£9.4m Inchgreen industrial hub surges forward
A £9.4 million scheme to create a deep-water, industrial hub at Inchgreen, Port Glasgow, has cleared a major hurdle, with the project’s strategic business case getting the seal of approval from top politicians in charge of the Glasgow City Region City Deal.
Councillor Jim Clocherty, Depute-Leader of Inverclyde Council, said, “Inchgreen is a vital strategic asset. There is a growing demand for modern industrial premises with access to a deep-water quay and today’s decision will enable us to capitalize on its unique location and facilities.
“While it’s very close to the A8, there’s currently a lack of infrastructure including links to the wider road network.
“By working in partnership with the site’s owners Peel Ports, Inverclyde Council can help bring in the necessary public/private investment to transform a derelict, under-used site into a sought-after, state-of-the-art, deep water industrial facility. The lasting dividend for local communities in Greenock and Port Glasgow will be permanent jobs across a wide range of trades.”
Peel Ports chief executive Mark Whitworth said, “Today’s announcement is the culmination of months of hard work and commitment by ourselves and our partners at Inverclyde Council. Everyone involved in this project wants to see Inchgreen resume its role as a thriving industrial and maritime site which supports hundreds of skilled, permanent jobs.
“This is a huge step forward in realizing that dream, but we must ensure we maintain and build upon this momentum in the months ahead and we look forward to playing a leading role in what is an exciting and vital development.”
The strategic business case envisages Inchgreen becoming home to: a training facility for the fishing industry, a facility for building fishing boats, a fish processing plant and a marine manufacturing facility. The remainder of the site will be designated for heavy marine operations to unlock its potential for a wider range of users. The option of using the Inchgreen Dry Dock will also be considered as the business case develops.
The main elements of the project involve: land purchases, cleaning up the site, upgrading the quay, improving the infrastructure that serves the site (access roads, utilities etc) and constructing a ship fabrication shed (Advance high portal manufacturing unit?).
The project’s £9.4million cost will come from the Glasgow City Region City Deal.
The Glasgow City Region City Deal is a £1.13billion scheme to fund major infrastructure projects; create thousands of new jobs; assist thousands of unemployed people back to work; improve public transport and connectivity; drive business innovation and growth and generate billions of pounds of private sector investment.
The Glasgow City Region City Deal involves eight West of Scotland local authorities including Inverclyde Council.