COUNCILLORS have agreed to push plans for a new district heating network (DHN) earmarked for Clydeside to the next level.

A meeting was held in Clydebank Town Hall last week for elected members to discuss the proposal, which would see the council put forward a £6 million investment and apply for the Scottish Government to put forward a further £6m to complete the project.

West Dunbartonshire Council will have to wait until January to determine if it has been selected for the funding grant but, if approved, work will begin on the Queen’s Quay network as early as next year.

The network would initially be expected to serve West College Scotland’s Clydebank campus, the town hall and library, as well as several other developments that have yet to open their doors on the Quay – including the highly-anticipated new leisure centre, which is expected to open next year.

However, plans for the 40-year project – which will require the replacement of three water pumps used to make it work once during its lifetime – hope to see it become responsible for heat in the Golden Jubilee Hospital before extending even further to the likes of Clyde Shopping Centre and Dalmuir.

If the funding is made available, the council’s director for regeneration, environment and growth Jim McAloon said the project will be “future-proofed” to ensure the possibility of expansion, to which the only limit will be financial costs.

Mr McAloon said: “[The Scottish Government] is looking for projects others will be able to learn from and implement in the future and we believe the Queen’s Quay DHN will be that opportunity.

But despite the council agreeing to go ahead with the next stage of development, they met some opposition.

Dumbarton ward councillor George Black demanded answers from the council officer as to why the meeting was held just one day before the deadline to send the funding application to the Scottish Government, stating he had been “bounced” into making a decision over £6m of council money in one night.

He added: “We should have a cooling off period. I want to know why we’re not getting time to look at it.”

Mr McAloon assured it was a timing issue as the council were only informed about the Scottish Government funding option two months prior.

However, council leader Cllr Martin Rooney was in favour of the idea and moved the recommendation in the report.

He said: “It’s all about reducing our carbon emissions but luckily it will also save money and reduce issues of heat poverty etc. I think the Scottish Government has got it right … but it means local authorities have to invest.”