A VACANT former ice cream parlour in Helensburgh could be brought back into use as a hot food takeaway under plans submitted to council chiefs.

Karl Giarchi, owner of Dino’s Ice Cream Parlour at 32 West Clyde Street, has applied for planning permission for the facility at the neighbouring property at 31 West Clyde Street, where the café used to be located.

It is not specified what type of hot food takeaway would occupy the site should the plans be approved. The plans are being drawn up by Helensburgh-based MH Planning Associates.

A decision from Argyll and Bute Council planning officers is expected by early July, and comments can now be submitted by members of the public.

A statement from MH Planning Associates said: “When considering all applications, the residential amenity of surrounding residents must be taken into consideration, and it is inevitable that residents in this area will already experience a certain amount of noise and disturbance given the nature of the neighbouring uses on the part of West Clyde Street.

“Levels of noise and disturbance will be higher than experienced in quiet residential streets, and outwith the control of the applicant.

“The application premises itself is a vacant ground floor shop/café on a street of commercial properties at ground floor level, with flatted dwellings above.

“While it is accepted that there may be concerns expressed regarding cooking smells and increased levels of activity, the application site is within a town centre location where such issues are to be expected.

“The proposed external flue will have no adverse impact upon the character or the appearance of the Helensburgh Town Centre Conservation Area and, subject to the imposition of an appropriate planning condition, will not harm residential amenity.

“On this basis there is no reason why planning permission for the proposed change of use should not be able to be timeously granted.”

To view the plans, visit the council’s planning portal at argyll-bute.gov.uk and use the reference number 23/00821/PP.