Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal plans approved for Inverclyde

Plans to expand cruise ship facilities at Greenock’s Ocean Terminal and another to improve the A78 at Inverkip have been passed as part of the £1bn Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal scheme.

Approval of the business cases unlocks funding that will allow them to develop the design phase of the two projects.

Inverclyde Council leader Councillor Stephen McCabe said: “This is a significant milestone in the delivery of two key strategic projects for Inverclyde.

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“With the support of seven other Scottish councils and both the Scottish and UK Governments, Inverclyde is making sure we are getting benefit for our local area while playing a key part in delivering investment and improvements which benefit the west and the rest of Scotland.

 “The site at Inverkip is a major project for the town, but also for Inverclyde and for the west of Scotland.

“It takes a former brownfield site and opens it up to development, while providing much needed access and safety improvements for our local communities in Inverkip and Wemyss Bay.

“Greenock’s Ocean Terminal project and making sure that Inverclyde continues to be the cruise liner capital of Scotland has local and Scotland wide benefits.”

The project at Greenock Ocean Terminal will be delivered in partnership between Inverclyde Council and Peel Ports, which owns the terminal.

It aims to increase capacity for cruise liners into Scotland and create a new visitor facility.

Passenger numbers at the Greenock terminal reached 100,000 this year, but expansion is limited by the existing quayside.

Improvements to the A78 are expected to open up the brownfield site of a former power station for 600 new homes and 6,000sqm of commercial space.

Approval was also given for a full business case for a £5.2m project by Glasgow City Council aimed at supporting growing businesses in the Clyde Valley and an outline business case for Cathkin Relief Road developed by South Lanarkshire Council.

The Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal is the biggest of its kind in the UK and will fund major infrastructure projects.

The City Deal is expected to generate 15,000 construction jobs during the building phase, 28,000 permanent jobs once construction is finished and unlock £3.3bn of private sector investment.

The eight local authorities which form the Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal are East Dunbartonshire Council, East Renfrewshire Council, Glasgow City Council, Inverclyde Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Renfrewshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council.