A NEW ROLE FOR ARDYNE?
A major new development at the former oil-rig building yard in Toward could be on the cards. Ardyne Point, owned by construction company Sir Robert McAlpine, has been the subject of much speculation since it closed down in the late 1970’s.
The three deep-water basins there have long been mooted as an ideal location for a marina and, if such a development were to go ahead, could provide a much-needed boost for the proposal to introduce a new ferry service to Rothesay and the mainland.
Now management and consultancy company WSP Environmental has been given the job of preparing a Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Scoping Report for issuing to Argyll and Bute Council as part of a request for a Scoping Option. The proposal consists of a mixed use development comprising recreational, residential and commercial property, upgraded access and could also include a new marina.
An EIA is a procedure that must be followed for certain types of project before they can be given ‘development consent’. The procedure is a means of assessing what significant effect such a project would be likely to have on the environment. This helps to ensure that the importance of any such possible effects are properly understood by the public and the relevant planning authority before any decisions are made.
WSP Environmental is currently in the process of consulting with a wide range of statutory and non-statutory organisations in order to compile information that will be included in the Scoping Report. South Cowal Community Council has also been approached for its views on some the issues affecting the development.
The yard at Ardyne Point has had a mixed history. Built in the 70’s to construct rigs for the great North Sea oil and gas boom, only three were completed before it closed and production moved elsewhere. The intervening years saw a number of possible uses for the site being considered including, in 2003, a proposal put forward by Sir Robert McAlpine to use it for the long-term storage of nuclear waste, including reactors from decommssioned submarines. But following a public outcry, intervention from both George Lyon and Alan Reid and strong representations from local councillors, the company withdrew the plan.
Auchamore and Innellan councillor Dick Walsh, who was one of the most vociferous opponents of the nuclear waste storage plan said: “ We are at the very early stages of the process. I have been researching the planning history going way back to the Argyll County Council to look at all the planning conditions attached to the oil rig planning consent to establish what was agreed should be done as part of the site reinstatement.
“This was to initiate some action to eradicate the current planning blight of the site


More ferry woe for executive
Resignations demanded
IT is perhaps just as well for the Government that the Scottish Parliament is in recess since there is no shortage of criticism over its handling of the ferry tender issue - and there was more woe to come for the embattled transport minister.
The release of the Invitation To Tender documentation for Gourock-Dunoon was greeted less than enthusiastically when it transpired that the successful bidder would have the ‘opportunity’ to run two ancient ferries into a linkspan whose survival beyond next year could not be guaranteed.
An informed and highly-placed source in shipping circles, who could not be named (but is not resident on the peninsula) said that he would be “extremely surprised if anyone bid for this - it’s a remarkably ill-considered, unattractive proposition”.
By last Friday things were even worse. The Herald’s Highland correspondent, David Ross, revealed that the whole bidding process appeared to be flawed because the Executive had not applied for a Public Service Obligation (PSO) which, the article claims, is the only way that subsidies can be paid.
This could affect the Dunoon - Gourock route for, although the Executive intends that it be run on an unrestricted basis without a subsidy, in the event of that failing to work, then the option of a subsidised service might be applied.
The Executive said that using a Public Service Contract (PSC) approach was acceptable, but this was disputed by an EC transport spokesman, who said that a subsidy could not be paid out without the application of a PSO.
However, this week the Executive was unmoved. and was sticking firmly to its guns.
A spokeswoman said; “We are happy with the way we are progressing with all the routes and believe that the PSC approach is the correct route to take.”
She said that the Executive was at a loss to understand the comment from the EU official and was “urgently seeking clarification”.
This, however, was proving difficult, since August was a peak holiday period and the European Parliament is also in recess.
Professor Neil Kay, however, has argued all along that PSO’s are necessary and was not surprised by the turn of events: “EC law is quite clear and unambiguous about this,” he said. “You can’t subsidise these services without a PSO.
“The first Scottish Parliament understood this, and it’s also the reason that virtually


