TWENTY-FOUR sites owned by Argyll and Bute Council have been earmarked for disposal from 2026 to 2028, including former schools and part of an existing school site.
The listing of the locations also comes as the authority proposes to spend a total of £3.7 million on works at its Kilmory offices in Lochgilphead.
The former annexe site at Hermitage Primary School in Helensburgh features on the list, with councillors having previously pledged to fight against any efforts to use it for housing.
Also on the list is the site of the former Rothesay Academy, while the former Ardchonnel, Minard and Kilchrenan Primary Schools also feature. Luing Primary School, which is mothballed and due to be considered next month, is also included.
The Waterfront site in Helensburgh is also listed, with Forrest Group having been named as the preferred developer in 2024. The potential values of the sites are being kept confidential on the grounds of commercial sensitivity.
The list features in a report to go to the council’s policy and resources committee at its meeting on Thursday, February 19. The council will set its budget on Wednesday, February 25.
The document said: “There is a rolling three-year target for capital receipts from asset sales, forming part of the overall capital funding framework.
“The current approved Capital Plan 2025-28 includes an updated asset sales target totalling £2.025 million over these three years. A total of £1.5m is currently estimated to be achieved in 2025/26, with a remaining balance of £0.525m to be achieved over 2026-28.
“However, based on an updated assessment undertaken by commercial services on potential sales opportunities that may reasonably be achieved over the two years 2026-28, this target has been updated to £2.000m, profiled £1.500m 2026/27 and £0.500m 2027/28. This represents an overall increase of £1.475m in available funding over the 2 years 2026-28.
“However, it should be noted that this is largely predicated on a single significant sale value being delivered in 2026/27. Assets currently available for sale or declared surplus, expected to generate a future capital receipt are listed.”
At the most recent meeting of the council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee in December, a councillor said he was not aware of any support for the Hermitage Primary annexe site to be dropped from the council’s housing estate.
Councillor Gary Mulvaney (Conservative, Helensburgh Central) said: “The question then is what do we do with it, and that is a bigger question, because it requires some planning and budgets as well.
“But the key thing from this committee’s point of view is to get a clear decision that we no longer see this land as housing surplus.
“It should be removed from surplus assets and we should ask officers to engage with the head teacher and others to see if there is a common view as to what the land should be used for in the long term.
“It is easy to say it is a sports facility but if the school has capacity issues that could be the wrong short-term solution.
“I am not sure, but let’s do it sequentially, get it removed from surplus assets, then a team looks at the longer-term view.”
Councillor Fiona Howard (Labour, Helensburgh Central), who chairs the committee, said she would be happy to discuss removing the site from surplus assets with council officials.
Meanwhile, the council said of its Kilmory headquarters: “Essential works at Kilmory Castle to comply with legislative requirements (health and safety, DDA [Disability Discrimination Act] compliance).
“Cost estimates were presented… in January for total castle refurbishment. The estimated costs of essential works only, including re-wiring, accessibility upgrades and replacement of end of life air system, extracted from the overall cost estimate, total £3.771m.
“Existing available resources of £1.545m have been confirmed, with a funding shortfall of £2.226m.”
