Affordable housing in a proposed Helensburgh development should not be ‘stuck out of sight’ in a corner of the site, a councillor has said.
George Freeman appealed for the affordable properties to be scattered around the planned development at the town’s golf club.
Taylor Wimpey has published outline plans for around 300 houses to be built at the site, which would see the golf course re-modelled and the current clubhouse demolished and rebuilt.
Members of Argyll and Bute Council’s planning, protective services and licensing committee were given the chance to provide feedback on a ‘proposal of application notice’ for the development today.
A full planning application is expected later in the year.
A council planning official told the meeting that it was expected the affordable housing – which will be run by Dunbritton Housing Association – will be on the same site as the rest of the properties in the development.
Cllr Freeman said: “I go back over 20 years to when Dunbritton built a housing estate in Alexandria. I am almost certain that Taylor Wimpey was involved in that.
“The affordable properties were scattered through the development, and I think that is something officers should discuss with the developer.
“This should be the case, rather than the affordable houses being stuck out of sight, away down in the corner of the development.”
Cllr Jean Moffat sought confirmation that affordable housing had to be built on the proposed application site.
Planning official David Moore said that this was not the case, but that it would be a surprise if the affordable housing was not proposed to be part of the main development.
He said: “They have to provide affordable housing, so the numbers of those units will be based on numbers in the application.
“It would be prudent to point out that there is an old and lapsed planning permission at the bottom corner of the development site for 14 affordable flats.
“We will need to see what comes forward in terms of affordable housing, but there have been no discussions about moving affordable housing off the site. I would be surprised if it was not proposed to be situated there.
“There are different mechanisms to do it, but there would have to be good reasons for affordable housing not to be on the site.”
Committee chair David Kinniburgh said: “Would it be unusual for a development of this size not to provide affordable housing on the site?”
Mr Moore replied: “That is correct, and our expectation is that it will be there.”
In a statement accompanying the proposal, Taylor Wimpey says: “As well as impressive new private homes, affordable housing and an upgraded and modernised golf course facility for the local area, this development will also provide a range of community benefits through a Section 75 agreement with Argyll and Bute Council which is likely to include contributions towards education [and] transport improvements as well as services and amenities.
“These will be finalised as part of the overall planning application process.”
Full details of the proposal of application notice are available on the council’s website; the reference number is 21/00029/PAN
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