At Helensburgh Community Council, we’re the go-to voice for planning applications in our town. We work closely with Argyll & Bute Council’s Local Development Plan (LDP) and listen to our local residents’ views. As one of Scotland’s most picturesque small towns, Helensburgh deserves a special touch when it comes to design quality.

Here’s something unique about us: We have our very own Helensburgh Design Statement. It’s our way of making sure applications “conserve, sustain, and enhance” the legacy of our town’s exceptional buildings.

So, you might be wondering, what makes good building design in Helensburgh? We’ve identified six key characteristics:

1. Distinctiveness
2. Creativity
3. Integration with Local Landscape
4. Variety
5. Open Space
6. Sustainability

We rate each characteristic on a scale of 1-4, which helps us spotlight strengths and pinpoint areas for improvement. If a design scores over 75%, we call it “Excellent.” Anything below 25%? Well, it needs some work.

For major planning applications, we’re proud to have our own team, “architecture & design helensburgh” (a&dh)—a unique feature in Scotland. The group is a blend of skilled professionals, such as architects and planners, as well as our very own Community Councillors.

And we don’t stop there. We also use the Place Standard Tool, which includes 14 questions rated from 1 to 7, to assess the overall quality of a place, not just an individual building. Whether we’re dealing with a well-established location, one that’s undergoing change, or a future development plan, we’re dedicated to keeping Helensburgh beautiful.