Over 500 people showed their support for saving the Pier at an event in 2024
Proposal code:
AP-2025-08-159
Regenerating Helensburgh Pier for the benefit of the community, allowing the current marine closure notice to be lifted and the provision of fully accessible facilities.
Estimated Price
750000
Helensburgh Pier - Making a Heritage Asset fit for modern use
Helensburgh Pier began life as a stone jetty, instigated by commercial steamship and tourism pioneer Henry Bell in 1816. Bell's PS Comet, Europe's first commercial steamship, was instrumental in the growth of steamship travel and the development of the Clyde Sea Lochs as a summer holiday retreat, leading to the tradition of a trip 'doon the watter'. The Timber portion of the Pier was added in 1871 and is Category C Listed.
Whilst the steamers stopped coming regularly in the 1950s, the Pier remain in use for passenger ferry services to Gourock and Kilcreggan alongside local pleasure cruises and visits from PS Waverley. The Pier was closed to marine traffic in 2018, and since Storm Eowyn in early 2025, the Timber Pier has also been closed to pedestrian access.
The Helensburgh Pier Company Limited (HPC) is proposing a phased approach to repairing and improving the Pier, with the primary goals of getting the current marine closure notice lifted to allow use by commercial traffic such as PS Waverley, and the provision of an accessible gangway and pontoon with nearby yacht day-moorings. This will have a number of benefits for the local community, of which the following is just a short summary.
Economic Opportunity
Helensburgh as a town has notable visitor attractions, led by the world-famous Hill House (National Trust for Scotland) by architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, plus an enviable reputation for independent shopping and excellent eateries which are a strong draw for day visits from other marine locations on the Clyde. Significant funds (e.g. Ayrshire Growth Deal, Clyde Mission) are being spent on developing the Clyde area for marine tourism. These, alongside the existing marine facilities in the Firth of Clyde, provide a market for users of a regenerated Helensburgh Pier, and together this network can also be leveraged to attract visitors to the whole Firth of Clyde area. There is a significant opportunity to bring Cruise visitors to the Pier, and a step-ashore facility connected to the town would also provide possibilities for commercial leisure operators.
Sustainable Travel Hub
Helensburgh Pier's location on the north side of the Clyde means it can be a marine gateway to Loch Lomond and the National Park, and with road and rail links across Scotland (including direct rail links to Glasgow, Edinburgh and London via the Caledonian Sleeper, as well as being on the West Highland Line), and on a number of Active Travel Routes (John Muir Way, Argyll Sea Kayak Trail, Wild About Argyll Bikepacking Trail, etc.), Helensburgh is perfectly positioned as a sustainable travel hub.
Public Realm Improvement
Argyll & Bute Council has spent £23 million on the Helensburgh Waterfront Development project so far, including development of the stone Pier and adjacent areas. This brings the decaying Timber Pier into stark contrast with recent improvements to the public realm.
Health and Wellbeing
A regenerated Pier would enhance the health and wellbeing of the community by providing accessible facilities to encourage outdoor recreation and the enjoyment of the natural environment. It could also be used to host sporting events.
Community Support
Council consultations with extensive community engagement have noted the importance of the Pier to Helensburgh. Most recently, early analysis of feedback from the 2024/5 Helensburgh Community Council Local Place Plan survey indicates that the future of Helensburgh Pier is of major importance to the local community.
Alignment with Policy
Regeneration of the Pier aligns with multiple aspects of both national and local government policy (UK Government Missions, NPF4 and LDP2).
Where are we at?
HPC has been working with Argyll & Bute Council on a 25-year Lease for the Timber Pier, and in June 2025 A&BC delivered a draft lease which is currently with HPC's legal advisors.
A detailed Pier condition assessment has also been undertaken by surveyors, and HPC are in discussion with contractors the regarding estimated costings provided in that report.
Who are we?
The Helensburgh Pier Company Limited (HPC), a company limited by guarantee and with charitable status, was established in 2024. It developed from the 2021 'Vision for Helensburgh' public consultation event run by Helensburgh Community Council, which identified that regeneration the Pier was a key priority for the town. Several options for the Pier's future were investigated in detail before the decision to proceed with the current plans.
