A REVIEW of the green belt around Helensburgh and Lomond has been called for by council bosses as part of plans for the area’s ‘strategic growth’.

A new report says that Helensburgh and Lomond is one of the two parts of Argyll and Bute seen as key to reversing decades of population decline across the area.

But the document says that opportunities for sustainable growth in Helensburgh and the surrounding area are “potentially limited” by the green belt’s current boundaries – and that it will need to be reviewed in future in order to plan for future development and infrastructure over the next 20-40 years.

The 'green belt' designation is a planning tool aimed at preventing urban sprawl by acting as a buffer between towns, and between towns and the countryside.

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The report aims to update members of Argyll and Bute Council’s planning, protective services and licensing committee on work being carried out to create ‘strategic development frameworks’ – one of which covers Helensburgh and Lomond, with the other looking at Oban and the surrounding area.

Those frameworks have been identified in the council’s new local development plan – known as LDP2 – which is expected to be submitted to Scottish ministers for formal approval later this year.

Executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: “LDP2 identifies commitments to produce Strategic Development Frameworks which will plan for future development over a 20-40 year time period.

Helensburgh Advertiser: HMNB Clyde's expansion is seen as one of the major drivers of population growth in Helensburgh and Lomond and across Argyll and ButeHMNB Clyde's expansion is seen as one of the major drivers of population growth in Helensburgh and Lomond and across Argyll and Bute (Image: Newsquest)

“Production of these is a complex task, but is essential to delivering planned infrastructure investment, land release, and the resultant growth. It will also be a key part of addressing the housing emergency.

“LDP2 identifies Helensburgh and Lomond as a growth area in the spatial strategy. It identifies the development of HMNB Clyde as the UK’s single submarine base, and resultant increase in around 1,700 naval staff and their families, as well as the associated opportunities in civilian construction projects and supply chain, servicing and support businesses.

“LDP2 also identifies the proximity and connectivity of the area to Glasgow and the central belt coupled with its high quality environment as an attractive location for commuters and growth in tourism.

“However, it also recognises that opportunities for sustainable growth are potentially limited by the green belt which was established to contain the expansion of settlements and retain their landscape setting and that it is anticipated that the green belt will come under pressure in the future as the population and employment opportunities increase.

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“LDP2 sets out that whilst an immediate review of the green belt is not required, due to there being sufficient development identified within the plan, there is a need to consider how Helensburgh and Lomond can develop over a 20-40 year period in order to plan for investment and infrastructure considered alongside the need to review the green belt.”

Ms Flanagan added: “Argyll and Bute Council propose to carry out a review of the Helensburgh and Lomond green belt boundaries through a strategic development framework, to provide a framework for the provision of infrastructure and future development, whilst recognising and safeguarding the key environmental features of the green belt, the landscape setting of settlements forming part of the Cardross-Helensburgh-Garelochhead corridor, and the contribution which the green network around these communities can make to providing for sustainable development.”

The report will go before the committee on Wednesday, January 24.