Vision Strategy 5/6 - Infrastructure

 

Helensburgh’s Infrastructure has to be fit for the purpose in terms of its quality: quantity: accessibility and sustainability. It has to recognize that Helensburgh is a district retail and service centre as well as a residential town. It also has to cope with development and expansion. A further consideration is that Helensburgh is dependent on some infrastructure and services provided by the greater Glasgow conurbation.

The welfare of Helensburgh - its residents and future generations - should be the purpose of decisions on the town’s infrastructure. Advantage to others (e.g. to developers, landowners, the Council or others) is secondary. Thus:

1. Planning decisions should be tested against sustainability, environmental quality, economic suitability, social justice, good design and local involvement (not merely consultation).
2. Decisions based on, or influenced by, hoped-for or offered planning gain should be avoided. Planning gain should be an additional bonus; it must not be the reason for the planning decision itself.
   

On the whole, Helensburgh is a successful town but continued neglect of its public and private infrastructure is a major problem.

Many residents hold the perception that Helensburgh is run by people who are resistant to change.

"To turn the vision into reality is a very big job, but it is well worth doing. We need to stop the neglect of Helensburgh, turn it around and put it on the road to excellence."

The Helensburgh Vision Steering Group