What do we do?

The HGBG concentrate on endeavouring to enhance and protect the countryside around Helensburgh, and we co-operate with other organisations who deal with specific aspects (see Working With Others for more info). The foreshore is also most important to Helensburgh, but we do not have the resources to include this within our remit and others have taken appropriate action when necessary.

Enhancing the countryside

Encouraging the enhancement of countryside around Helensburgh is a main concern of HGBG. That countryside is part of our heritage to pass on to future generations. It is to the credit of past citizens and to present landowners and local councils that we have such a local heritage. Yet there are actions which can be taken today to improve the quality of the countryside and to enable people to have responsible access to it. They include:

(Expand the following sections to read more)

Footpaths and bridleways

The HGBG was instrumental in envisaging a footpath network in the Green Belt around Helensburgh. It called the meeting which subsequently formed the nucleus of the Helensburgh and District Access Forum. The HGBG is represented on the Access Forum. In conjunction with other bodies and landowners a footpath network has been established around Helensburgh. Footpaths are a high priority for us and the 2004 access legislation is giving impetus. Town fringes require particular attention since those are sensitive areas. Footpaths, bridleways and cycle tracks are especially important, with implications for surfacing, drainage, signposting and other maintenance. We hope that, ultimately, countryside paths will link Helensburgh to nearby settlements and to various points in the National Park. They can play a key part in reviving tourism.

Woodlands and nature reserves.

Again, this is a focus of our attention and, again, we seek cooperation with landowners and other organisations on the way forward. This links importantly with the footpaths initiative. We are involved in the Duchess Wood Local Nature Reserve and we are currently joining discussions about two other Community Woodland proposals to the east of the town.

Plantlife and animal life

Local knowledge about, and concern for, wildlife in the area is an element of our work and we publish information periodically in our newsletter.

Litter and other nuisance control

Litter collection drives, reporting fly-tipping, alerting authorities where trees are illegally under threat and heath fire response have been among our actions under this heading. We are currently considering what further steps can he taken locally.

Protecting the countryside

Within current planning legislation there is a presumption against development in Green Belts. There have to be good planning reasons to breach them. There are commercial and other forces which may pose a threat to local countryside. They fall into five broad categories:

• Proposed out-of-town supermarkets (recently condemned by a government report).

• Bids to build housing estates.

• Business and industry sites.

• Land being left derelict, degraded and unsightly, perhaps in the hope of getting planning permission to build.

• Damage done by visitors (sometimes with dogs).

We believe that the first three listed are.. (Expand to read more)

“unwarranted” if either they are not needed or there are available alternative sites in towns here or elsewhere and best dealt with by long term local authority planning. Without a clear strategy there is always the temptation for the local council and its officials to permit the “salami-slicing” of the countryside for new developments while the town centre becomes degraded. We see the Green Belt as in some senses the 21st century counterpart to Victorian parks and there are implications for recreation and good health of local residents as well as tourism. If growth is genuinely needed, we consider that building development should initially concentrate on brownfield and under-used sites in town and consideration of village expansions where villages are losing facilities which depend on population size (village shop, primary school, etc) if villagers themselves want such expansion. In the meanwhile we contest unnecessary building in the Green Belt. It may be noted that ample vacant commercial sites are available in Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven and that our “Housing Market Area” includes Dumbarton. We are working positively with Argyll and Bute Council to improve Green Belt aspects of the Finalised Draft Local Plan 2005 and to introduce action points to enhance nearby countryside. That includes HGBG support for Green Belt land to be used for the new secondary school which is under construction.

Functional principles

Besides the broad philosophy of enhancement and protection described above, we keep in mind the following additional principles.

1. Countryside, not town issues. As volunteers with limited time and resources at our disposal, we focus our efforts on countryside issues. This means that we do not concern ourselves with in-town matters unless they have a bearing on the countryside.

2. What countryside? The Green Belt stretches to the edge of Glasgow , but is very narrow north of Helensburgh. For practical reasons we limit our activities to the countryside near Helensburgh whether Green Belt or not.

3. Other groups. People from other settlements have approached us, asking us to assist with their countryside problems; our response has been to offer to help them to set up groups similar to ours. We have made contact with similar groups elsewhere in Scotland.

4. No membership fee. We do not impose fees which would deter or limit involvement of citizens in our work. The limited funding we need comes from advertisements in our newsletter Greenery, voluntary donations and grants.

5. Democratic communication. See our 'Communication' page

6. Wildlife. Concern for animal wildlife, trees, wplant life and landscape.

7. Education. Quality countryside is as much for future generations as for ourselves. We assist school and university students in educational projects.

These are crucial times

This has been and is a very demanding time for the HGBG as, in addition to the usual range of matters with which we have to deal (planning applications, mobile masts etc) there are also three very important matters which have required our close attention

1. The ABC finalised draft Local Plan. Read more >>

2. The Government review of Scottish policies on Green Belts

3. The Scottish Green Belts Alliance report entitled “The Future of Green Belts in Scotland. Read more >>

HGBG has also responded to consultations on:

• Planning for rural development

• Unlocking the potential of the urban rural fringe

• Making Development Plans deliver

• Rights of Appeal in Planning

• Planning for Transport

• Scottish Outdoor Access Code

• Scotland Future Landscapes

The HGBG are happy to carry out all this work on a voluntary basis for the benefit of local residents and visitors to Helensburgh and the surrounding countryside, but there are inevitably some expenses incurred, eg. buying the documentation, printing cost and travel expenses etc. The only regular income of the HGBG is from those who advertise in the newsletter “Greenery” for which we are most grateful.

'Duchess Wood' photo courtesy of David McGowan

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