Former Ibm Factory In Greenock Offered To Nhs Scotland For Field Hospital

The owners of the former IBM factory near Greenock have stepped forward to offer the facility as an NHS field hospital to help with the COVID-19 crisis.

McGill’s Buses owners Sandy and James Easdale, and Advance Construction owner Seamus Shields, have offered the vacant 65,000sq/ft capacity building at Spango Valley which is in good condition and has a canteen, toilet and office facilities in place together with a network of utilities capable of supporting increased usage.

Plans are currently progressing for a £100m mixed-use development on the site, including the creation of up to 450 homes.

The Easdale family has also offered the use of a commercial office block in Port Glasgow’s Scarlow Street which was formerly used by the Department for Work and Pensions.

In a joint statement, Sandy and James Easdale said:

“The NHS and the Scottish Government are looking at potential options for field hospitals in Scotland, similar to what is being facilitated at the Excel in London.

“We know there will be specific criteria required by the NHS but this is a vacant, large capacity building which is easily accessed in the west of Scotland. Contact has already been made with local politicians and Scottish Government regarding its availability and should it be required then we can make progress rapidly on its handover.

“The NHS staff and government are doing brilliant work to get us through this unprecedented crisis and we are willing to help them in any way we can.”

Seamus Shields, joint-owner of the site and owner of Advance Construction, said:

“As a business, we are navigating ourselves through these challenging times and can only imagine the pressures that the NHS and Scottish Government are under during this crisis. We are delighted to be able to assist in any way possible and my team are ready and willing to help prepare the site if required to enable access and infrastructure requirements of the NHS.”