Design solutions for berthing new ferries on the Kilcreggan, Gourock and Dunoon ‘triangle route’ have been put on hold, a new document has revealed.
And meanwhile there has been a new call to give Kilcreggan’s ‘iconic’ pier added protection in case its future is put in doubt by £1.1m plans for pontoons or a linkspan in the village.
Five concepts and 11 designs have been drawn up for ‘Kilcreggan Harbour’ – but Argyll and Bute Council has refused to make them public, saying that doing so would ‘undermine public confidence in the project’.
Next week the council’s harbour board – which has no representatives from the Rosneath Peninsula area – will be given an update by Kirsty Flanagan, executive director with responsibility for roads and infrastructure.
“A contract was awarded to Mott MacDonald in January 2021 for the completion of an outline business case (OBC) to consider the feasibility of design solutions which ensure safe berthing and passenger access at Dunoon and Kilcreggan of CMAL’s new vessels for the route,” says her report.
“Mott MacDonald are also working on a similar contract with CMAL for Gourock.
“It was intended for the results of this OBC to be available in August 2021 however the process has been put on hold while CMAL decide on general and specific design features of the new vessel/vessels that will be utilised on the triangle route.”
‘Council may allow pier to deteriorate’
The council has budgeted to spend £250,000 on a feasibility study and planning permission for onshore facilities at Kilcreggan during the current financial year.
Local councillors – unlike their counterparts on the Cowal Peninsula – have still not been able to vote or ask questions about the project, but Cllr George Freeman said he was attempting to put it on the agenda for the next Helensburgh and Lomond area committee meeting.
And this week Harry Cathcart, who lives in Kilcreggan, said he was concerned for the future of Kilcreggan’s pier, and that he had inquired about upgrading its listed status.
“I wonder whether there is a route to increase its status from B to A and thereby protect this iconic operational facility,” he said.
“My fear is that Argyll and Bute Council as owners may otherwise allow it to deteriorate and save money should a pontoon system be the chosen landing stage.”
Kilcreggan’s wooden pier was built in 1897 and is currently B-listed, meaning it is ‘of special architectural or historic interest’.
Three new vessels are planned for Kilcreggan and Dunoon, with an initial estimated cost of £5m each – this has now risen by 40% however, according to estimates by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL).
Initially there were to be three sister boats carrying 250 passengers each, but the Kilcreggan vessel now looks likely to carry only 80 people – fewer even than the current MV Chieftain.
And a CMAL update for the Cowal transport forum last week referred to the ferries being ‘interoperable’.
Of the new Kilcreggan boat, this document stated: “Policy and scoping works are on-going. The Kilcreggan concept vessel design will follow on after the Dunoon concept vessel design has been completed.”
Recommendations for the new Dunoon boats will go to a reference group in late September or October, where there will be a question and answer session.
As revealed here, the council has not responded to an invitation made in February to have a Kilcreggan representative on this reference group.
The CMAL update given to the Cowal group last week says of planned ‘Kilcreggan infrastructure’: “Outline options have been worked up for Kilcreggan and presented to the working group.
“This has allowed for interoperability and vessel and infrastructure operational aspects to be considered.
“Further development will be taken forward once the Gourock public consultation has been completed and the Kilcreggan concept vessel progressed.”
Cllr Iain Shonny Paterson, whose Lomond North ward includes Kilcreggan, said it was ‘essential’ for of the three local councillors to be on the harbour board.
“It would be good to have a voice to ask questions and represent our area,” he said.
“I do have councillors in my group, that are on the harbour board that I can turn to that will ask questions on behalf of the community I represent, but I think it would be good to have one of the ward councillors of Lomond north on the board asking these questions directly..
“I think it is essential that Kilcreggan pier is kept operational, it is a valuable asset to the community, and I think it is essential for the recovery and economic development of the peninsula that it is kept operational.
“I would be very happy to sit on the harbour board , but would support who ever is selected.”
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