28-07-2025
'Chernobyl' ghost town in Scotland FINALLY demolished after years of crime and drugs
The Clune Estate in Port Glasgow, which has been likened to a post-apocalyptic film, is finally being flattened after years of neglect and social decline
It has long been compared to something from an apocalyptic movie - a decaying ghost town plagued by drugs, blazes and criminality - but now the infamous Clune Estate in Port Glasgow is finally being torn down.
Demolition teams have started the painstaking and cautious job of knocking down what remains of the formerly thriving housing development, with labourers wearing protective gloves and reinforced boots to shield themselves from shattered glass and abandoned syringes scattered across the area.
The development, nicknamed the "Scottish Chernobyl" due to its resemblance to the deserted Ukrainian settlement near the nuclear catastrophe site, had fallen into decay following years of abandonment and social deterioration.
What had previously been a flourishing neighbourhood became a desolate wasteland.
In its prime, the Clune Estate was a lively centre, housing dockyard employees from the neighbouring Lithgow facility, reports the Express.
Constructed following the Great War, the development boasted its own educational facility, place of worship, retail outlets and civic hall.
Youngsters cycled through the streets during twilight hours and residents felt secure.
However, when shipbuilding industry crumbled during the 1990s, the neighbourhood fell apart.
House values crashed, inhabitants departed, and property owners arrived to accommodate benefit recipients via local authority programmes.
Gradually, the estate fell into disorder, experiencing 14 blazes within merely eight months during its darkest period.
Substance misuse, destruction and lawlessness became so widespread that remaining families escaped.
From 480 homes, merely five residents remained as of this year. Most were eager to escape, with those who remained holding onto memories of happier times.
During a visit by MailOnline this week, bulldozers were seen actively demolishing the remnants of flats. A construction worker revealed his constant apprehension about what they might find hidden in the rubble - particularly needles concealed within the debris.
He pointed out the "stubborn" bricks that had resisted demolition.
The surrounding ruins of shops and offices, now charred and empty, narrated a tale of years of arson attacks. The local church, school and community centre had all been set alight after their closure.
Later, thieves stripped the buildings of lead and copper piping.
Now, the council has earmarked the land for new housing as part of a significant regeneration initiative. Plans for reconstruction had been suggested as early as 2007, but until now, little headway had been made.
One of the area's most prominent landlords, David Hay Smith, confirmed that a proposal to enhance the estate was put forward more than fourteen years ago - a plan to foster a safer, more optimistic community.
It's a vision that may finally come to fruition, as the ghosts of Clune Estate are finally being put to rest.
