Work Starts on New Gateway into Port Glasgow
Contractors have begun work on a key Inverclyde Council regeneration project to create a new entrance into Port Glasgow town centre.
A new spur road will be built off the A8 forming a junction with Shore Street and Princes Street and a new civic square created in front of the Town Hall.
Regeneration Convener Councillor Michael McCormick said: “The new road will open up the town centre to traffic directly from the main route in and out of Inverclyde. It should significantly boost existing businesses and attract fresh investment into the area. Providing better connections into the town centre was one of the recommendations of our regeneration master plan for Port Glasgow so I am delighted we are about to see this particular project get underway.”
The new road will have footways on either side and a grass lawn will be created on the site of the present car park.
A new hard-landscaped civic space will extend over Shore Street from the front of the Town Hall. In order to make room for the new spur road the existing civic square will be made smaller including the removal of the canopy and some of the steps and hard landscaping.
The project is being delivered on behalf of the Council by the urban regeneration company Riverside Inverclyde.
Chief Executive Fiona Maguire said: “This is the latest phase of the ongoing regeneration of Port Glasgow and will make a real difference to an area that has seen many years of decline.”
Graeme Clark, Joint Managing Director of RJ McLeod (Contractors) Ltd said:
“RJ McLeod are pleased to have been chosen to carry out the ‘New Gateway into Port Glasgow’. As a leading Scottish civil engineering firm with experience of regeneration in the Inverclyde area, we appreciate that the interface and relationships with local stakeholders, residents, businesses and the general public are key aspects to a successful project. This scheme will have both long and short term gains to the local community.”
Inverclyde Council’s Regeneration Vice Convener Councillor Colin Jackson said: “I am delighted that our plans for Port Glasgow to address years of decline in the area are moving forward. The Council, Riverside Inverclyde, the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Regeneration Fund and the Cities Growth Fund have already contributed significantly to refreshing and renewing the town centre and this is the latest step to deliver our vision for the future of Port Glasgow.”
The Port Glasgow town centre master plan was developed after speaking extensively with local residents and businesses and identified the need to develop a new gateway to the town centre as a priority for investment.
Councillor Drew McKenzie is chair of the Port Glasgow Town Centre Regeneration Forum. He said: “The new road and civic space will be a huge improvement for Port Glasgow. Not only will it provide direct access to the town centre from the A8 it will also improve the first impressions and celebrate the rich heritage and distinctiveness of Port Glasgow.”
In addition to the new access into Port Glasgow from the A8 the Port Glasgow regeneration strategy and master plan recommends environmental improvements to the town centre; removal of redundant buildings; the restoration of empty shop units to provide ‘fit for purpose’ retail space and new office and commercial accommodation.
The priority list in the Port Glasgow master plan includes:
Formation of new access into Port Glasgow from the A8 onto Princes Street (£500,000)
Environmental improvements to the town centre (£1.5 million)
Removal of redundant buildings around Coronation Park (Costs N/A)
Restoration of empty shop units to provide ‘fit for purpose’ retail space (£1 million)
Providing support for emerging retail businesses (£1.25 million)
Acquire and demolish redundant buildings at Jean Street and Brown Street for residential development (£250,000)
New business centre in Princes Street (£750,000)
Develop new office and commercial accommodation in Port Glasgow (£800,000)
Photograph: Robert van Beek, Contracts Manager, RJ McLeod, Councillor Michael McCormick, Councillor Colin Jackson and Fiona Maguire.