£10million funding blow for Helensburgh

Nov 28 2008 by Tina Kemp, Lennox Herald (main ed)

HOPES of a £10million investment to boost Helensburgh’s flagging fortunes were slipping away this week.

The town was in the running for the multi-million handout from Argyll and Bute Council to upgrade its ailing waterfront.

But a report due to come before council bosses on Thursday recommends the bulk of the money should go to Campbeltown – with Helensburgh getting nothing.

The news is a bitter blow for those behind a comprehensive business case aimed at securing the regeneration funding.

But independent consultants, who were called in to scrutinise the bids from five Clydeside towns, gave Rothesay top score with Campbeltown in second place, Oban in third, Helensburgh fourth and Dunoon last.

The report recommends that £6.4million goes to Campbeltown, £2.6million to Rothesay, and the remaining £1million to the highest scoring project in all of the business cases – a pontoon scheme for Oban Bay.

Helensburgh had submitted a case for money to be spent on revamping the pier and promenade areas as well as on a traffic management scheme.