We’re backing Tommy . . .
....these were the words of Des Divers, local activist and a leading member of the Dunoon Branch of the Scottish Socialist Party, following Tommy Sheridan’s sensational victory over the News of the World last week.
Mr Divers, was frank in his assessment of the situation, but could not hide his disappointment at the turn of events which has seen former leader Sheridan in a brutal public battle with his former colleagues, as allegations and counter-allegations were thrown, and the threat of perjury hung in the air.
Mr Divers said: The difficulty is that the people who spilled their guts to destroy him now have to deal with the consequences and ask themselves if they can work with him in the future.
He had no doubt that Sheridan would win enough support at grassroots to be nominated for the leadership at the party’s conference in October. “Only it won’t be a conference,” he said bitterly. “It’ll be a bloodbath.”
He was angry at the turn of events. “For the last five weeks the SSP has been engaged in a Kamikaze exercise, tearing itself apart in public. Meanwhile people are being evicted, gas and electricity prices are going though the roof. These are the issues people care about - not whether or not Tommy Sheridan was in a swingers’ club.
“People are calling for Tommy to apologise, but I think we should all be apologising for letting our supporters down.
“It was our job to lay the foundations for a society that was fairer and truly represented the opinions of the working class.
“We laid these foundations, and now we’ve torn them up again.”
He claimed that the only person guaranteed a seat at next year’s Scottish Parliamentary election was Sheridan.
“He’s the only one of the current batch of SSP MSPs who’s recongised by the public, for he’s been in the forefront of working class activity for years, starting with the poll tax.
Mr Divers said he had done a street poll in Glasgow and couldn’t find anyone who could name anyone else within the party.
“The only other name that came up was from one wee guy who said: ‘The only wan ah know is yon Tam Shepherd...”
Tam Shepherd isn’t an MSP, but the proprietor of a well-known joke shop in the city centre.
Mr Divers concluded by saying that it was important to convince the working class that the party was back on side, but would not predict how things would develop over the next few months


Gathering cast of thousands
Competitor numbers are now finalised for this month’s event and the Board of the Gathering are delighted to confirm that it is going to be another bumper event.
There are 589 dancers entered to compete over the three days of the Gathering and dancers of all ages and abilities will be competing from across the world. Dancers from Dunoon and across Cowal will be competing against dancers from Canada, America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand for the spoils and to see their name engraved on one of the many prestigious trophies that are competed for at Cowal.
There will also be 142 Pipe Bands competing in the Cowal Pipe Band Championship on the Saturday. This is the second highest entry out of the five major competitions this year, with only the World Championships having a higher entry. As always, the piping and drumming will be of a very high standard and we are particularly pleased to have 13 bands taking part in the Grade 1 championship sponsored this year by Stewart McNee (Dunoon) Ltd.
The Heavy Athletes will be at Cowal on the Friday and Saturday thrilling the crowds with their feats of strength that will see them tossing the caber, throwing the Cowal Stone and throwing the weight for height.
On the Saturday, there will be the added attraction of two of the top heavy athletes from the Czech Republic arriving to pit themselves against eight of Scotland’s top heavy competitors. They are coming to Cowal straight from competing at the Sychrov Games, which is Continental Europes largest Highland Gathering.
As well as the adult athletics competition, Friday will also host the Schools Athletics, which will see children from all the local primary schools competing in a number of track and field events. This year there will also be a “come and try” area where children will be able to have a go at some “kiddie heavy” events like the mini caber and shot putt.
Another first for this year’s event is the introduction of a park and ride scheme, which has been introduced to replace the parking that has been lost due to the works at the Grammar School. The car park will be at McKinlay’s Quay on the A815 and buses will start at 08.30am and will shuttle between the car park and the Stadium all day and between the car park and the Dunoon Pier in the evening. The last bus will leave Dunoon Pier to return to the car park at 10.00pm, with the car park closing at 10.30pm.
Over the next few days the Gathering Trophy Conveners will be distributing trophies to the local shops for the annual shop window display competition, the winner of which will be announced in this paper. Any shop who does not normally receive a trophy and would like to should contact the Gathering Office on 01369 703206.