You can still have your say on the Helensburgh regeneration masterplans, with two open days to be held in the New Year.

Residents are being encouraged to give the council their views on the housing elements of the plans at the sessions in the Victoria Halls.

The open days will be on Friday, January 13, from 1pm-8pm and Saturday, January 14, from 10am-3pm.

Argyll and Bute’s spokesman for rural and island affairs, housing and Gaelic, Councillor Robin Currie, said the proposals would have a major impact on the town’s housing capacity, whichever option was eventually chosen.

He also stressed that this was an opportunity for people to see what the layout of the new housing on the former Hermitage Academy site might look like.

He said: “As a minimum, 129 new houses are likely to be built on this site and if the entire site is given over to housing, then this figure will be 165.

“That represents not just a very significant boost to the town’s housing supply, but also a major change of landscape in that area of Helensburgh.

“The draft masterplan indicates how the new houses might be laid out on the site – where the access and roads may go, which way the properties could face, which areas might be for affordable housing and which for private properties and so on."

Councillor Currie pointed out that there was also a housing element to the options for the pier head, which would provide additional accommodation of between 16 and 30 units in the town centre.

He added: “I very much hope that people find time to take part in the consultation so that whatever we end up with is has the widest possible support from the local community.”

“I would recommend that anyone interested in these issues and with a view on matters such as the type, size and quality of any new housing either takes part in the consultation online or attends one of the two open days in January at Victoria Halls.”

To view the Helensburgh masterplans consultation page, find copies of the draft plans and the online response form and other relevant documents, click here.

What do you think about the regeneration masterplans? Are you for or against the developments? Let us know at s1helensburgh.