difficult to be absolutely certain, but our hope would be that should this application be successful, we will start construction on the new clubhouse first.

“While that is under construction we will be preparing for a site start on the initial works for the housing element.

“We won’t be able to start those until the clubhouse is complete and operational. We’ll then demolish the existing clubhouse and move in to platform the site.

“If the application is successful, we’ll be looking at moving in to start building work in 2023, but with the housing potentially not becoming available until 2024.”

However, Mr Oswald also said work on part of the “affordable element” of the project, at the south-eastern corner of the development site, close to Kent Drive in Churchill, could begin earlier than that.

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