COUNCILLORS have called for Hermitage Primary School’s derelict annexe site to be removed from Argyll and Bute Council’s surplus assets.
Concerns were voiced about the standard of the school’s playground at a meeting of local councillors, with calls made for a sports facility to be installed.
One of the councillors responded that the site should be removed as a surplus asset, and a plan could then be worked out for its future.
The site has recently been the subject of concern over proposals to place a housing development on it.
The discussion took place at a meeting of the council’s Helensburgh and Lomond area committee on Tuesday, December 9.
Lizzie Donaldson, chair of Helensburgh Sports Trust, said: “We continue to be worried about the standards of Hermitage Primary playground, and access to facilities for our children to practice sports.
“Since 2022 a piece of land called the annexe has stood derelict and needs converted to a sports pitch or facility urgently.
“We asked at the last [area committee] meeting about a timeline for the council to put it into scope for affordable housing.
“Since 2019 it has been surplus to need for education. We have checked minutes and that has never come back to this committee or to councillors for approval.
“We now understand that officers are considering a wide range of options and assessing a range of sites.
“Can the council please confirm that no decision has been made about the annexe, and when it will be put to committee and councillors for their views?
“And do councillors formally object to the proposal for part of the playground to be used for social and affordable housing?”
The committee’s clerk Stuart McLean read out a response from council officials which said: “The annexe is fenced off from the school playground. The land was derelict and surplus and that has not changed.
“The land currently meets requirements for a primary school the size of Hermitage Primary.”
Councillor Gary Mulvaney (Conservative, Helensburgh Central) said: “The key thing I am picking up is that I do not feel there is any local member support for this land not remaining within the education estate.
“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 Math Campbell-Sturgess (SNP, Helensburgh and Lomond South) then said: “I do not think we should build houses on it, but I am not sure what we can do if the education service says it is surplus.
“It would be worth exploring options, because I do not think there is a school in the world where they have said it would be great if they had less space.”
Councillor Mulvaney added: “It is probably appropriate for Councillor Fiona Howard (Labour, Helensburgh Central), as chair, to speak to senior administration politicians and have discussions with officials to remove it from surplus assets. A plan can then be worked out for what we do.”
Councillor Howard responded that she was happy to do so.
