LUSS Estates has applied for planning permission to use part of the beach in the village for commercial watersports activities.

The estates company is seeking permission from the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority for the partial change of use of the beach.

The application seeks to renew permissions which were granted in 2015 for an enclosed storage area next to Luss Visitor Centre and for the use of part of the beach to the north of the pier, allowing water-based activities to be based there.

According to a supporting statement published on the park authority's website, that permission was time-limited until April 30, 2018.

The supporting statement says: "As before, the application is being submitted in the name of the landowner, Luss Estates Company, but it is anticipated that Loch Lomond Leisure (Scotland) Ltd will be the operator under a lease.

"To give a greater degree of confidence for ongoing investment the Estate would, however, seek an unlimited period of permission and withour any restriction on the type or number of equipment, other than it is non-motorised, that is made available for visitors, so that they can react to the varying day-to-day demands throughout the season."

The statement says there will be "little in the way of physical works on the beach", other than the daily erection of a gazebo and the temporary storage of canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, pedalos and other forms of water craft.

The company’s application can be viewed in detail by searching http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org for the application code 2018/0001/DET.

* Meanwhile, a planning application has been submitted to Argyll and Bute Council seeking permission for the temporary change of use of a residential property in Helensburgh’s Maclachlan Drive.

The applicant, Mrs Aniko Smith, is seeking permission to use part of the property as an office.