Inverclyde Council Shares Levelling Up Bid Plans

Inverclyde Council has shared its ambitious plans for the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund in a bid to transform the heart of Greenock Town Centre.

The plans, if successful, could bring up to £22m investment into the town centre.

The proposals aim to:

- Create new civic spaces
- Restructure and create an outward-looking town centre retail offering
- Improve links between various parts of the town centre and the waterfront
- Include capacity for a new education/college facility
- Create opportunities for increased Town Centre housing and living opportunities

To achieve this, a funding bid has been prepared to the 'Levelling Up Fund' which would remove the A78 flyover to bring the road to ground level to increase access, remove the bullring roundabout and 40 per cent of the existing indoor retail space in the Oak Mall as well as demolishing Hector McNeil House.

This would be replaced by a low-level trunk road which does not split the town centre in two with easier access to the town centre for visitors and residents.

It would allow the Oak Mall to be restructured as an outward-looking retail and leisure quarter, recreating the functional heart of the centre.

The plans also aim to create space for a new learning quarter and campus anchored on a new college facility and the existing Greenock library alongside opportunities for new town centre living.

It could also create opportunities for a new cultural centre and quarter in the town centre developed around the Glebe Building.

The ambitious proposals would also allow for the creation of a new open civic area in the town centre creating a warmer welcome to visitors and residents and improved connections between the town centre and the waterfront. 

The bid must be submitted by the 6th July 2022 and the council is now engaging with the community to find out the level of local support.

Visit the online survey here.