Autumn start for £24m Greenock central works
PHYSICAL works on the £24 million Greenock Town Centre transformation are expected to begin later this year.
The project, largely funded by the UK Government from the former Levelling Up Fund, is due to start in earnest in autumn 2025.
It will include the demolition of Hector McNeil House, the Bullring Roundabout, eastern side of the Oak Mall Shopping Centre, the removal of the A8 flyover in place of traffic light junctions, and the creation of new public spaces and a fresh entrance for the Oak Mall.
The project has been progressing behind the scenes with extensive planning, design and engagement with the large number of partners organisations involved.
Some initial works and site investigations have also been carried out.
Contractors are now expected to begin the main bulk of the project in autumn 2025, starting with the Oak Mall and Hector McNeil House demolition works.
While the various part of the redevelopment will be carried out in phases, the whole project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
Further details, including information about diversions, will be made available in due course.
Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “This is a complex project involving various public and private sector partners and a lot of hard work has gone in behind the scenes to get to this stage where the main works are due to start soon.
“This is the biggest project of its kind in a generation with the aim of transforming central Greenock and the town centre for the better and is really exciting.
“It will build on the good work that’s been done to date, including the new Ocean Terminal building and the West Blackhall Street redevelopment, by making Greenock a more accessible and attractive place to live, work, visit and do business.
“There will, of course, be disruption and we’re not shying away from that.
“We’re also well aware of disruption experienced by residents in recent times due to a variety of emergency and planned works, particularly on the roads network and we share those frustrations.
“Council officers are working closely with the main contractor and alongside our various partners to ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum.
“It’s worth remembering though that the long-term goal here is to modernise and improve Greenock and to try and revitalise the town centre.
“I hope people will share in this positive outlook for the town and get behind Greenock.”
The total investment in the central Greenock project is expected to be around £23.58m, including associated land and road improvement costs.
Inverclyde Council successfully bid for £19.39m from the UK Government towards the project with the remaining £4.19m is being sourced from various external funding pots and the council’s capital reserves.
UK Government Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said: "I welcome confirmation that the transformation of Greenock Town Centre will begin later this year.
“This exciting project, funded by £19.39 million UK Government investment, will boost the economy, create skilled Scottish jobs and enhance the lives of communities.
"The UK Government is investing more than £1.4 billion in dozens of important local growth projects and programmes across Scotland over the next 10 years - including up to £20 million more for Greenock as part of our Plan for Neighbourhoods.
“Working with partners we will deliver a decade of national renewal through our Plan for Change."
Inverclyde Council was successfully awarded UK Government funding in 2023 to modernise Greenock Town Centre.
The transformative programme will create new civic spaces, a restructured more outward looking retail offer, improve links between various parts of the town centre and the waterfront.
To do this, the ageing A78 flyover and the Bullring Roundabout will be removed with the road brought down to ground level to improve access, Hector McNeil House will be demolished, and 40 per cent of the existing, underused indoor retail space in the Oak Mall will go.
This will be replaced by a low-level trunk road which brings the town together rather than split the town centre in two, with easier access for visitors and residents.
The project will allow for the Oak Mall to be restructured to enhance the retail and leisure space.
It will allow for the creation of a new open civic area in the town centre creating to be more welcoming to visitors and residents and improved connections between the town centre and the waterfront.