Inverclyde Awarded £20m From Uk Government Levelling Up Fund

It has been announced that the area is one of 10 places sharing £177m in crucial 'levelling up' funding for big infrastructure projects.

The money will be used for the demolition and re-routing of the A78 dual carriageway through the town.

This will kick off a project to reconnect and transform Greenock town centre into a 'modern, vibrant hub' based around public squares and green spaces. 

It comes as a badly needed investment for the area, in the wake of Amazon announcing plans to close their Gourock distribution centre and axe 300 local jobs, along with the snub for the Clyde coast freeport bid.

Conservative front bench MSP Jamie Greene, who comes from Greenock, described the cash injection as much needed and transformational.

He added that it was evidence of Rishi Sunak’s UK Government helping to boost economic growth and deliver new jobs for people across Inverclyde.

Mr Greene said: “I’m thrilled that the UK Government have given the green light and funding to this major project for rejuvenating the heart of Greenock.

“This bold initiative will bring huge social and economic benefits to our area and create hundreds, if not thousands, of much-needed jobs.

“The centre of Greenock has been in need of a boost for a while and this project shows what can be achieved when both of Scotland’s governments and Inverclyde Council work together.

“My thanks go to those involved in making this a reality, including those at Inverclyde Council who will be largely responsible for making this project come to life.”

The levelling up fund is designed to drive economic growth, create jobs and help to 'restore people’s pride in the places where they live'.

Council bosses unveiled their full vision for the revamp last year, with artist's impressions of a new-look town centre showing the current A78 flyover removed and a new signalised junction created to replace the Bullring roundabout.

The wider plans also include flattening almost half of the Oak Mall and demolishing Hector McNeil House - the old library building which now houses the health and social care partnership.

The proposals aim to free up space for a learning quarter, making way for a possible new college campus plus new flats in the heart of the town centre.

Last summer Municipal Buildings bosses said work on the project could begin this year if the bid was accepted.

A public consultation survey about their proposals received over 500 responses - with four in five people backing the plans.

A rate of 79 per cent of people supported the proposal to remove the A8 flyover and bring the road down to ground level, 87 per cent supported the reduction of the Mall in size while 74 per cent backed the removal of Hector McNeil House and the construction of a new learning/college facility and new housing in the town centre.

Other projects elsewhere to win cash from the levelling up budget include £20m in Kilmarnock for the refurbishment of a theatre and town hall and creation of a new park, £14m for a sustainable transport hub in Dundee and £19m for the regeneration of the Forthside area of Stirling, helping to create 1,000 jobs.

Cumbernauld secured £9m for the demolition and regeneration of two failing shopping centres and £26.8m has been allocated for a new, lifeline roll-on, roll-off ferry for Fair Isle, Shetland.

This article appeared in the Greenock Telegraph.